Oddball

Snacking Needs a Rethink

Most jelly snacks on store shelves use animal-derived gelatin, added sugars, and artificial ingredients. Sophia Cheng grew up in Singapore and Hong Kong, where traditional Asian jelly snacks use plant-based gelling agents like agar — a natural ingredient derived from seaweed. She saw an opportunity to bring this healthier, cleaner approach to snacking to the US market.

What They're Building

Oddball makes Jiggly Fruit Cups — spoonable jelly treats made from real fruit purees and juices, set with agar, a plant-based gelling agent from seaweed. Zero added sugar, no preservatives, no dairy, no gelatin. The company raised a $2M seed round led by Springdale Ventures, the investors behind Goodles, Feastables, and FitJoy.

Oddball launched in nearly 180 Whole Foods stores across the Northeast, Southern California, and the Southwest in November 2025, bringing its chef-crafted, better-for-you jelly snacks to one of the most discerning natural grocery retailers in the country.

Growth

Oddball is now available in over 2,300 retail locations, including Target (1,464 stores), Kroger Texas, Fresh Thyme Market, and other retailers. Founder Sophia Cheng was named a UBS Luminary Fellow, recognizing her leadership in building a mission-driven consumer brand that is reshaping the snack aisle.

About Sophia Cheng

Sophia Cheng grew up in Singapore and Hong Kong, where she developed a deep appreciation for the plant-based snacking traditions common across Asia. She studied at Harvard, where she initially aspired to become an investigative journalist before pivoting to the intersection of business and consumer products.

Her professional background spans venture capital and finance: she was a Fellow at Primary Venture Partners, an Investment Associate at Bridgewater Associates, and a Management Consultant at Kearney. These experiences gave her a sharp lens on market opportunities and operational execution.

In 2022, inspired by traditional Asian snack culture and dietary principles, Sophia founded Oddball to create a new category of plant-based jelly snacks for American consumers. She was named a UBS Luminary 2024 Fellow in recognition of her work building a mission-driven food brand.

2,300+

Stores

1,464

Targets

UBS

Fellow

Bridgewater

Alumni

Sources: Public press releases, SEC and state business filings, published interviews, news coverage, and company disclosures.

Snacking Needs a Rethink

What They're Building

Growth

About Sophia Cheng

Founder Media Mentions for Sophia Cheng