Weekly Pickups: A candle obsession, protein donuts, and more
Ft. Morgan Zanotti, Primal Kitchen & Waay
Welcome back to Weekly Pickups!
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Now, let’s get into what we’ve been loving this week →
Jenna’s Pickups:
Drumroll - Chocolate Glazed Donuts
During my last late-night Wegman’s run (before heading to Austin!!), I had a full cart of groceries, but knew I couldn’t leave without a little sweet treat (sue me). I’ve had Drumroll before, but buying them this week reminded me just how much I love this product—and how shocked I am that they haven’t taken over the world yet.
Quick Facts: Mini glazed grain-free, plant-based donuts with only 1g sugar, 10g protein, and 190 calories for a pack of three—and yes, you will want to eat all three in one sitting.
Reasons to love:
So nostalgic. I grew up on Wawa runs or road trip gas station stops that frequently ended in mini donuts (Hostess or Entenmann’s). They always hit the spot… but I stopped buying them once I learned their sugar content (and faced one too many tummyaches as a result of said sugar content). Drumroll doesn’t taste like a “better-for-you” version of those OG treats—they taste, debatably, even better.
Great macros, grain-free, plant-based, and perfect taste / texture? Unheard of. “Grain-free protein donuts” sounds like I’m about to bite into a rock-hard bar in the vague shape of a donut. But these are totally fluffy and cakey, maybe even a smidge doughy—then coated in a rich, fudgy chocolate glaze with no weird sweetener aftertaste. No notes. (Side note: I’ve had every flavor, and they are all fantastic)
Price! These are the same price as many protein bars and a way more satisfying experience. Easy to justify as an impulse treat.
Where to buy: In stores nationwide or online!
Nate's Pickup:
Ranger Station Candles - Saint Nick’s Pipe
I think I might have found my new candle obsession. I stopped by Ranger Station’s NYC store this week to check out their holiday collection, and I immediately wanted to buy out the entire store. These scents are absolutely unreal! And get this, every candle comes with its own cocktail recipe card! I love that attention to world building.
Quick Facts: Hand-poured 8 oz candles with a 30-hour burn time, poured and packaged by hand in Nashville. Each one comes in an upcycled bourbon glass paired with an artisan cocktail recipe card. It’s got this sense of luxury to it but at a reasonable price point.
Reasons to love:
This thing is POWERFUL. When I walked into their store, I was shocked to learn the incredible smell filling the entire 600 sq ft space was from ONE candle burning by the door. When I lit mine at home, it easily filled my entire one-bedroom apartment.
Every scent tells a story. The brand’s approach to fragrance is so thoughtful—nearly everything I smelled in that store was a hit. They run the full spectrum from bright and fruity to deep and smoky, but each one feels intentional and sophisticated.
The perfect pairing. The founder originally started making candles in bourbon glasses he had lying around at home, and the format stuck. Once you burn through your candle, boom—new whiskey glass. At this rate, I’m about to have a very well-stocked bar cabinet...
Where to buy: Online or in their various physical stores
✨ Special Guest ✨ Morgan Zanotti
Morgan is an incredible two-time CPG founder—first the co-founder of Primal Kitchen, and now the founder of Waay, a sparkling protein bev with 10g of clear protein (officially in Whole Foods nationwide this month)!!! As a successful founder and generally really cool human, she obviously has some great picks.
Let's dive into them →
What are they?
AKT Deodorant - I’ve tried them all. This is hands down the best. It actually works, doesn’t leave you with any weird natural deodorant rash. but you have to splurge for the little metal roller thingy and get used to applying it with your hands. Trust me it’s worth it. The Lavender is the best. As a 15-year resident of Los Angeles who’s been obsessing over the health and wellness space for way too long, you have to trust me on this one.
( plated ) Intense Serum - because I had ChatGPT design a skincare routine for me (I’m 41, so it’s getting real over here) and this was their recommendation when I asked it if I should be doing exosome skin care, or Korean skincare, etc.
Where'd you purchase it, and why that channel? Bought both online!
What about this product intrigued you? The consideration period was almost non-existent. I went researching a competitive serum and then asked ChatGPT for the most researched, clinical, ahead-of-its-time product, and it told me to buy Plated Intense serum instead.
Why do you love it? One word for both: efficacy. AKT works, and you smell good. And Plated is the first skincare face product I’ve tried where I actually noticed a difference in skin tone.
Thanks for reading! Anything you think we should try for an upcoming edition of Express Checkout? Email us at nate@expresscheckout.co and jenna@expresscheckout.co
ICYMI: We shared our third episode of The Curious Consumer the other week! It goes all-in on the world of PROTEIN!! Stay tuned for part two, coming soon :)
