Chef-Driven Products Bridge Restaurant to Retail Gregory Gourdet, the James Beard Award-winning chef and Top Chef alum behind Kann in Portland, has expanded beyond his nationally acclaimed Haitian restaurant into packaged goods. Kann was named to North America's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2025. Two new product lines launched in collaboration with local Portland makers bring Gourdet's culinary vision to home consumers and foodservice operators.
Kann Coffee: Haiti-Grown Blend Kann Coffee, priced from $28, is a collaboration with Black-owned Deadstock Coffee.
The blend features Haiti-grown Blue Mountain beans infused with cinnamon, star anise, and vanilla, reflecting Gourdet's Haitian heritage. The product is positioned for use in brewed applications, cocktails, desserts, and savory cooking.
Ranger Chocolate Partnership Gourdet partnered with Portland-based Ranger Chocolate Co. on two chocolate bars drawing from his Haitian and Caribbean roots. The Caribbean Chocolate bar combines Haitian cacao with mango, coconut, ginger, vanilla, and habanero, priced from $10. A second Passion Fruit bar pairs chocolate with passion fruit, coconut, and vanilla. The Caribbean bar earned Silver and Best in Category at the 2025 International Chocolate Awards.
Why It Matters
The move reflects a growing trend of chef-led CPG expansion, where restaurant operators leverage brand recognition and culinary credentials to enter retail and ingredient channels. Both products source from specialty producers and emphasize heritage ingredients, signaling premium positioning for the expanding culinary-branded consumer goods market.
For more insights and trends in the food and beverage sector, check out more articles in The Food & Beverage Magazine family of publications.
Written by FBM Publications Editors
