Jacqueline King and Rabbit Foods
| Turning a toddler’s sweet tooth into a health-conscious business When Jacqueline King found herself home during the early days of the pandemic, she was in full-time mom mode. Her young son had discovered how to open their bottom-drawer freezer and started trying to sneak ice cream for breakfast every morning. “At first, I told him, ‘Baby, you can’t have ice cream for breakfast…it isn’t very nutritious,’” she recalls with a laugh. “But then I thought… what if I made something like ice cream that was actually healthy?” And just like that, the idea for Rabbit Smoothie Pops was born. Jacqueline began experimenting with different fruits and vegetables, blending them into creamy, colorful frozen pops that her son adored. The recipes got better with time, and soon she was sharing them with friends and family. The feedback was so positive that she began considering a business. With the world shut down, she had ample time to test recipes and build out the idea. Jacqueline’s background had already set her up for success. Before launching Rabbit Smoothie Pops, she wore many hats: yoga instructor, culinary school grad, caterer, private chef, and co-author of Pescan: A Feel Good Cookbook. Her creative and wellness-driven background shaped her vision for a product that was as wholesome as it was fun. Bringing the business to life had several challenges. She originally hoped to launch Summer 2023, but unexpected setbacks with city and state permits pushed her timeline back. Still, by December 2023, she catered her first birthday party and officially launched Rabbit Smoothie Pops in 2024. Jacqueline first connected with New Economics for Women at a community event. After visiting our booth, she looked us up and was excited to find a network focused solely on supporting women entrepreneurs. She signed up for our Pitch Competition Workshop in preparation to participate in the 2025 EAT (Engage, Adapt, Thrive): The Restaurant & Food Service Summit. With support from NEW, she crafted her very first business pitch and won the competition! She is using her prize funds to invest in new molds. NEW also helped her connect with U.S. Bank, which later hired her to provide smoothie pops for a Homeownership Event. Today Jacqueline makes all the pops herself but is currently seeking out a partnership with a small manufacturer to scale. What began with 15 molds and a blender has grown into a thriving small business and she’s only getting started. She wasn’t sure about investing in her signature rabbit-shaped molds at first, but the smiles they spark in kids (and adults) made the decision worth it. “They’re memorable,” she says. “They stand out.” Jacqueline’s advice to other entrepreneurs?“There are so many resources available. Reach out! Starting a business can be intimidating, but you don’t have to do it alone. The city wants to see local businesses succeed and there are people and organizations who want to help you get there.” She also encourages other entrepreneurs to listen to business podcasts, apply for grants, and find mentors and advisors because having a support system makes all the difference between a dream and a real business. |
 | Find Rabbit Smoothie Pops at: Beverly Hills Farmers Market – Sundays, 8am–1pm9300 Civic Center Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 Topanga Canyon Farmers Market – Fridays, 9am–1pm1440 N. Topanga Canyon, Topanga, CA 90290 Brentwood Farmers Market – Sundays, 9am–2pm741 Gretna Green Way, Brentwood, CA 90049 Club Joyful Café2121 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, CA 90291 Leo’s Superfood Vegan Café8262 Louise Avenue, Lake Balboa, CA 91325Learn more at www.rabbitfoods.com |
| Solemia Gainza Program Manager213-484-2060 sgainza@neworg.us |
