Little Sesame
Little Sesame is a chef-driven, premium organic hummus brand that produces small-batch, freshly spun hummus from regeneratively farmed Montana chickpeas using HPP pasteurization, selling through roughly 3,000 retail doors, D2C subscriptions, co-branded SKUs, and a flagship D.C. restaurant to health-conscious consumers and families.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Little Sesame does
Little Sesame is a chef-driven, premium organic hummus brand founded in 2016 in Washington, D.C. by former fine dining cooks Nick Wiseman (CEO) and Ronen Tenne. The company produces small-batch, freshly spun hummus using high-pressure processing (HPP) for non-thermal pasteurization, regeneratively farmed organic chickpeas sourced exclusively from a single family farm in Montana, freshly squeezed lemon juice as the only preservative, and expeller-pressed oils. It was the first hummus brand to earn both Clean Label Project certification and Glyphosate Residue Free certification in 2024, and holds OU Kosher, Non-GMO Project Verified, and USDA Organic (made with organic ingredients) certifications.
The company operates a multi-channel go-to-market spanning direct-to-consumer e-commerce with subscription bundles (Build-Your-Own from $36 with 5% subscriber discount, free shipping over $60), roughly 3,000 retail doors nationwide (Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Wegmans, Erewhon, Giant Food, Target, plus online partners GoPuff, Misfits Market, and Imperfect Foods), a flagship restaurant at 1828 L Street NW in Washington D.C., and catering services. The product portfolio includes 12+ hummus SKUs (Smooth Classic, Herby Jalapeño, Caramelized Onion, Preserved Lemon, Golden Garlic, Habanero, Tomato Basil, Avocado Oil), specialty lines (Kids Hummus, Protein Hummus, Hummus Snacker single-serve), a Tahini Sauce condiment, and limited-edition co-branded SKUs with natural-foods brands (Yellowbird, Fly By Jing, Vista Hermosa, Bianco DiNapoli, Fishwife, Brightland). Individual containers retail at $5.70–$10 and 16oz tubs at $10.
Little Sesame has raised approximately $14.7M in disclosed funding, including a $2.5M USDA Organic Market Development Grant (2024) and an $8.5M Series A led by InvestEco Capital in July 2025, with participation from Watchfire Ventures, Santatera Capital, Beliade Consumer Partners, and Walden Mutual Bank. The company reports 100%+ year-over-year revenue growth since the 2021 grocery launch at Whole Foods, grew headcount from ~40 (early 2024) to 60+ (2026), and in 2026 opened a 23,600-square-foot manufacturing facility in Capitol Heights, Maryland designed to scale production capacity from 4M to 20M lbs annually. The company owns its manufacturing (no co-packers) and is investing in regenerative acreage expansion from 1,500 acres in 2024 to a stated goal of 10,000 acres by 2027.
Little Sesame firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Little Sesame
- Legal name
- Little Sesame Inc.
- Website
- https://eatlittlesesame.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Little Sesame is a chef-driven, premium organic hummus brand that produces small-batch, freshly spun hummus from regeneratively farmed Montana chickpeas using HPP pasteurization, selling through roughly 3,000 retail doors, D2C subscriptions, co-branded SKUs, and a flagship D.C. restaurant to health-conscious consumers and families.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Little Sesame industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Plant-based Dips
- NAICS
- Other Specialty Food Retailers (44529), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298), Grocery and Related Product Merchant Wholesalers (4244)
- SIC
- Food And Kindred Products (2000), Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Wholesale-Groceries & Related Products (5140)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Online Specialty Grocery (Organic/Health/Ethnic/Gourmet) (CRAHAIAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Nuts, Seeds & Trail Mix Snacks (CRADABAF), Fresh Food Subscription/CSA & Produce Box Retail (CRAHAHAG)
Keywords
Where Little Sesame is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Little Sesame business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Sales: Products sold through premium natural and specialty grocery retailers including Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Wegmans, Erewhon, and Target stores nationwide. Individual hummus containers priced at $5.70-$10.
- Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Sells directly through their website with subscription options offering 5% savings. Products include Build-Your-Own bundles starting at $36, with free shipping over $60.
- Restaurant and Catering: Operates flagship restaurant in Washington DC serving freshly spun hummus bowls, salads, pita sandwiches, and soft serve. Offers catering services for events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual hummus containers (8oz) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Large 16oz Smooth Classic tub |
| Subscription | Monthly | Build-Your-Own Bundle (6 items) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Family Bundle (Party Pack) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Snack Bundle |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Cards |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels9 records
Marketing channels6 records
Little Sesame product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Little Sesame manufactures and sells a portfolio of freshly spun, certified organic hummus and tahini sauce products in 12+ flavors, available in individual tubs, single-serve snack packs, and curated subscription bundles. The company distributes its own products through its e-commerce site, a national wholesale network across nearly 3,000 stores (Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, Erewhon, Giant Food, Target), and its flagship restaurant and catering operation in Washington, D.C.
Product overview
Little Sesame is a chef-driven hummus brand offering a portfolio of freshly spun, certified organic hummus products. The core product line includes multiple hummus flavors (Smooth Classic, Herby Jalapeño, Caramelized Onion, Preserved Lemon, Golden Garlic, Habanero, Tomato Basil, and Avocado Oil variants) sold in individual tubs. Specialty offerings include Kids Hummus, Protein Hummus, and the on-the-go Hummus Snacker single-serve format with pretzels. The company also offers Tahini Sauce as a standalone condiment, and collaborates with brands like Yellowbird (Habanero), Fly By Jing (Pumpkin Chili Crisp), and Vista Hermosa (Mexican Street Corn) for limited editions. Products are available as customizable bundles (Build Your Own, Favorites Bundle, Snack Bundle, Family Bundle), through retail partners nationwide, the company's D.C. restaurant, and catering services. The company differentiates through regenerative agriculture sourcing from Montana, high-pressure processing (HPP) for preservation without heat, and clean-label certifications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Smooth Classic Hummus
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100% year-over-year revenue growth since 2021 grocery launch
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Little Sesame
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Little Sesame technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Little Sesame partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- YellowbirdminorCollaboration to create Habanero Hummus product made with Yellowbird's Texas-style habanero hot sauce. Brings Texas heat flavor profile to Little Sesame's hummus line.
- ButcherBoxminorCoalition partner in open letter to USDA calling for clearer quality standards for meat and seafood in the National School Lunch Program. Little Sesame joined this initiative alongside Chef Ann Foundation and Perdue Farms.
- Mad Agriculture / Whole Foods MarketminorPart of 20-company coalition supporting Mad Agriculture's Wilding Pilot project to restore 1,000 acres of marginal farmland in Wisconsin. Supported by Whole Foods Market's $500,000 matching grant.
- Casey Bailey (Montana Chickpea Farmer)coreFifth-generation Montana farmer growing organic chickpeas exclusively for Little Sesame. Dedicated over 500 acres to the brand's chickpeas. Key partner in first-to-market regenerative supply chain.
- Vista HermosaminorCollaboration for Mexican Street Corn Hummus flavor, inspired by elote street food. Vista Hermosa is a natural foods company.
- Bianco DiNapoliminorCollaboration for Tomato Basil Hummus using Bianco DiNapoli tomatoes. Joint promotion including Bianco DiNapoli tomato sauce products.
- BrightlandminorPartnership for Pizza Oil product used in Tomato Basil Eggplant Parm recipe. Brightland produces premium olive oils.
- FishwifeminorRecipe collaboration featuring Fishwife Smoked Trout with Preserved Lemon Hummus toast recipe developed by Sara Tane in collaboration with Fishwife team.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Little Sesame competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sabra Dipping Company: Sabra is the leading mass-market hummus brand in the US (PepsiCo/Strauss Group joint venture). It is the most direct competitor in the same product category with overlapping customers at grocery and mass retail.
- Tribe Mediterranean Foods: Tribe is a national hummus brand offering Mediterranean-inspired flavors at mainstream grocery. Directly comparable to Little Sesame as a shelf competitor in refrigerated hummus, though positioned at lower price points.
- Ithaca Hummus: Ithaca is a premium, clean-label hummus brand emphasizing real ingredients and chef-driven flavors. Closely comparable to Little Sesame on positioning, ingredient quality, and natural-channel distribution.
- Lantana Foods: Lantana is a hummus brand known for creative flavor profiles (e.g., Sriracha, Edamame). Comparable to Little Sesame as a flavor-forward hummus brand in the premium natural channel.
- Cedar's Mediterranean Foods: Cedar's is a regional hummus and Mediterranean foods brand with broad grocery distribution. Comparable to Little Sesame on product category and retail placement, though typically positioned at lower price tiers.
- Fresh Cravings: Fresh Cravings is a hummus and dips brand sold primarily through mass and club channels (Costco, Walmart). Comparable to Little Sesame on hummus product category, though positioned for value-oriented shoppers.
Emerging players
- CAVA Group: CAVA operates a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant chain and has been expanding into CPG retail products. Comparable to Little Sesame on Mediterranean food positioning and chef-driven brand identity, with overlapping retail expansion strategy.
- Banza: Banza is a chickpea-based pasta and foods brand emphasizing plant protein and clean ingredients. Comparable to Little Sesame on chickpea-centric product platform, premium positioning, and natural/mass retail distribution.
- Clio Snacks: Clio is a premium, clean-ingredient snack brand (Greek yogurt bars) sold in natural and mass grocery. Comparable to Little Sesame on premium clean-label positioning, DTC + retail omnichannel strategy, and venture-backed CPG scaling story.
Broad incumbents
- Hain Celestial Group: Hain Celestial owns multiple hummus and dip brands (including Garden of Eatin') and operates broadly in natural/organic CPG. Comparable to Little Sesame as a scaled incumbent in the same natural-channel hummus and dip category.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Little Sesame social profiles
Digital presenceLittle Sesame compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Little Sesame financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Little Sesame leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Little Sesame funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Little Sesame M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Little Sesame
What does Little Sesame do?
Little Sesame manufactures and sells a portfolio of freshly spun, certified organic hummus and tahini sauce products in 12+ flavors, available in individual tubs, single-serve snack packs, and curated subscription bundles. The company distributes its own products through its e-commerce site, a national wholesale network across nearly 3,000 stores (Whole Foods, Sprouts, Wegmans, Erewhon, Giant Food, Target), and its flagship restaurant and catering operation in Washington, D.C.
Is Little Sesame a public or private company?
Little Sesame is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Little Sesame founded?
Little Sesame was founded in 2016. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Little Sesame based?
Little Sesame is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Little Sesame make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Retail Sales are the primary driver. The others are direct-to-Consumer E-commerce and restaurant and Catering.
Who are Little Sesame's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sabra Dipping Company, Tribe Mediterranean Foods, Ithaca Hummus, Lantana Foods, Cedar's Mediterranean Foods and Fresh Cravings. Emerging players are CAVA Group, Banza and Clio Snacks. Hain Celestial Group is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Little Sesame have an API?
No public API is recorded for Little Sesame.
What industry is Little Sesame in?
Little Sesame's product category is Plant-based Dips. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHAIAE, Online Specialty Grocery (Organic/Health/Ethnic/Gourmet), with a secondary code of CRADABAF, Nuts, Seeds & Trail Mix Snacks. Its NAICS code is 44529 and its SIC code is 2000.