Get All Access for $5/mo

After a Cancer Scare, She Bootstrapped a Business From Her Kitchen to 3,500 Walmarts. Here's Her Secret Ingredient for Health — and Success. Katie Lefkowitz, founder and CEO of Harken Sweets, is redefining indulgence with "superfood-infused" candy bars.

By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • Lefkowitz leveraged her academic and professional backgrounds to innovate in the chocolate confection space.
  • Harken Sweets' plant-based, high-fiber bars are available at 3,500 Walmarts nationwide and numerous other retailers.
Courtesy of Harken Sweets
Katie Lefkowitz

Katie Lefkowitz, founder and CEO of "superfood-infused" candy bar company Harken Sweets, was a self-proclaimed "Snickers fanatic" for most of her life. However, when health issues and a colon cancer scare "flipped [her] world upside down," she started considering food as medicine — and experimenting with the concept in her kitchen.

"I wanted to recreate those classic candy bars, but in a way that they were actually healthier for you to eat," Lefkowitz tells Entrepreneur, "and that's exactly why I started Harken."

Lefkowitz was well-positioned to found a better-for-you food brand. After graduating with a bachelor's in the biological basis of human behavior and consumer psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from Harvard Business School, she went on to serve as COO, then senior advisor, at Caulipower, the company behind a line of frozen, cauliflower-based products.

Related: People Underestimated Her 'Sweet' Idea, and She Took Advantage of It — All the Way to $125 Million in Annual Sales and a $360 Million Exit

So, in 2022, Lefkowitz rolled that expertise into Harken. She named the company for what it means to "harken back to those good old days when you could enjoy all the candy that you wanted and not feel like total hell afterward," she says.

"We see ourselves as this third wave within chocolate confection, [where] there are functional benefits to candy bars."

According to Lefkowitz, the chocolate confection space has transformed over time, and Harken strives to evolve with it.

"You had classics, like the Snickers of the universe," she explains. "Then it evolved into the more natural version, so maybe they took out the corn syrup, but they didn't really change the nutritionals drastically. And so we see ourselves as this third wave within chocolate confection, [where] there are functional benefits to candy bars."

Image Credit: Courtesy of Harken Sweets

Lefkowitz had to try "countless different versions" of the product that would become Harken's standard in her kitchen — incorporating dates to make her ideal bar. "We take the dates [and] macerate them in such a way that it creates that gooey, caramelly texture," Lefkowitz says. "We're not using butter, sugar or the classic caramel ingredients, and you still get that taste and texture."

But Lefkowitz notes that it's one thing to nail the perfect recipe in your home kitchen — and another entirely to replicate it at scale. It was a significant challenge, she admits, but focusing diligently on the product and how to make it across various manufacturing facilities helped Harken overcome it.

Today, Harken offers its plant-based, high-fiber bars in several flavors, retailing for $39.99 for a 12-pack: The Nutty One, The Crunchy One and The Gooey One, all featuring the date caramel.

Related: These Co-Founders Who Bet Big on Foodies Raised $133 Million to Fund Their Innovative Idea — and It's Helping Restaurants Nationwide

"We took this to a number of different retailers, and we brought on Walmart very early on."

Although Harken began with a direct-to-consumer approach, it wasn't long before it caught fire. The company received a flood of positive feedback via email, Lefkowitz says, explaining that people were excited to have a nutritious treat that tastes good — "which is always hard to come by." So, Lefkowitz considered other pathways for growth and expansion.

"I still see retail as a huge focus for all food brands," Lefkowitz says, "so we took this to a number of different retailers, and we brought on Walmart very early on. [It] was our first national retailer."

To this day, Lefkowitz hasn't taken any outside funding, preferring to bootstrap the brand.

"It's unusual for folks in this space," she says. "[But] it's been important to me to make sure that I run the business the way I think it needs to be run in these early stages. That's not to say we won't ever raise money, but I feel good about the position that we're in and [proving] the concept without ever needing to do a classic funding round."

Related: His Side Hustle Made $20,000 in 2 Weeks After Catching Beyoncé's Attention — Now This 26-Year-Old Is Aiming for $1 Million Revenue

"Innovation is absolutely core to who we are here at Harken, and [we're] looking to expand into additional products."

Now, Harken is available in 3,500 Walmarts nationwide. The company, which boasts 50 times quarter over quarter growth, also has its products in KeHE, UNFI, ShopRite, Fairway, Gourmet Garage, McCaffrey's, PopUp Grocer and Better Health Markets, and Albertsons and the Fresh Market will stock them soon, Lefkowitz says.

"I've been amazed by the groundswell among the retailers," Lefkowitz adds. "[It] has shown how there's such a need for a product like this in the checkout aisle."

Image Credit: Courtesy of Harken Sweets

Lefkowitz looks forward to Harken's continued growth and innovation — noting there's still a lot of white space in the market.

"Innovation is absolutely core to who we are here at Harken," Lefkowitz says, "and [we're] looking to expand into additional products [and] product lines to continue to give our customers products that match the occasion for which they would love to enjoy a healthier treat."

Related: These Sisters Who Just Struck a Major Deal on 'Shark Tank' Reveal How They Caught Producers' Attention During the Application Process

"To succeed in this space, it's about putting the nose to the grindstone, really hustling it out every day."

Needless to say, "the power of the date superfood" was not only the secret ingredient for Harken's first healthy treat but also laid the foundation for a growing brand built around the functional benefits Lefkowitz sees as the industry's future.

Lefkowitz encourages aspiring entrepreneurs eyeing the better-for-you food space to experiment in their kitchens and find their own key to success — because "you'd be amazed by what you can do with even a handful of homemade samples." Then, just hit the ground running.

"Get it in front of people as soon as possible," Lefkowitz says. "Start testing, start iterating. And if you feel in your gut you have a winner, it's more likely than not that you do. To succeed in this space, it's about putting the nose to the grindstone, really hustling it out every day door to door, and you can make a huge difference."

Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Leadership

Why Your AI Strategy Will Fail Without the Right Talent in Place

Using fractional AI experts through specialized platforms allows companies to access top talent cost-effectively, drive innovation and scale agile strategies for growth.

Business News

Here's What the CPI Report Means for Your Wallet, According to JPMorgan and EY Experts

Most experts agree that there will be another rate cut next week.

Science & Technology

Use This Framework to Successfully Integrate AI Into Your Business Operations

Here's how to ensure both innovation and compliance when using AI in your organization.

Growing a Business

Why Business Owners Should Streamline Their Operations Now for Success in 2025

As the holiday season and year-end approach, business owners face heightened operational demands, from inventory management to spend control. By streamlining these processes and partnering with flexible suppliers, businesses can maintain efficiency, meet customer needs and focus on growth while navigating this busy period.

Productivity

6 Habits That Help Successful People Maximize Their Time

There aren't enough hours in the day, but these tips will make them feel slightly more productive.