Late July Snacks: Nicole Bernard Dawes. Crackers and Cookies were Failing… Tortilla Chips Saved Them

Nicole Bernard Dawes built a successful career in the food industry by bridging the gap between natural, organic ingredients and the mass-market appeal of conventional snacks. Growing up in a family of entrepreneurs, she launched Late July to address the lack of healthy, organic options in the cracker category. After navigating severe financial instability, including a debt default following her father’s death and the 2008 recession, she pivoted the company to organic tortilla chips, which became the brand's essential hero product. This strategic shift facilitated rapid growth, leading to an eventual acquisition by Campbell’s. Following this exit, she applied her hard-won operational expertise and retail strategy to found Nixie, a beverage company focused on organic, sugar-free sparkling water, continuing her mission to provide cleaner alternatives to conventional supermarket staples.