Our Story

What started as a passion for clean ingredients and a solution for my dietary restrictions, has grown into Besto — offering everyone a first-of-its-kind, nut-free pesto packed with fresh ingredients for all to enjoy.

A person with long black hair smiles in a kitchen, holding two jars with green labels stating "BESTO" a nut free gluten free pesto founded in New York City. They stand beside a white counter with fresh spinach and a potted plant. The background features dark wooden cabinets and a silver pot on the stove.

Our Story

Pesto's Bestie™

Born in a 506 sq ft apartment in New York City, Besto is redefining the classic pesto experience with our nut-free, all-natural pesto. Inspired by a lifelong nut allergy, our passion is to create inclusive culinary experiences that bring families and friends together—no matter their dietary restrictions.

A persons hand reaches towards a display of fresh green herbs, including basil and sage, at a farmer's market in East Village, New York by Tompkins Square Park.

Our Focus

Clean Ingredients

We are dedicated to offering a delicious, health-conscious alternative—free from seed oils and packed with fresh, vibrant greens.

A white piece of paper with the text BESTO established in NYC and Packaged in a nut-free facility sits on the windshield of a green car. The bag features an illustration of peanuts with a line through them indicating a nut free facility.

Our Purpose

Allergy Friendly

We are committed to upholding the highest safety standards and fostering a community where everyone can enjoy flavorful food with peace of mind.

Born from a Need. Made to Be Shared.

FAMILY ROOTS

FAMILY ROOTS

I’ve had a nut allergy my entire life. Growing up, my mom would make a nut-free pesto just for me so I wouldn’t miss out. It became a staple in our home—something I always looked forward to.

THE COLLEGE YEARS

THE COLLEGE YEARS

When I moved away for college, I found myself constantly craving that familiar pesto. I called my mom for the recipe and started making it on my own—it became my go-to comfort food, especially during busy school days. One-sheet pesto salmon? That was my college dinner on repeat.

THE CREATION

THE CREATION

In college, I became deeply focused on health and wellness—starting my mornings with apple cider vinegar shots, taking spirulina, and paying closer attention to what I was eating. I noticed the homemade pesto I was making had become a daily staple, especially at breakfast.

One day, I decided to tweak the recipe: I used equal parts apple cider vinegar and olive oil, and added spinach to make it more filling and nutrient-rich. I stopped taking the ACV pills and spirulina altogether—because this version of the pesto did it all.The flavor hit different. It was bright, clean, and deeply satisfying.

Besto's Journey

Get to know the heart behind Besto and join us in spreading the love, one jar at a time!

A kitchen counter with a blender filled with green pesto. Surrounding items include garlic cloves, grated cheese in a bowl, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and a bag of fresh spinach. Various kitchen appliances and utensils are also visible.

May 2024

Preparing jars in my 506 square foot apartment in New York City. Yes, that was all the counter space I had.

Four jars of green pesto labeled BESTO are lined up on a white shelf. The jars have black lids and are evenly spaced, with a plain white wall in the background. The labels are green duct tape labels with the word "BESTO" written with a black sharpie.

June 2024

Hand delivering jars to everyone in New York that placed an order. I would meet customers at parks, subway stops, literally anywhere to make a sale.

A person holds two jars of Besto pesto in front of a street scene with parked cars and a building in Manhattan, New York in the neighborhood of Gramercy Park and Kip's Bay. The jars are green with black lids and labeled with the phrase No seed oils. No nuts. Just pesto.

July 2024

Bossed up from duct tape jars to ordering my first round of labels.

Brown, corrugated boxes on a white queen bed with Besto marketing flyers being packed in the boxes with icepacks. Packaging materials used are white scissors, tape, MacBook Pro, and bubble wrap. A small business starting out within a home and preparing to ship boxes to customers of nut free pesto called Besto.

August 2024

Officially launched Besto’s Instagram. Received an influx of people wanting a jar from all over the country. I realized at this moment there was a market greater than the NYC area.

A woman with dark hair and a woman with blonde hair look into the Canon camera one is holding. One girl is holding a platter of sweet potato fries with parsley and parmesan cheese on it. She is dipping the fries in a pesto aioli that uses Besto. The background is a modern kitchen that is bright white with dark cabinets and accents. A wooden luxury knife set is in the background.

September 2024

My marketing friends at Roots, Rachel and Kelly, helped me layout branding goals and expand our socials to TikTok. They have taught me so much and I love celebrating our wins together as a team.

Two MacBook pros are on a large wooden table in an office co-working space WeWork in Soho, Manhattan New York. There are other black office chairs, laptop charges, office equipment, pens, and backpacks.

October 2024

Having the opportunity to co-work with other CPG founders within NYC and to learn from their experiences and launches. I have learned the most by learning from others.

Two jar of Besto are laying in a bed of fresh spinach. The jars have black lids and the labels are bright green with the word "BESTO. No nuts. No seed oils. Just Pesto." The jars bet weight are 9 oz and 255 grams. The exterior of the box is white and the inside of corrugated box is kraft brown. There is a square lime green sticker that says "Your New Bestie Has Arrived" with a green natural leaf sprout and the word "Besto" is in the bottom right corner.

November 2024

Fine tuning details for the Shopify, recipe ratios, and prepping for the soft launch.

A sleek, silver MacBook Pro is on a white queen bed with modern, chic bedding. There is a silk, green ribbon tied around it. On the screen is the website for Besto, a nut free and gluten free pesto. The website banner says "Meet Your New Bestie" with vibrant, green pesto smear.

December 2024

Hard launching our website nationwide!

Founder Updates

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  • A 9oz jar of Besto pesto against a green background. The lid is black and on the glass jar is a bright green label with dark green letters "BESTO" with a green leaf on the "O". Underneath the logo is "No Nuts. No Seed Oils. Just Pesto."
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Besto | Natural, Nut-Free Pesto

Besto Jar

$12.94 USD
$12.94 USD
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