Kroger to Carry Eat Happy Kitchen, a Woman-Owned, All-Natural Line of Pasta Sauces
Eat Happy Kitchen, an award-winning woman-owned food company known for its clean, better-for-you pasta sauces, is now appearing on the shelves of 479 Kroger Family stores across the country. This milestone marks a significant step in the company’s mission to bring premium, no-sugar-added sauces to everyday shoppers seeking alternatives to conventional options. The addition more than doubles Eat Happy Kitchen’s national retail footprint and makes it one of the fastest-scaling emerging food brands in the country.
Eat Happy Kitchen’s relationship with Kroger began in an unexpected way, when founder and CEO Anna Vocino participated in a 30-second “pitch slam” at Expo West 2024, hosted by StartupCPG. That brief introduction sparked conversations that evolved into the brand’s addition to the shelves of Kroger-owned Fred Meyer, Ralphs, King Soopers, QFC, Smith’s and Fry’s.
“Our pasta sauces offer something very different from the usual suspects on the shelf,” said Vocino. “From no seed oils to no added sugars, our clean ingredient list and bold flavors give shoppers a fun, better-for-you choice that can freshen up any pasta night. Kroger’s willingness to make room for an emerging, woman-owned brand like ours shows their commitment to bringing innovation and quality to their customers, and it advances our mission to become the premium pantry product company of the future.”
Shoppers will find four of Eat Happy Kitchen’s standout sauces in the conventional pasta sauce aisle:
- Eat Happy Kitchen Marinara
- Eat Happy Kitchen Puttanesca, the Shelfie Awards best pasta sauce of 2024
- Eat Happy Kitchen Pink Crema
- Eat Happy Kitchen Arrabbiata Spicy Marinara
The expansion was made possible through the support of Eat Happy Kitchen’s trusted distribution partner, KeHE.
“The entire KeHE team, especially Darren Eubanks, has been instrumental in helping us prepare for this expansion into the footprint of the largest supermarket operator in the United States,” Vocino added. “Their partnership has been indispensable to our growth and we’re grateful for their role in making this happen.”
With the premium pasta sauce category growing rapidly, Eat Happy Kitchen’s clean-label recipes stand out in a space long dominated by mass-produced alternatives. The company’s entry onto the shelves of one of the most mainstream supermarket brands reflects a larger shift in consumer demand for healthier, high-quality pantry staples at conventional grocery stores.
This also marks a significant moment for representation in the food space, as Eat Happy Kitchen is among the few women-owned pasta sauce brands on the shelves at a growing number of the country’s largest retailers.
Vocino will conduct in-store product demonstrations at various new locations in the coming months. Follow her on Instagram for news and information about Eat Happy products, special discounts and live appearances.