Nicole Bernard Dawes, the visionary behind Late July Snacks and Nixie, finds joy in introducing innovative products to the market.

“I’d visit the grocery store daily if possible,” Dawes expressed. “It’s thrilling to discover what’s new; each weekend brings surprises.”

Currently, she's focused on her latest venture: Nixie, a brand offering organic sparkling water and zero-sugar sodas. Founded in 2019, she leads the company as CEO. “This is the company I envisioned,” she shared. “It aligns perfectly with my aspirations.”

Growing Up in the Snack Industry

Raised in Cape Cod, Dawes gained a unique insight into the food industry. Her mother, Lynn, owned a health food store, while her father, Steve, co-founded Cape Cod Potato Chips. Dawes cherishes memories spent alongside her dad at their renowned factory.

“He never separated what adults could do from what kids could do,” she recalled.

That included lessons like reading P&L statements and joining him on customer calls. “I valued that he treated me as someone capable of learning,” she noted. These experiences proved beneficial when she later joined her father's company and launched reduced-fat chips.

Establishing Late July Snacks

At 29, Dawes set out to create her own brand, Late July Snacks, with a mission to offer tasty organic, non-GMO snacks like tortilla chips. Her father was a co-founder, but her mother’s influence remained significant.

“My career has always aimed to provide health-conscious consumers with access to popular products from conventional brands,” she explained. “That’s what drove our research and development.”

While pregnant with her first son, she launched Late July Snacks, determined to balance motherhood and entrepreneurship. “I aimed to be present in my children’s lives while being actively involved in my business,” she stated. “I’d bring my baby to the office. That’s the kind of leader I wanted to be.”

2009: A Defining Challenge

Dawes describes herself as an eternal optimist. “I’ve never encountered a problem I didn’t believe could be resolved,” she said. Yet, she admits the 2008-2009 recession posed significant challenges.

Late July Snacks was expanding, albeit slowly. In 2009, her father passed away from stage four pancreatic cancer. To compound her grief, the bank invoked a clause in their loan due to his passing.

“I was furious and tossed the letter aside,” Dawes remembered. Some investors, friends of her father, proposed discussing finances at his wake. “That year was incredibly tough,” she shared.

Alongside her husband Peter, COO of Late July Snacks, they tackled the debt issue. “I never doubted we could resolve it,” she reflected. They launched new products and the company began to flourish.

“That was the year we truly became an overnight success,” she noted, emphasizing how they emerged stronger and ready to tackle future challenges. “I may have blocked out some tough memories, but we never looked back.”

Embracing the Start-Up Spirit

When Campbell’s acquired Late July Snacks in 2018, its revenues reached $150 million annually, according to Dawes. While people congratulated her, she felt uncertain about how to react. “Honestly, it was pretty devastating,” she confessed. “It left me feeling quite sad.”

What she missed most was the thrill of managing a start-up. “Running a new brand feels like my extreme sport,” she said. “With larger, established brands, daily routines can become monotonous. I thrive on the need for daily problem-solving.”

So, she quickly launched Nixie after the sale in 2019. The beverage brand is now available in 11,000 stores nationwide, and she was recently recognized on Inc. Magazine’s 2026 Female Founders 500 list.

Building Nixie: The Beverage Landscape

Dawes is passionate about Nixie and relishes the occasional challenges of the competitive beverage industry. “Every morning feels like a knife fight,” she quipped, emphasizing her commitment to being available for her team.

Her team makes the journey at Nixie rewarding, as many senior leaders transitioned from Late July. “We had the opportunity to build a company with a team we already loved working with, in a category that needed our unique touch,” Dawes expressed. “I’m incredibly proud of our progress.”

Now that her sons are grown—one is in film school and the other is pursuing music—there’s no need to bring them to the office anymore. Throughout their upbringing, she encouraged them to chase their passions.

“I love what I do,” she told them. “I wake up every day amazed that I get to do this for a living. That’s how everyone should feel about their work.”