Schnucks Springboard emerging business accelerator welcomes second cohort to stores
Springboard also continues to accept applications for the upcoming third cohort
A view of an end cap that features the Schnucks Springboard’s chosen products. (Courtesy of Schnucks)
Products that were a part of the second class of Schnucks Springboard emerging business accelerator are now available at 15 Schnucks stores in the St. Louis area.
Participating companies include:
SugarBot Sweet Shop & Creamery
In addition to the in-store four-week trial (April 15 – May 12) at the Schnucks stores listed directly below, each of the companies received business development classes at Schnucks’ St. Louis headquarters, networking opportunities, and $5,000 of equity-free funding from Schnucks Springboard.
Illinois
Missouri
Upon conclusion of the four-week trial, Schnucks category managers will evaluate customer demand and sales of accelerator products to determine if the products will become part of Schnucks’ everyday offerings.
To help introduce the products to customers, several coordinated sampling events will be held at the following Schnucks stores:
Saturday, May 2
Richmond Center, 10 – 11:30 a.m.
Des Peres, 12:30 – 2 p.m.
Richardson, 3:30 – 5 p.m.
Sunday, May 3
Edwardsville, 10:30 a.m. – Noon
Cross Keys, 1:30 – 3 p.m.
Schnucks Springboard third cohort
Schnucks Springboard continues to accept applications for the program’s third cohort starting in August.
To apply, business owners should visit schnucks.com/springboard prior to April 25, 2026.
To qualify, owners’ companies must:
- Have annual consumer product goods (CPG) revenue of less than $1 Million
- Have fewer than 10 years in the CPG business
- Employ fewer than 50 people
- Have products that have never been sold at Schnuck Markets, or any of its banners
- Be based in one of twelve Midwestern states (as defined by the S. Census Bureau): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota or Wisconsin
If selected, vendors must have the ability to attend all business development classes in-person at Schnucks’ St. Louis headquarters this fall and also must meet food safety, insurance and other regulatory requirements for a product shelf trial.
About Schnucks
Founded in St. Louis in 1939, Schnuck Markets Inc. is a third- and fourth-generation, family-owned grocery retailer committed to nourishing people’s lives. Schnucks operates 113 stores, serving customers in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana and employs more than 11,000 teammates. According to Forbes’ 2025 rankings, Schnucks is the 185th largest privately-owned company in the United States and the 13th largest privately-owned grocer. Schnucks is committed to helping communities thrive, and as a champion for reducing hunger, the company annually donates more than $15 million in food to pantries that help those in need. Schnucks is part of 1939 Group Inc., which is owned by the family that founded Schnuck Markets Inc., and named after the year they opened the first Schnucks store. Other members of the family of companies include Festival Foods and Hometown Grocers Inc.
