Real Kids, the startup that takes care of children's snacks

Upon becoming a mother, Gemma Rial realized that there were no healthy snacks on the market to feed her son. Refusing to offer him products with "sugars, additives, preservatives, and empty promises," she was forced to buy healthier alternatives abroad. Until one day, she realized there were surely others in her same situation. It was then, coinciding with her maternity leave for the birth of her second child, that Rial decided to start her own business and found her own brand of healthy children's snacks, which she named Real Kids.

The first Real Kids snacks were launched in 2023, after two years of development by Rial and UK-based pediatric nutritionist Lucy Upton. For their production, they relied on a nougat factory in Xixona and a factory in Andalusia that produces polvorones. Gemma Rial not only managed to convince a pediatric nutritionist and two traditional candy manufacturers, but also 20 investors from the food industry to contribute €150,000 in funding.

The entrepreneur's latest major success is gaining a foothold in Carrefour hypermarkets throughout Spain. Currently, the brand's products are available in more than 250 points of sale, including supermarkets, shops, cafes, and service areas. They can also be purchased at the vending machines at the Sant Joan de Déu Maternal and Child Hospital.

Real Kids snacks contain no added sugars, additives, or sweeteners. The company has three products on the market: a cocoa and hazelnut snack; a strawberry and apple snack; and finally, a peanut butter and cocoa snack. All are made with fruit, gluten-free oats, nuts, and pure cocoa. Thanks to their sales, the founder hopes to close 2025 with a turnover of between €100,000 and €150,000. The figure could be higher if Rial manages to close more agreements with distribution companies with which she is in talks.

The founder, who relies on the support of the entrepreneurial and business network Netmentora, hopes "that people think of us when they want a healthy snack." For now, Rial will expand her vision to the Netherlands, where she plans to launch with the help of one of Real Kids' investors. The company, based in Barcelona, has two employees and outsources the rest of the work.