CookStix

CookStix is a food innovation company founded by Valerie Zweig that reinvents chicken stock through dehydrated, powdered form—transforming a traditionally bulky, perishable pantry staple into a lightweight, shelf-stable ingredient. The product began as Zweig's solution to a personal frustration: buying, storing, and using chicken stock in traditional cartons was wasteful and impractical for everyday cooking.

CookStix dissolves instantly in hot water, delivering the same flavor and nutrition as homemade or boxed stock in a convenient stick format. The brand targets home cooks who value clean labels, sustainability, and convenience—positioning itself between bouillon cubes (too processed) and carton stock (too bulky). Each stick is crafted without artificial preservatives, MSG, or excessive sodium, appealing to health-conscious consumers.

The company sells DTC through its website and through specialty food retailers, building its customer base through content marketing and recipe partnerships. Zweig's core challenge has been consumer education: most cooks don't realize they need a better stock option until they try it. Her strategy focuses on demonstrating CookStix in real recipes and building trust through transparency about ingredients and sourcing.