The Pitch #170 Original Sunshine: The Best Bagel You've Never Heard Of
12 snips
Oct 15, 2025 
Jesse Middleton, a venture investor at Flybridge, joins co-founders Brad and David as they sneak in as caterers with their gluten-free bagels. The duo shares their journey from health issues to creating a bagel texture that rivals the real deal. They discuss impressive early traction with famous bagel shops and their health-focused production process. The founders outline their ambitious vision for expansion and profitability while addressing investor concerns about branding and packaging. Jesse's enthusiasm leads to an angel investment commitment!
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Bootstrapped Credibility With Top Bagel Shops
- They cold-approached top New York bagel shops and landed Tompkins Square and Black Seed early in 2023.
- Brad then moved to NYC, biked to many shops, and sold directly to build credibility and distribution.
Develop Against A Gold Standard
- Start product development by recreating the best version of what you want, not by approximating it with substitutes.
- Use that gold-standard as the target for gluten-free or alternative formulations.
Food Service As A Strategic Launch Path
- Food service can act as a rapid customer feedback loop and scalable distribution channel.
- Private label supports volume while food service builds brand and product iteration.