At 9-years old, Alina Morse wanted a lollipop, but instead of one loaded with sugar, she wondered why there couldn’t be a healthy lollipop that’s good for her teeth. So she started experimenting with ingredients in her parents’ kitchen. “It did not work,” Alina said. “I made a mess. We had to get some new kitchen appliances.” Her friends tried an early batch of her suckers. They “sucked,” they told her. But Morse persevered, consulting her dad and her dentist for ideas. The family invested $7,500 into testing and trials, as well as hundreds of hours in the kitchen trying natural sweeteners, eventually finding the plant-based ingredient erythritol which decreases total bacteria counts, reducing cavities and tooth decay. Today, Alina is the CEO of Zolli Candy, a multi-million dollar brand, said to be the fastest growing candy company in the U.S.. She was the youngest person to be on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine, and was twice invited to the White House by First Lady Michelle Obama.