7 Summit Snacks lands $10,000 Mastercard award for Edmonton-made sports chocolate

Sister-owned Edmonton company 7 Summit Snacks has won a $10,000 Mastercard business fund aimed at supporting women-led small businesses.

Founded in 2019, the company makes five chocolate energy bar flavours—four dark and one milk—selling them online as carbs, caffeine, and nutrient sources for athletes. Co-founder Kristyn Carriere, a University of Alberta Bachelor of Science graduate with expertise in nutrition and food, previously worked for Cadbury in England. Her sister Leanna, a former national team pole vaulter now in endurance sports, partnered with her to launch 7 Summit Snacks after struggling to find snacks that felt energizing during training.

"Can we eat chocolate while playing sports?" was the question that sparked the company, Carriere said. When she moved back to her hometown of Edmonton in 2019, the pair decided to build the brand.

The pair has focused on growing via their website and online presence. The $10,000 award comes with a curated learning program to assist owners with business leadership. Carriere plans to direct the funds toward online advertising spend.

"I really believe that 7 Summit Snacks could be an international company," Carriere said. "I learned so much when I worked for Cadbury, about what consumers liked, about different snacking habits, and all the previous information helped me to conceptualize what this product would be."

She has ambitious five-year goals: selling the product in the United States and Europe while keeping production based in Edmonton. "Edmonton is a great place to grow a business," she said.