At the 2025 Embark Summit, Gail Becker, founder of Caulipower, shared the raw, real story of how she turned a single unmet need into one of the fastest-growing frozen food brands in the U.S., all without a background in food or fundraising.
“It’s true – no one did see us coming,” Becker said. “Not Big Food. Not the industry experts. Certainly not the investors. Not even some of our family members.”
The idea started at her kitchen table. Her sons were diagnosed with celiac disease, and she couldn’t find a healthy gluten-free pizza they actually liked, so she made one from scratch.
It was hours of work, and there were no frozen shortcuts on the shelves. But when she saw there were over 500 thousand cauliflower-crust pizza recipes online, she realized there was "an idea hiding in plain sight.”
From a Pink House to Walmart Shelves
Becker quit her corporate job, sold her late father’s San Francisco home, and poured everything – including maxed-out credit cards – into Caulipower.
"I bet it on a vegetable, which today may sound pretty smart," she said, "but at the time, it was probably one of the stupidest things I could have done, risking so much in an industry that I knew absolutely nothing about.
Caulipower launched in 30 Whole Foods stores in 2017. Just eight months later, they were in 900 Walmart stores.
“That was unheard of,” Becker recalled. “But the wonderful thing about not knowing the industry is you don't know when things are unheard of.”
In 2019, Caulipower was named Walmart Supplier of the Year for Innovation.
The Power of Being Underestimated
As Caulipower grew, so did the competition, including from Nestlé, Kraft Heinz and Oprah Winfrey. California Pizza Kitchen even used Caulipower’s logo on its box.
“Underestimation can be pervasive in corporate America,” Becker said, “but it can also turn out to be the single greatest entrepreneurial advantage.”
A Call to Support Women Founders
Becker also spotlighted funding inequity.
“Women receive just 2.2% of all venture capital funding," she said. "Yet, female-led startups have a 35% higher ROI. That makes zero sense.”
Her message to founders, retailers and dreamers: bet on yourself, move fast and stay curious.
Referencing "Ted Lasso," she said, "Be curious, not judgmental. Curiosity is what opens doors to ideas. It’s the jet fuel for innovation.”
