From $1 Cookies to $100 Million Chips: Nicole Dawes' Snack Empire

Nicole Dawes started small, selling $1 cookies from a red wagon. Fast forward, and she's the force behind Late July and Nixie, leaving a mark on the snack aisle. Her journey kicked off at 12, wheeling cookies around local delis. The summer she and a friend raked in $500 was just the beginning.

Her early mentor? Dad, Steve Bernard, creator of Cape Cod chips. He introduced her to cost structures and pricing, setting a foundation that she'd build on. After a brief stint in management consulting, Dawes dove into the snack biz, helping Cape Cod chips regain its footing post-Anheuser-Busch. Her big break came with Late July in 2003, a brand that soared to $100 million in sales. Massive.

But she wasn't done. With Late July sold to Campbell's by 2018, Dawes poured her energy into Nixie, an organic soda brand. Eight years in, it's a player in a crowded market, raising $27 million in 2025 and expanding into major grocers. Dawes knows the grind, leaning on a network of 20 female founders for advice. And she's all about empowering other women to jump into entrepreneurship.

Here's the thing: Dawes' story isn't just about snacks. It's about the power of mentorship and staying bold. In the crowded food and beverage scene, she's shown that starting with cookies can lead to confectionery empires.