In this episode of Gluten-Free Unwrapped, Jenny sits down with Alina Morse, the 20-year-old founder and CEO of Zolli Candy, to unpack how a simple childhood question — “Why can’t candy be good for your teeth?” — sparked a multimillion-dollar, better-for-you candy brand.
Alina takes us behind the scenes of building Zolli from a kitchen-table idea into a nationally recognized company. She shares how she partnered with dentists and food scientists to develop tooth-friendly formulas, what it really took to land shelf space at Whole Foods Market, and what it’s like growing up while running a fast-scaling business.
We also talk about navigating life gluten-free as a kid entrepreneur, how the gluten-free and better-for-you food space has evolved, and the expansion of Zolli beyond lollipops into fan favorites like Zaffi Taffi, Gum Pops, and more.
Plus, we wrap with rapid-fire questions covering favorite products, biggest lessons learned, advice for young founders, and what’s next for Alina and Zolli.
If you love founder stories, CPG entrepreneurship, or inspiring examples of purpose-driven business, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.
Listen to the full episode on Gluten Free Unwrapped wherever you get your podcasts.
About Alina Morse and Zolli Candy
- Visit zollipops.com and use code LOVEZOLLI for 26% off through 3/31/26.
- Instagram: @zollicandy and @alinastarrmorse
- Facebook: @ZolliCandy
- Tiktok: @zollicandy
About the Host
Jenny Finke is the host of Gluten Free Unwrapped. She’s a longtime blogger at Good For You Gluten Free and founder of the popular gluten-free subscription boxes, Love Me Gluten Free.
You can follow Jenny on Instagram at @goodforyouglutenfree or subscribe to her newsletter at welcome.goodforyouglutenfree.com.
You can snag a Love Me Gluten Free subscription box at lovemeglutenfree.com and follow on Instagram (@lovemeglutenfree) or Facebook (@lovemeglutenfreebox).
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