Starla Llc

What Starla Llc does

Starla LLC, doing business as Starla's Seasonings, Dips & Mixes, is a privately held, female-owned Wisconsin family-run business that produces and sells a portfolio of approximately 25 gourmet dry seasoning blends, dip mixes, sweet dip and cheesecake mixes, and beer bread mixes. The company is headquartered in Belgium, Wisconsin, where every package is hand-packed and labeled. Its core technology consists of proprietary seasoning blend formulations, each of which is offered in a dual-use format: the same SKU functions as both a dry cooking seasoning and a dip mix when combined with sour cream or buttermilk and mayonnaise. All products are formulated without MSG and are gluten-free, with the exception of Garlic & Herb Beer Bread Mix; the gluten-free beer bread and banana bread mixes are positioned as differentiated offerings within the gluten-free CPG segment. Flavor names such as Glorious Garlic, Peppercorn Ranch, Mango Chipotle, Caramel Pumpkin, Key Lime Pie, and Sweet Strawberry anchor the brand identity, and products have accumulated multiple Wisconsin State Fair awards including Grand Champion Mix 2025 (Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix).

The company's revenue model is built on direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales through its own WooCommerce storefront at ilovedip.com, where seasonings and dip mixes retail at $5.00 per package, beer bread mixes at $7.00 per package, and gift cards in $10-$50 denominations. A Buy-5-Get-1-Free promotional offer applies to seasonings and dips. Two additional channels supplement DTC: a wholesale order program for resellers (terms not publicly disclosed) and a 50% profit fundraiser program for schools, churches, sports teams, and community organizations. Distribution is concentrated in the Wisconsin regional market with a domestic-only operating footprint.

Go-to-market is community-led and content-driven. The company maintains an owned recipe library of more than 100 original recipes organized both by course (appetizers, wild game, breakfast, sides, fish and seafood, main courses, desserts) and by seasoning flavor, supported by Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and an email newsletter. Earned media includes recurring Fox 6 Real Milwaukee television cooking demonstrations (including wild game preparations with Chef Scott of WildThingsShow.com) and Wisconsin State Fair competitive participation. Co-marketing content partnerships with Wisconsin-based food brands including Westby Coop Creamery, Usinger's Famous Sausage, Cedar Valley Cheese Store, and Dill-icious Pickles reinforce local provenance. The company is bootstrapped, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, debt financing, or parent company, and founder Starla Batzko operates as Owner.

Name

Starla Llc

Legal name

Starla's Seasonings, Dips & Mixes

Website

https://ilovedip.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Starla LLC is a Wisconsin-based, female-owned family business that produces and sells approximately 25 gourmet seasoning blends, dip mixes, sweet cheesecake mixes, and beer bread mixes direct-to-consumer through ilovedip.com, supported by wholesale and a 50% profit fundraiser program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Seasonings and Dip Mixes

NAICS

Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (311930)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Ingredient Blends & Systems / Custom Formulation (Seasoning Systems, Functional Blends) (CRADAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Baking Ingredients & Desserts (Flour, Mixes, Frosting, Gelatin) (CRADAAAD)

Keywords

• Gourmet seasoning blends
• Dip mix products
• Beer bread mixes
• Cheesecake dip mixes
• Fundraiser program products

Headquarters

HQ city

Belgium

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales (E-commerce): The primary revenue stream is direct-to-consumer sales of seasoning mixes, dip mixes, and beer bread mixes through the company's own e-commerce storefront at ilovedip.com. Seasonings and dip mixes are priced at $5.00 each, beer bread mixes at $7.00 each. A promotional offer provides Buy 5 seasonings/dips and get the 6th free (excluding Beer Breads, Wholesale Orders, and Fundraiser orders). Gift cards are also sold in $10-$50 denominations.
2. Wholesale Orders: Wholesale orders are available, though specific terms and volume discounts are not publicly disclosed on the website. Wholesale is mentioned as excluded from the Buy 5 get 1 free promotion.
3. Fundraiser Program: The company offers a 50% profit fundraiser program for organizations. Participants purchase products at wholesale-like pricing and resell for profit, with Starla providing product and promotional materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Starla LLC manufactures, hand-packs, and sells a portfolio of gourmet seasoning blends, dip mixes, sweet cheesecake and fruit dip mixes, and beer bread mixes under the Starla's Seasonings, Dips & Mixes brand. Each savory and sweet flavor is offered as a dual-use product that works both as a dry seasoning for cooking and as a prepared dip mix when combined with sour cream and mayonnaise. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through the company's own ilovedip.com e-commerce storefront, with additional wholesale and 50%-profit fundraiser distribution channels for organizations.

Product overview

Starla's Seasonings, Dips & Mixes is a Wisconsin-based, female-owned family business offering a portfolio of gourmet seasoning blends, dip mixes, and beer bread mixes. The core product line consists of over 20 savory seasoning/dip flavors (including Backyard BBQ, Buffalo Wing Ranch, Glorious Garlic, Peppercorn Ranch, and Habanero) and 4 sweet dip/seasoning flavors (including Caramel Pumpkin, Key Lime Pie, and Sweet Strawberry). Beer bread mixes include Garlic & Herb Beer Bread and Gluten-Free options. Products are sold individually at $5.00 for seasonings/dips and $7.00 for beer bread mixes, with a special promotion of buy-5-get-1-free. All seasonings and dips are labeled as No MSG and Gluten Free (except Garlic & Herb Beer Bread), All Natural, Non-GMO, with no preservatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Backyard BBQ Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A savory seasoning mix with a sweet and smoky flavor profile for ribs, wings, pork chops, chicken, hamburgers, tenderloin, steaks, and for making seasoned pretzels or crackers; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• BLT Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A bacon, lettuce, and tomato inspired seasoning mix for chips, dips, and various culinary applications; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Buffalo Wing Ranch Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A zesty seasoning blend combining buffalo wing and ranch flavors for wings, dips, and various dishes; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Cheesy Bacon Ranch Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A creamy bacon and ranch flavored seasoning mix for dips, snacks, and cooking applications; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Cheesy Spinach Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A spinach and cheese flavored seasoning mix for creating creamy dips and enhancing savory dishes; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Sneaky Dill Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A dill-forward seasoning mix suitable for fish, vegetables, and creamy dips; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Glorious Garlic Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A robust garlic flavored seasoning mix for meats, vegetables, breads, and savory dips; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Grandma's Garden Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A garden herb blend seasoning mix for various culinary applications including dips, casseroles, and meat seasoning; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix. Wisconsin State Fair 2025 Appetizer First Place winner.
• Greek Onion Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A Greek-inspired onion seasoning mix for dips and Mediterranean-style dishes; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Habanero Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A spicy habanero pepper seasoning mix for heat-loving applications including wings, dips, and Mexican dishes; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Tikka Masala Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix An Indian-inspired tikka masala seasoning blend for creating curries and flavorful dips; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Mango Chipotle Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A sweet and smoky seasoning mix combining mango and chipotle peppers for tacos, wings, and Tex-Mex dishes; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix. Wisconsin State Fair 2023 Mango Chipotle First Place winner.
• Mustard Horseradish Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A pungent mustard and horseradish seasoning blend for sandwiches, dips, and meat seasoning; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Peppercorn Ranch Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A ranch seasoning with peppercorn for salads, dips, and versatile culinary use; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix. Featured on Fox 6 Real Milwaukee demonstrating Peppercorn Ranch Venison Taco Chili.
• Pesto Parmesan Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix A basil pesto and parmesan cheese flavored seasoning for pasta, pizza, and Italian-inspired dishes; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Pizza Seasoning Mix or Dip Mix An Italian pizza herb blend seasoning for pizza, pasta sauces, and cheesy dips; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix.
• Twisted Tomato Seasoning or Dip Mix A tomato-based seasoning with zesty herbs for dips, sauces, and savory dishes; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a dip mix. Wisconsin State Fair Very Vegan #1 Place winner (Twisted Tomato Hummus).
• Caramel Pumpkin Cheesecake Mix or Fruit Dip Mix A sweet caramel pumpkin flavored seasoning for cheesecakes, fruit dips, and fall desserts; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a fruit dip mix.
• Cinnamon Apple Spice Cheesecake Mix or Dip Mix A warm cinnamon and apple spice flavored seasoning for cheesecakes, fruit dips, pancakes, and autumn desserts; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a fruit dip mix.
• Key Lime Pie Cheesecake or Fruit Dip Mix A tangy key lime pie flavored seasoning for cheesecakes, fruit dips, and tropical desserts; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a fruit dip mix. Wisconsin State Fair 'Best Dip in Wisconsin' winner.
• Sweet Strawberry Cheesecake or Fruit Dip Mix A sweet strawberry flavored seasoning for cheesecakes, fruit dips, and berry desserts; usable both as a dry seasoning and as a fruit dip mix.
• Garlic & Herb Beer Bread Mix and Muffin Mix A garlic and herb seasoned dry mix for baking homemade beer bread and muffins; requires only adding beer (or soda) and optional eggs/butter. Gluten-containing product. Wisconsin State Fair First Place Marvelous Mix winner.
• Gluten-Free Beer Bread Mix and Gluten-Free Banana Bread Mix A gluten-free dry mix combination for making beer bread and banana bread by adding beer (or soda) and optional eggs/butter. Wisconsin State Fair Grand Champion Mix 2025 (Gluten Free Banana Bread Mix).
• Gift Card Gift cards redeemable at ilovedip.com in $10, $25, and $50 denominations for purchasing Starla's Seasonings, Dips & Mixes products.
• Christmas Gift Card Festive Christmas-themed gift cards available in $10, $25, and $50 denominations for purchasing Starla's Seasonings, Dips & Mixes products.
• 50% Profit Fundraiser Program A reseller fundraising program in which schools, churches, sports teams, and community organizations purchase Starla's seasoning, dip, and beer bread products at wholesale-like pricing and resell them, keeping 50% of sales as profit; Starla supplies product inventory and promotional materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Wisconsin State Fair #1 & #2 Place Grand Champion of Very Vegan (Hummus category)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Westby Coop CreameryminorOthersWisconsin-based dairy cooperative whose sour cream, butter, and cottage cheese are featured as recommended ingredients in Starla's recipes and on product pages. Products are promoted as working well with Starla's seasoning mixes.
• Usinger's Famous SausageminorOthersMilwaukee-based sausage company featured in wild game recipes and appetizer recipes on the Starla's website. Used in combination with Starla's seasoning products in recipes for Venison Brat Pig Shots and other dishes.
• Cedar Valley Cheese StoreminorOthersWisconsin cheese retailer whose cheddar cheese is referenced in Starla's recipes as a recommended topping and ingredient pairing with Starla's seasoning mixes.
• Dill-icious PicklesminorOthersPickle brand featured in the Dill-icious Pickle Dip recipe on Starla's website. The recipe combines Dill-icious Pickles with Starla's seasoning mixes and Westby sour cream.
• WildThingsShow.com / Chef ScottminorOthersChef Scott of WildThingsShow.com has collaborated with Starla on cooking shows featuring wild game dishes prepared with Starla's seasoning blends.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• McCormick & Company: The largest global spice and seasoning company, owning McCormick, Lawry's, Spice Hunter, and French's. Starla competes in the same shelf-stable seasoning blend category at a vastly different scale.
• Lawry's: McCormick-owned seasoning blend brand known for marinades and signature seasonings. Sits in the same dry seasoning/marinade blend category as Starla's savory line.
• Hidden Valley: Owned by The Clorox Company, Hidden Valley is the dominant US ranch/dip mix brand. It directly overlaps Starla's dip mix category at massive national scale, including seasoning-blended dips like ranch variants.
• Mrs. Wages: Kraft Heinz-owned dry seasoning and mix brand covering canning, dip, and baking mixes. Directly comparable to Starla's beer bread and dip mixes, particularly in Midwest retail.
• Tone's: Kraft Heinz-owned commodity and gourmet seasoning brand with broad retail distribution. Directly comparable in seasoning blend format and price point to Starla's $5 mixes.
• French's: McCormick-owned condiment and seasoning brand with strong presence in baking, dips, and seasoning mixes. Overlaps with Starla's baking and dip mix categories at national retail scale.

Emerging players

• Spice Hunter: McCormick-owned specialty seasoning brand with smaller footprint, focused on premium blends and seasonings. Comparable in product positioning (specialty blends) but with parent company resources.

Direct peers

• Simply Organic: Frontier Co-op brand focused on organic, premium seasonings sold through natural and specialty retail. Closest direct peer in product positioning, ingredient ethos, and target shopper.
• Litehouse: Family-owned Idaho company producing dips, dressings, and cheese products sold in refrigerated and dry mix form. Comparable in size, family-owned ethos, and dip mix category focus.
• Bragg Live Food Products: Family-owned natural foods brand with seasoning, marinade, and dip products. Comparable in scale, health positioning, and family/founder-led operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ilovedip
• Instagraminstagram.com/starlaseasonings
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starla-llc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Starla Llc