Written by Caitlin Johnson, RD – Registered Dietitian Contributor

No one loves a bragger. But when your almond dip keeps winning awards, your CEO keeps breaking through glass ceilings, and millions of people have cast a vote of confidence by buying your product, keeping quiet starts to feel a little ridiculous.

You might be wondering: what is an almond dip anyway? Aren't almonds crunchy and hard? How does that become a dip?

Think about it. Peanuts are just as crunchy and hard, yet they turn into a creamy butter we slap on bread, fruit, and even celery sticks. Almonds really aren't that different. Dips made from almonds skip the sour cream and cheese and lean into the healthy fats almonds naturally contain to create a creamy texture without any dairy. The transformation itself is pretty Bitchin'.

What Is Almond Dip?

Almond dip is a creamy, dairy-free dip made by blending almonds with liquid, an oil, lemon juice, garlic, and seasonings until smooth. It has the scoopable texture of a sour cream dip, but the richness comes from almonds instead of dairy, which makes it naturally vegan.

If we just blended almonds on their own, we would get almond butter. That is not what's in a tub of Bitchin'. Unlike almond butter, Bitchin' Sauce is savory and pourable, more dip, sauce, or drizzle than a paste you'd spread on toast. The almonds build the creamy base, and ingredients like lemon juice, garlic, and nutritional yeast give it a bright, cheesy, umami flavor. That's what makes it the chameleon of the salsa and dip aisle. (For a deeper dive on how almond-based dips stack up nutritionally, read why almond-based dips are taking over the vegan snack aisle.)

Yes, you can dip a chip into it. You can also drizzle it over a savory rice bowl, mix it into guacamole, garnish a shrimp taco, or dunk some flaky fish into it. And while this article is about getting back to basics, I have to flex on where we've ended up: there are now more than 20 Bitchin' flavors, from the savory lineup to a few that work on dessert. If you've been comparing it to the chickpea classic, here's why you won't miss hummus.

The Original Bitchin' Almond Dip Started at a Farmers Market

Bitchin' Sauce helped pioneer the nut-based dip category. Early vegan sauces leaned heavily on cashews or garbanzo beans, and founder Starr Edwards wanted to go a different route. After a lot of recipe testing, almonds won out as the best base. There's a reason we have a life-sized almond mascot suit: almonds are the star of this dip.

The origin story starts with a 16-year-old who decided to become a raw vegan. The one part of that lifestyle that fell flat was the lack of creamy foods. After surveying the vegan dip landscape, she wanted something saucier and more "dippy" than chickpea-based hummus or a cheese alternative made from soaked cashews. So the experimenting began. Umami, garlic, the brightness of lemon, and the cheesy notes of nutritional yeast came together, and the base that delivered great flavor and texture time after time was almonds.

As a young family trying to support a new baby and make an honest living, Starr took to Southern California farmers markets selling vegan pies and dips while trying to book work as an in-home vegan chef. The booth drew attention, but not for the chef services or the pastries. The sauce stood out. In fact, it was "Bitchin'." The sauce she'd been making for about five years became the family's main breadwinner.

Each week the markets sold out, and soon the family was supplying local retail stores. Today Bitchin' is sold in thousands of grocery stores nationwide, from Costco to Target to your neighborhood co-op.

Why Does Bitchin' Almond Dip Keep Winning Awards?

It all comes back to those early market tastings that turned into sold-out signs week after week. Bitchin' just tastes Bitchin'. Here's the award history at a glance, then the stories behind the biggest wins.

The Scovie Awards

The Scovie Awards are an international competition recognizing the best fiery foods, barbecue, and savory products from around the world. The best part of our 2026 wins was getting to share them with Yellowbird: we took home 1st and 3rd place in the Hot & Spicy: Prepared Dip category with Serrano Bitchin' Sauce made with Yellowbird and Habanero Bitchin' Sauce made with Yellowbird. Even judged as a hot sauce, the entry was described as a premium almond-based dip, which is exactly who we've been from the start.

Good Housekeeping Snack Awards

Good Housekeeping has recognized Bitchin' three years running. The Original flavor was named Best Vegan Spread in 2024, Bitchin' Sauce was named Best Nut-Based Dip in 2025, and in 2026 four flavors were named winners: Smokeshow, Pickled Pepper, Creamy Jalapeño, and Habanero made with Yellowbird. Good Housekeeping's testers praised the range of flavors, and one summed up what we hear from customers all the time: "It isn't a condiment that is used once and forgotten in the fridge."

VegNews Veggie Awards

In 2025, Bitchin' Sauce took second place plus the Editors' Vote for Best Vegan Condiment in the VegNews Veggie Awards, which are voted on by the vegan community.

The SOFI Awards

Have you heard of the SOFI Awards? They're presented by the Specialty Food Association, and products are blind-judged on taste, appearance, texture, aroma, ingredient quality, and innovation. Over three years of entries from 2018 to 2020, Bitchin' won 7 awards across 9 categories entered.

Our Original almond dip flavor, unchanged since the farmers market days, won Gold at the 2019 SOFI Awards. That's proof the OG still has it, and that the judges agree with our customers: good food, great ingredients, and Bitchin' taste all matter. Even though we've grown a lot since that market booth, the basics are worth coming back to. Before the big-name collabs, the squeeze bottles, or shelf space across the country, we were a family-run business with a big vision and big hearts.

Awards for the People Behind the Almond Dip

In 2023, Starr Edwards was named Midsize CEO of the Year by the San Diego Business Journal. On stage, she said: "I pinch myself every day that we're still in business and that people still like what we're making. We appreciate the community here in San Diego that's helped us to grow."

Those San Diego roots made it the natural place to give back. In 2026, Starr received the Specialty Food Association's Leadership Award for Citizenship, which honors a leader who improves people's lives through ethical business, philanthropy, or both. The association pointed to her people-first leadership, including Bitchin' Givin', the company's philanthropic arm supporting foster youth, underserved families, and community organizations, and Bitchin' Kids, a program that supports working parents with on-site childcare and a flexible stipend. You can read more in our post on the award.

Giving is part of who we are. Feeding people is what we do, and feeding those in need matters just as much as feeding those who can pay. This may be the award we're most proud of: the North County Food Bank Hero Award, which we received in July 2024 for donating more than 36,000 pounds of Bitchin' Sauce. That's 72,000 eight-ounce tubs.

And in the boss-lady category, Starr was named to the 2024 Entreprenista 100, an annual list honoring 100 women entrepreneurs who stand out for excellence, impact, and innovation. That recognition belongs to every Bitchin' believer who has been part of the journey, and it's a reminder that big dreams (and even bigger flavors) can change the game when they're fueled by heart and hustle.

Is Almond Dip Healthy?

As a dietitian, this is the question I get most after "where do I buy it?" Almonds bring mostly unsaturated fats, fiber, plant protein, vitamin E, and magnesium, and research on nut eating is consistently linked with better heart health, according to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. An almond-based dip also lets you skip the saturated fat and dairy that come with sour cream and cheese dips, and Bitchin' is vegan, dairy free, and gluten free.

Like any dip, portions still matter. A serving is 2 tablespoons, and the real win is what you pair it with. When almond dip makes a plate of raw veggies or a protein bowl something you actually want to eat, that's a nutrition upgrade I'll take every time.

Why the Awards Matter to Us

Ask any athlete and they'll tell you awards matter. They have trophy cases, plaques, and Olympic medals. There are lots of reasons to get to work, whether in business, athletics, or at home, but the days feel richer when you do it with passion and purpose.

These awards only matter because a tub of dip made it to your kitchen counter. There aren't many foods that can go from a carrot dip at 3 p.m. to a taco drizzle at 6 without your kids (or spouse) questioning your decision-making. At my house, my spouse actually praises it.

Millions of tubs later, we're still proudest that people keep coming back for another dip. While awards are fun, you buying the sauce matters more than any trophy. Ready to taste what the judges are talking about? Find Bitchin' Sauce at a store near you, or order online and have it delivered to your door in climate-controlled shipping.

Almond Dip: Frequently Asked Questions