Zee Zees

What Zee Zees does

Zee Zees is a wholesale better-for-you snack manufacturer serving the K-12 school foodservice market across the United States. Operating as a brand of National Food Group, Inc., a Michigan corporation headquartered in Novi, Zee Zees supplies shelf-stable, allergen-friendly snacks formulated to meet National School Lunch Program (NSLP) nutritional requirements, Smart Snacks standards, and USDA Buy American provisions. The product portfolio spans Chicken Meat Sticks, Applesauce Cups, Fruit Cups, Soft Baked Bars, Crackers & Grahamz, Dipz & Spreads (including a proprietary No-Nut Butter), Protein Snacks (Fava Bean Crisps, Roasted Chickpeas), Shelf-Stable Yogurt, and Dried Fruit, plus bulk cafeteria cases for salad bars and scratch cooking. All products are manufactured free from peanuts, tree nuts, and sesame, with many items free from additional top-9 allergens including dairy, soy, and gluten, supported by formulation technology that achieves 12-month shelf stability without refrigeration or artificial preservatives.

The company is a USDA nationally approved commodity processor, enabling schools to divert federal commodity entitlements (apples, pears, peaches, beans) into finished Zee Zees products through Fee-for-Service and Net-Off-Invoice programs. Zee Zees generates revenue primarily through B2B wholesale case-based unit pricing to school districts, supplemented by processing fees and a national network of food service distributors that resell products into existing school delivery routes. The company also markets through the Zeesources digital resource hub, providing free cafeteria recipes, tasting kits, menu calendars, and digital menu board assets to support food service director adoption. Direct-to-consumer sales were discontinued in December 2024 to concentrate resources on the K-12 wholesale channel.

Zee Zees operates two social impact programs: Grab The Tab, an annual school lunch debt relief grant program that expanded from $100,000 in 2025 to $150,000 in 2026 and attracted applications from 43 states, and Project SERVE, through which the company donates approximately 1 million servings of food annually to address food insecurity. The company maintains memberships in the School Nutrition Association, American Commodity Distribution Association, CACFP Association, and Snack Safely's safe snack guide, embedding it within the institutional food service ecosystem.

Name

Zee Zees

Legal name

National Food Group, Inc.

Website

https://zeezees.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Zee Zees is a wholesale better-for-you snack manufacturer serving K-12 school foodservice with allergen-free, NSLP-compliant fruit cups, meat sticks, bars, crackers, and yogurts distributed nationally through direct sales and food service distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 School Food Service Snacks

NAICS

Cookie and Cracker Manufacturing (311821), Snack Food Manufacturing (31191), Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Cookies & Crackers (2052), Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Pretzels & Salted Snacks (CRADABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pretzels & Savory Baked Snacks Manufacturing (AFAKAIAD), Health/Protein Snack Bars Manufacturing (AFAKAIAN), Grain-Based Breakfast & Nutrition Bars Manufacturing (cereal bars, granola bars) (AFAKABAI)

Keywords

• K-12 school snacks
• Allergen-free snacks
• USDA commodity processing
• NSLP-compliant foods
• Shelf-stable snacks

Headquarters

HQ city

Novi

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Wholesale B2B Snack Sales: Zee Zees generates revenue through wholesale B2B sales of better-for-you snacks to K-12 schools and school food service programs. Products are sold case-by-case with volume pricing for school districts. Direct ordering available alongside distributor network sales.
2. USDA Commodity Processing Services: Fee-for-service commodity processing where schools divert USDA commodity entitlements to have National Food Group manufacture Zee Zees products. Revenue derived from processing fees with Net-Off-Invoice options available.
3. Grant Program Sponsorships: Through the Grab The Tab initiative, Zee Zees provides grants and product donations to schools. Funded through corporate social responsibility budget with parent company National Food Group partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Zee Zees is a wholesale manufacturer of better-for-you, allergen-friendly snack foods sold to K-12 school food service programs across the United States. The product portfolio includes chicken meat sticks, fruit cups, applesauce, soft baked bars, crackers, dips, protein snacks, and shelf-stable yogurt, all formulated to meet National School Lunch Program and Smart Snacks standards. The company also operates as a USDA nationally approved commodity processor, enabling schools to convert raw USDA commodity allocations into finished Zee Zees products.

Product overview

Zee Zees is a wholesale better-for-you snack supplier serving the K-12 school foodservice market. The product portfolio is organized around allergen-friendly snacks that are nut and sesame-free, with many items free of the top 9 allergens. Core products include Chicken Meat Sticks (BBQ, Smokehouse, Maple flavors), Applesauce Cups in 12+ fun flavors (no added sugar), Fruit Cups in 100% juice with various fruit varieties, Soft Baked Bars (whole grain, nut-free), Crackers & Grahamz (dip-able, whole grain), Dipz & Spreads (No-Nut Butter, Hummus, Bean Dipz - all plant-based and nut-free), Protein Snacks (Fava Bean Crisps, Roasted Chickpeas), Shelf-Stable Yogurt, and Dried Fruit. Products meet NSLP nutritional requirements, Smart Snacks standards, and USDA Buy American provisions. The company also operates commodity processing services helping schools turn raw USDA commodities into finished Zee Zees products. Social impact programs include Grab The Tab (school lunch debt relief grants) and Project SERVE (food insecurity donations).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grahamz: Graham Crackers brand - light and airy, made-with-whole-grain crackers
• Mixzees
• Squeezees
• Dipz
• No-Nut Butter
• Project SERVE
• Grab The Tab

Products and services

• Chicken Meat Sticks Shelf-stable chicken meat sticks in BBQ Seasoned, Smokehouse Original, and Maple flavors that meet 1 M/MA serving requirements for the National School Lunch Program, Smart Snacks compliant, and Buy American compliant. Sold by the case (144/1oz) to school food service programs.
• Applesauce Cups Squeezable and cup-format applesauce in multiple flavors including Banana, Birthday Cake, Cherry, Cinnamon, Mango Peach, Original, Peach, Pink Lemonade, Rock'n Blue Raspberry, Strawberry, Strawberry Banana, and Wild Watermelon. No added sugar options available. Meets 1/2 cup FRT serving for NSLP.
• Fruit Cups Shelf-stable diced fruit cups in juice (not syrup) including Strawberry Diced Apples, Cinnamon Diced Apples, Caramel Apple (LTO), Diced Peaches, Peach Cobbler, Aloha Pears, Harvest Mixed Fruit, Four Fruit Mixed, Pineapple Tidbits, Tropical Mixed Fruit, and Mandarin Oranges. Meets 1/2 cup FRT serving.
• Soft Baked Bars Soft baked bars in 1.3oz and 2.2oz sizes available in Berry Apple Crisp, Birthday Cake, Blueberry Lemon, Campfire S'mores, Cinnamon Crisp, Strawberry Crisp, and Cocoa Cherry flavors. Nut-free, contain whole grain, and formulated for K-12 menu contributions.
• Crackers & Grahamz Light and airy whole grain crackers and graham crackers including Original Grahamz, Birthday Cake Grahamz, Strawberry Grahamz, Ranch Wheat Crackers, and Wheat Crackers (0.8oz and 1.5oz sizes). Nut-free and dippable for use with Dipz & Spreads.
• Dipz & Spreads Plant-based protein snacks including Creamy and Cinnamon Toast No-Nut Butter (sunflower butter and chickpea flour based), Original Hummus, Red Pepper Hummus, Taco Hummus, and Original Bean Dipz. Nut-free and shelf-stable, suitable for kosher, vegan, and plant-based diets.
• Protein Snacks Protein-packed snacks including Pizza Fava Bean Crisps, Buffalo Ranch Fava Bean Crisps, Churro Fava Bean Crisps, and Roasted Chickpeas (Chili Lime, Ranch, Sea Salt flavors). Designed for K-12 menu contributions to keep students fuller longer.
• Shelf-Stable Yogurt 4-ounce shelf-stable yogurt cups that are kosher dairy, gluten-free, and nut-free with no artificial flavors or colors. Shelf-stable for up to 12 months, no refrigeration required until opened.
• Cafeteria Cases (Bulk Format) Bulk-format snacks for salad bars, scratch builds, and flexible prep including Mixzees Dried Fruit, Buffalo Ranch Fava Bean Crisps, Honey Roasted Sunflower Kernels, and Honey Cran Tail Mix. Allergen-aware and shelf-stable for high-volume K-12 foodservice.
• Dried Fruit Dried fruit options including Chili Lime Mango Dried Fruit offered as part of the cafeteria cases and bulk offerings for K-12 foodservice.
• USDA Commodity Processing Services Fee-for-service commodity processing in which schools divert USDA commodity entitlements to National Food Group to be manufactured into finished Zee Zees products. Supports both Fee-for-Service and Net-Off-Invoice options. Logistics handled through state agencies and the WBSCM system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2025 Grab The Tab received applications from schools in 43 states
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• National Food GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Food Group is the parent company and owner of the Zee Zees brand. Founded in 1990, National Food Group has been partnering with K-12 schools across the nation providing wholesome food. Zee Zees operates as a brand under this parent company, sharing sales teams, distribution networks, and operational infrastructure.
• USDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZee Zees is a USDA nationally approved processor enabling schools to divert commodity entitlements into Zee Zees products. Partnership allows schools to maximize entitlement dollars while providing nutritious snacks meeting NSLP requirements.
• Project SERVEcoreOthersProject SERVE is a food insecurity initiative through which Zee Zees and National Food Group donate a portion of annual profits to organizations addressing hunger, volunteer at local food banks, and annually donate 1 million servings of food.
• School Nutrition Association (SNA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerZee Zees is a patron member of the School Nutrition Association. Association provides industry recognition and connects Zee Zees with food service decision-makers at schools nationwide.
• American Commodity Distribution Association (ACDA)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerZee Zees maintains membership in ACDA, the organization supporting commodity food distribution programs. Partnership reinforces USDA processing capabilities.
• CACFP AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Child and Adult Care Food Program association supports marketing to child care programs that may use Zee Zees products in their feeding programs.
• Snack SafelyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZee Zees is listed on Snack Safely's safe snack guide, a resource used by schools and parents to identify allergen-safe products. Partnership provides visibility and credibility for allergy-conscious customers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MadeGood: MadeGood produces allergen-free, school-friendly snacks (granola bars, minis, crackers) targeted at K-12 food service and families managing allergies. Highly comparable to Zee Zees in allergen-aware positioning and K-12 channel focus.
• Revolution Foods: Revolution Foods provides nutritious, allergen-aware meals and snacks directly to K-12 schools and community feeding programs. Comparable to Zee Zees in serving school food service with health-forward, compliance-driven products.

Broad incumbents

• Barbara's Bakery: Barbara's Bakery produces better-for-you crackers, cereals, and snacks including school-channel offerings. Comparable to Zee Zees' Grahamz and cracker lines in the better-for-you baked snack category.
• Nature's Path Foods: Nature's Path produces organic, non-GMO, allergen-friendly breakfast and snack products frequently served in K-12 food service. Comparable to Zee Zees in organic/allergen-aware positioning and school channel distribution.
• Kellanova (Kellogg's Snacks): Kellanova (formerly Kellogg's) operates major K-12 school snack programs including Pop-Tarts, Cheez-It, and Nutri-Grain products that meet Smart Snacks standards. Comparable to Zee Zees in targeting school channel with shelf-stable compliant snacks.
• Sun-Maid Growers of California: Sun-Maid produces dried fruit snacks and fruit-based products widely distributed through school food service. Comparable to Zee Zees' Mixzees dried fruit and fruit cup product lines.
• Frito-Lay (PepsiCo): Frito-Lay supplies a significant share of U.S. K-12 school snacks including Smartfood, Baked Lay's, and Sun Chips. Comparable in scale of school channel presence, though broader portfolio and not allergen-focused like Zee Zees.
• Annie's Homegrown (General Mills): Annie's, owned by General Mills, produces better-for-you snacks and meals frequently featured in K-12 food service. Overlaps with Zee Zees in kid-appealing, better-for-you, allergen-aware positioning at much broader scale.

Emerging players

• GoGo squeeZ: GoGo squeeZ makes shelf-stable applesauce and fruit pouches popular with school-aged children and frequently sold in school channels. Comparable to Zee Zees' Squeezees and applesauce product lines.
• That's It. Fruit: That's It. produces fruit-based snack bars with no added sugar, allergen-friendly ingredients, and a focus on school-age consumers. Overlaps with Zee Zees' fruit cup and bar categories and allergen positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/zeezeesfoods
• Facebookfacebook.com/ZeeZeesFoods
• Xx.com/zeezeesfoods
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zee-zees-foods

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zee Zees