My Better Batch's Sweet Success: From Startup to Target & Costco Shelves

KERNERSVILLE, N.C. – December 17, 2025 – As the holiday season reaches its peak, a new contender is making a significant mark in the baking aisles of major American retailers. My Better Batch, a premium cookie mix brand founded just last year, is capping off a period of explosive growth with a strategic new placement in Costco stores across the Midwest. The move places the upstart brand directly in the hands of last-minute holiday bakers, a fitting finale to a year that saw the company’s distribution footprint expand by over 400%.

This week, Costco shoppers can find the brand's Classic Sugar Cookie Mix in a limited-time, value-oriented three-pack for $9.99, an offering perfectly timed for holiday parties and cookie decorating sessions. This high-profile placement is not an isolated win but the culmination of a deliberate growth strategy, following a successful national rollout in Target stores that began in August 2025. This rapid ascent from a fledgling startup to a presence in two of the nation's most influential retail giants signals a potential shift in the competitive baking mix landscape.

The Upstart’s Ascent in a Crowded Aisle

In a market dominated by legacy players like Pillsbury and a growing share of private-label brands, My Better Batch's trajectory is remarkable. Founded in April 2024 by food industry veteran Lindsay Hancock, the company has grown from fewer than 1,000 points of distribution to over 5,000 in 2025. Hancock, a former executive at Kind Snacks who helped build Creative Snacks before its acquisition, leveraged her deep industry experience to fill a gap she identified as both a professional and a consumer.

"My Better Batch was created for people like me, juggling work, family, and everything in between, who still want to show up with something special," said Hancock in a recent statement. Her vision was to create a shortcut that didn't compromise on taste or ingredient quality, a sentiment that has clearly resonated with a key consumer demographic: busy individuals, especially parents, who value both convenience and clean eating.

The brand's initial strategy involved building a base through e-commerce on its own website, Amazon, and Thrive Market. This direct-to-consumer approach likely provided crucial early sales data and consumer validation—a vital asset when pitching to major retail buyers who are often risk-averse and demand proof of concept before dedicating precious shelf space to a new brand.

Redefining Convenience with Clean Ingredients

The success of My Better Batch is deeply intertwined with powerful trends reshaping the food industry. The global baking mixes market, valued at nearly $3.5 billion in 2024, is steadily growing. However, a more significant movement is happening within that market: the demand for clean-label products. Consumers are increasingly scrutinizing ingredient lists, seeking out non-GMO, minimally processed foods without artificial fillers. The clean label ingredients market is projected to reach over $52 billion in 2025, with bakery products representing the largest segment at 35%.

My Better Batch is positioned perfectly at the intersection of convenience and this clean-label demand. Its mixes promise a "better-than-homemade" taste in under 15 minutes with just the addition of butter and an egg. This proposition has generated an enthusiastic response from shoppers. Reviews on Target's website for the brand's products are overwhelmingly positive, validating the company's claims. One fan raved, "Best baking mix ever! These are so delicious and easy to make!" Another highlighted the ingredient panel, a key differentiator for the brand: "The ingredients are so good with no fillers or junk added in. We love making these with our kids—and love that we can find a holiday treat we can feel good about."

On Thrive Market, a platform catering specifically to health-conscious consumers, the Classic Sugar Cookie Mix maintains a high average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. This consistent positive feedback across different retail platforms underscores the brand's ability to deliver on its core promise of quality and taste, effectively challenging the notion that convenient foods must be highly processed.

A Masterclass in Retail Strategy

Securing shelf space at retail titans like Target and Costco is a formidable challenge for any emerging brand. My Better Batch’s success demonstrates a savvy understanding of how these retailers onboard new partners. The brand's participation in the "Target Takeoff Accelerator cohort" provided a structured pathway to national distribution. These programs are designed by retailers to discover and nurture innovative brands that align with their shoppers' evolving tastes.

The Costco placement, meanwhile, represents a different but equally strategic approach. Costco's model favors high-quality products offered in bulk at a compelling value. By offering a three-pack of its popular sugar cookie mix for under $10 during the year's busiest baking week, My Better Batch is not only driving trial but also aligning perfectly with the Costco member mindset of stocking up on quality goods. The limited-time nature of the offering creates a sense of urgency and can serve as a powerful market test for a more permanent partnership.

"Seeing shoppers discover us at retailers like Costco and Target during the busiest week of the year is incredibly meaningful," Hancock noted. "We've shown we can compete at a retail level, not just on placement, but on taste, quality, and convenience, demonstrating we're a brand that conventional players should watch out for."

A Recipe for Future Growth

With a highly successful 2025 drawing to a close, My Better Batch is poised for even greater expansion. The company has announced plans to more than double its business in 2026, supported by new partnerships with additional national grocery retailers slated to begin in January. The goal is to achieve coast-to-coast distribution while maintaining the product quality that fueled its initial rise.

This rapid scaling presents its own set of challenges, particularly in supply chain management and production. To meet the soaring demand, Hancock partnered with a co-manufacturer, a common strategy for startups that allows for increased production capacity without the immense capital investment required to build and operate their own facilities. This foresight in operational planning is critical to ensuring product consistency and availability as the brand continues to grow.

For now, as families gather for the holidays, My Better Batch has successfully baked its way into the conversation, offering a simple solution for a homemade touch during a hectic season. Shoppers can find the brand's products not only at Costco Midwest locations and Target nationwide but also at a growing list of specialty grocers including The Fresh Market, Lowe's Foods, and Earth Fare, proving that a good recipe, both in the kitchen and in business, is a powerful thing.