Welcome back to the Duck Pond Podcast, where we dive behind the scenes with founders, creatives, and forward-thinkers to uncover what it really takes to get a product onto store shelves, from branding and packaging to the grit of distribution and everything in between.

Today we’re featuring Adam Deremo, co-founder of AWAKE Chocolate, the brand that flipped the script on energy and indulgence by putting caffeine into chocolate. Instead of coffee or energy drinks, AWAKE delivers a pick-me-up in bite-size and bar-form chocolate , each bite packing roughly half a coffee’s brew: 50 mg caffeine, fair-trade, gluten-free, no artificial stuff.

We’ll dig into:

• How AWAKE positions itself in the “functional food / caffeinated treat” space, combining everyday energy with the simple pleasure of chocolate.

• The leap from corporate CPG roots to startup chocolate-maker: what made Adam and his co-founders decide to build a “functional chocolate that tastes good.”

• The evolution of formulation, taste testing, ingredient choices and packaging, how they balanced caffeine, flavor, quality and accessibility to build a product that people enjoy and trust.

• Scaling a functional food brand: rapid growth, distribution, retail partnerships (including recent expansion into major retailers and even listings in big chains), investment rounds, and navigating the challenges that come with growth.

✨ Learn how AWAKE Chocolate is redefining what “energy” means, making it delicious, accessible, and a little more fun.