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Barnacle Foods
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Lifelong Alaskans, Matt Kern and Lia Heifetz go to great lengths (and depths!) to showcase the natural bounty of their...

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{"id":556332875810,"title":"Barnacle Foods","created_at":"2021-10-28T17:44:36-04:00","body_html":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Barnacle_Foods_240x160_cf2715ee-5d42-4c7b-945b-e79da8096f8a_480x480.jpg?v=1636058529\" alt=\"\"\u003eLifelong Alaskans, Matt Kern and Lia Heifetz go to great lengths (and depths!) to showcase the natural bounty of their state, using locally grown, harvested and foraged ingredients, that capture the essence of the rich Alaskan coastline.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSo how did they become ambassadors of seaweed-based foods? Like Alaska’s original homesteaders, the duo has always relied on the land. So whenever their fishing expeditions turned up short, they made sure to stock up on wild kelp instead, which grows in abundance along the coast. Preserving their haul for use throughout the year, they created kelp pickles and kelp seasonings, as well as — in a more contemporary tip of the hat to those traditional homesteaders — a wide variety of salty and savory salsas. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter years spent stocking the pantries of family and friends, they decided to spread love the Alaskan way on a larger scale, launching Barnacle Foods in 2016. And increased production has only deepened their commitment to leaving the land precisely as they found it, resulting in sustainable practices all the way down the line. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSince it’s naturally plentiful — in addition to being seriously nutritious — bull kelp remains the heart of their business. The team visits different beds during each harvest and removes only small amounts, to cause as little disruption as possible. They also use the very first commercially harvested bull kelp in Alaska. Requiring nothing in the way of arable land or fertilizers, it supports both the ocean ecosystem, as well as the local fisherman who cultivate it. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBasically, it’s all part of their mission to return as much to the community as it’s given to them. Because like barnacles on a rock, Matt and Lia are firmly rooted to Alaska. And once you get a taste of their coast-to-kitchen products, you’ll be living that Last Frontier life too!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T16:42:45-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T16:42:46-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"barnacle-foods-1","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T16:42:45-04:00","alt":"","width":1800,"height":1200,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Barnacle_Foods_240x160_8c9986a1-6298-48c2-8729-649c8e70313b.jpg?v=1636058566"}}
Mother Shrub
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Meredyth Archer grew up in West Virginia on a steady regimen of drinking vinegars, which her grandmother considered a holistic...

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{"id":556357845026,"title":"Mother Shrub","created_at":"2021-11-04T16:30:14-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/MotherShrub_240x160_7e0d6bdf-cd00-473a-964b-5d28c33edde6_480x480.jpg?v=1636057733\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMeredyth Archer grew up in West Virginia on a steady regimen of drinking vinegars, which her grandmother considered a holistic cure-all for everything. But it turns out that the practice had even deeper roots. As an adult, Meredyth came across a recipe for raspberry vinegar in a family cookbook dating back to the 1800’s, and felt inspired to make her very first batch. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEspecially popular during America’s Colonial era, the non-alcoholic combo of fermented fruit, vinegar and sugar is derived from the Arabic word \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003esharab\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e—meaning beverage. And it’s served multiple purposes throughout the world for centuries…to preserve fruit, make water safe to drink, prevent scurvy amongst sailors, and treat all manner of diseases. Not to mention serve as an incredible mixer for cocktails. Those 15\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e century Brits really knew how to party!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMeredyth definitely appreciated those latter two purposes. Not only did she distinctly remember sipping the drink as a kid in order to soothe a sore throat, she’d gained a whole new respect for drinking vinegars as an amateur at-home mixologist—and was excited to observe them starting to gain traction in the craft cocktail movement. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs a professional consultant for creative entrepreneurs, Meredyth realized it was high time to take her own advice. Drawing on the artistic energy and talents of those around her (her husband is a painter who designed the beverage’s label), not to mention that trusty 1800s-era cookbook, she officially launched Mother Shrub in 2015. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd the drinking vinegar company with familial roots found sweet success in its first year on the market, winning the Best New Product Award at the Virginia Food \u0026amp; Beverage Expo. When it comes to handcrafted libations designed to stand the test of time, grandmother definitely knows best.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T16:30:14-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T16:30:15-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"mother-shrub","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T16:30:14-04:00","alt":"","width":2288,"height":1525,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/MotherShrub_240x160_06e822e9-fe79-4318-b802-6d267f9cd704.jpg?v=1636057815"}}
Zaza Snacks
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Ever considered going into business with your mother-in-law? In most instances, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. In the...

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{"id":556357812258,"title":"Zaza Snacks","created_at":"2021-11-04T16:27:42-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Zaza_240x160_92ece4a9-7d5e-4a75-8df1-d1af2505a1de_480x480.jpg?v=1636057595\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eEver considered going into business with your mother-in-law? In most instances, that sounds like a recipe for disaster. In the case of Zaza Snacks, it’s proved a recipe for success.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eVictoria Hovanessian is an immigrant of Armenian and Lebanese descent, whose been cutting up pitas, sprinkling the triangles with olive oil and za’atar (a blend of toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, sea salt, and wild herbs), and baking them until crisp for over 40 years. And this salty, savory, and tangy treat has long been a favorite family snack, making reliable appearances at everything from school lunches to birthdays to holidays. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe chips made a particular impression on her son-in-law, Chahe, who eagerly brought them to two friends in the food industry. They readily agreed that the snack was really something special, and the team enthusiastically assembled into a full-fledged, friend and family-owned company. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile not a part of day-to-day operations, Victoria remains ZaZa’s spiritual center—especially as far as their delectable product is concerned. Referred to as “The Mother Chip,” the recipe starts with pitas freshly baked to their specifications in Brooklyn, that are split for maximum thinness, seasoned with award-winning extra virgin olive oil and a lemony, custom za’atar spice mix sourced in NYC, and baked again for incredibly craveable crispness.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSo whether dipped into hummus or crumbled atop salad, you’re sure to find yourself reaching again and again for a snack that’s distinctively Brooklyn, but deliciously rooted in the Middle East.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T16:27:42-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-09T11:32:08-05:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"zaza-snacks","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T16:27:42-04:00","alt":"","width":1080,"height":720,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Zaza_240x160_70da30f2-4e4d-4222-82bb-0a931537b5e0.jpg?v=1636057663"}}
Old Dog Ranch
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

This company has gone to the dogs! And we mean that in the best way possible. Maker Mollie Sitkin grew...

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{"id":556357779490,"title":"Old Dog Ranch","created_at":"2021-11-04T16:25:09-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/OldDogRanch_240x160_6b2f71e2-4043-45fc-8cfb-778368c7cc1c_480x480.jpg?v=1636057451\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis company has gone to the dogs! And we mean that in the best way possible. Maker Mollie Sitkin grew up on Old Dog Ranch—a fifth-generation family farm on the Calaveras River in San Joaquin County, California. When her parents purchased 100 acres from her great grandma, they named it after two of their long-lived canine companions, Molly and Poppy. Clearly, they loved them so much, they named their daughter after one too!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn respect for the land her ancestors have lived on and farmed since 1912, Mollie began crafting a line of walnut-based snacks, using walnuts from the orchard her father planted the year she was born. That 10-acre orchard stands on the land where Mollie’s great-great-great grandfather raised crops for his sheep a century ago. And since then, it’s become the first regenerative certified organic walnut farm in America, showcasing top quality, intensely buttery, golden-hued Chandler walnuts with easy-to-crack shells that thrive in the deep and rich topsoil of the area. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAnd they’re not the only carefully-tended product that Mollie makes delectable use of. Ranch-grown peppers are smoked over pruned walnut branches to add gentle heat to snacks. The honey used to sweeten nut butters hails from their hives. And primary ingredients such as organic Meyer lemons and rosemary come from other local, family-owned farms. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMollie works with a team of three, to craft nut-based snacks by hand in small-batches. And they always make sure to take a break midday, for a shared lunch using ranch-grown produce and other farmers market finds. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’re in total puppy love with this wholesome, family-focused business!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T16:25:09-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T16:25:10-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"old-dog-ranch","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T16:25:09-04:00","alt":"","width":640,"height":427,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/OldDogRanch_240x160_b95dd76f-9239-479c-a2e5-ba4f7c8c8e14.jpg?v=1636057510"}}
Bakefully Yours
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Sarah Seligman isn’t afraid of going against the grain. The Virginia native had always loved baking and experimenting in the...

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{"id":556357582882,"title":"Bakefully Yours","created_at":"2021-11-04T16:03:36-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/BakefullyYours_240x160_8c4ab9d7-a99d-4f27-a663-18ae7a62d039_480x480.jpg?v=1636056092\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSarah Seligman isn’t afraid of going against the grain. The Virginia native had always loved baking and experimenting in the kitchen, from the time she was 10-years-old. And she’d even entertained the idea of going to culinary school to become a pastry chef. But actually owning a business had never been a goal of hers, and when her parents insisted she get a “real” degree, she ended up majoring in Intelligence Analysis and Criminology at George Mason University. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe FBI actually hired Sarah 2 years before graduation, but her clearance was denied. Seeking a temporary job, she began working retail at a butcher shop (clearly, Sarah has a strong stomach!), which proved another curve on her meandering road towards becoming a paleo pioneer. The owners allowed her to learn and work all aspects of the business, and Sarah realized she loved the hustle and drive. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHer decision to adopt a paleo diet—after which she discovered a surprising lack of tasty \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eallergy-free sweets at grocery stores and coffee shops in the D.C area—started Sarah’s wheels spinning. Buoyed by help and advice from her employers (not to mention plenty of trial-and-error when it came to fiddling with gluten and grain-free recipes), Sarah launched Bakefully Yours in 2012.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMarketing herself as making “sweets for everyone,” Sarah’s mission is as simple as her ingredients—to craft 100% gluten-free, vegan, and grain-free treats that are every bit as delicious as they are wholesome. And for someone who’d never imagined herself as a business owner, she’s been incredibly successful at navigating it all by herself. Essentially running a one-woman show, Sarah’s become accustomed to wearing multiple hats; from accounting to website building to pitching herself to potential retailers (which she’s also accomplished admirably, at 100 wholesale partners and counting). \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe FBI’s loss has clearly been the allergy-free dessert-loving world’s gain! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T16:03:35-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T16:03:36-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"bakefully-yours","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T16:03:36-04:00","alt":"","width":2390,"height":1594,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/BakefullyYours_240x160_cadd91b6-467f-4df9-8876-7fed0c52b89a.jpg?v=1636056216"}}
SuckerPunch
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Illinois-based artist and gallery curator, David Van Alphen made a pledge to start eating more healthily after his sons were...

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{"id":556357517346,"title":"SuckerPunch","created_at":"2021-11-04T16:00:06-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Suckerpunch_240x160_49f2e602-b8e7-466b-a599-2390a08b6967_480x480.jpg?v=1636055854\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIllinois-based artist and gallery curator, David Van Alphen made a pledge to start eating more healthily after his sons were born. But he didn’t always have much luck making better choices at the supermarket, especially when it came to cleaned-up versions of one of his favorite treats—pickles! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAfter six-months of trial and error, and the development of a proprietary 11-spice blend (which works its way into every one of his brines), David clocked a culinary KO. He hit the ground running with his line of hand-packed pickles in 2011, taking his company’s name from friends who praised the flavor as hitting you “like a suckerpunch.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA lot of the credit goes to the smaller size of the scrupulously-selected, farm-grown cukes, which allows for maximum snap and crunch. And David certainly doesn’t pull any punches when it comes to in-your-face seasonings, from copious amounts of garlic to smoky arbol chilies. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePickles aren’t the artist’s only canvas—David also brings a designer’s eye to the packaging. The brand’s iconic boxer emblem is a nod to vintage prizefighters, set against a colorfully bold and saturated background. What a knockout product!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T16:00:05-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T16:00:06-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"suckerpunch","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T16:00:06-04:00","alt":"","width":1024,"height":682,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Suckerpunch_240x160_a5ca044a-d26d-435d-8187-1bc5cf615ae5.jpg?v=1636056006"}}
New Beat Foods
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

One day in 2001, while out cruising in Boulder, Colorado, Trish Kurnick was hit by a car. After her external...

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{"id":556357451810,"title":"New Beat Foods","created_at":"2021-11-04T15:54:10-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/NewBeatFoods_240x160_bc12fc07-aaf5-4236-b6a0-8e82c70b5cdf_480x480.jpg?v=1636055435\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne day in 2001, while out cruising in Boulder, Colorado, Trish Kurnick was hit by a car. After her external injuries healed, she was still left with permanent, secondary physical damage—the onset of the trauma-triggered autoimmune condition, celiac disease.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eManagement consisted of transitioning to a completely gluten-free diet. Challenging, to say the least, for someone who’s favorite snack food had been crackers! Especially since she found the approved alternatives lacking. Made with highly-processed alternative flours, starches, and fillers, they not only fell short in taste and texture, but were full of empty calories and high glycemic carbs. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA lifelong baker, Trish decided that if she couldn’t find a cracker she loved, she might as well make one herself. Which is how the award-winning playground and landscape architect ended up dancing to a whole new beat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTrish’s quinoa-based crackers are the heart of her gluten-free business. But not having wheat isn’t the only thing that sets her snacks apart. They’re also major allergen-free, and don’t contain starches, flours, gums, or flax of any sort. Oh, and you don’t need to be gluten-free to love them! The music-inspired names evoke the symphony of flavors incorporated into the crackers—think Sesame Swing, the “everything bagel”-inspired Trio, and the 2021 Good Food Award-winning Cranberry Chorus! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBesides quinoa, organic honey is another major staple in Trish’s all-natural recipes, which underscores her passion for bees. She pledges a portion of proceeds to The Pollinator Partnership, the world’s largest non-profit protecting pollinators and their natural habitat. Specifically, Trish helps fund the Bee Farming Program, which encourages the use of best management practices, and reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals on the land.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eNew Beat continues to build a seriously sweet buzz, by being the best small-batch cracker company it can possibly bee.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T15:54:09-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T15:54:11-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"new-beat-foods","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T15:54:10-04:00","alt":"","width":2247,"height":1500,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/NewBeatFoods_240x160_52797b2b-3147-40c8-bb3f-c63dce5a96f5.jpg?v=1636055651"}}
Senor Lechuga Hot Sauce
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

In the Spring of 2017, Nico Lechuga started creating his own hot sauces in his Williamsburg, Brooklyn kitchen, in response...

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{"id":556356796450,"title":"Senor Lechuga Hot Sauce","created_at":"2021-11-04T12:35:52-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/SenorLechuga_240x160_e1add150-0e41-4b75-ba6a-4fe212cf3260_480x480.jpg?v=1636043624\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn the Spring of 2017, Nico Lechuga started creating his own hot sauces in his Williamsburg, Brooklyn kitchen, in response to the fact that he simply couldn’t find anything he liked on the market. Feedback from friends was that if he sold it, they would readily buy it. So he made a batch of 12 bottles, printed up a few labels, and propped them on the countertop of the deli downstairs. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWithin a weekend, that test batch was gone, and Nico started seriously looking into renting a commercial kitchen. He also drew in his (very pregnant at the time) wife Lauren, and the pair took a deep breath, popped on their entrepreneur hats, and committed themselves to a fast-paced existence of absolutely no work\/life balance! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eKnown for making clean and natural premium sauces (read: no emulsifiers and artificial colors) with maximum heat AND flavor, the Latino and woman-owned company prizes diversity when it comes to both the products they sell—flavored with everything from pineapple and pilsner, to coffee and cascara—and the people they work with. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCertainly, the brand has become highly sought after when it comes to creative collaborations. They’ve made custom blends for The Bronx Brewery, Danny Meyer’s Tacocina, and the big multi-city US launch of Panama’s Café Unido coffee shops. Senor Lechuga also brought the heat to Shake Shack’s limited edition burger, in collaboration with HBO for Game of Thrones final season. The fiery best-seller emerged as one of the mega-chain’s most successful special items to date. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eLike high-end mezcal, each batch of Senor Lechuga hot sauce is similar yet unique. They’re marked with their own batch and number, and boast clean instead of cartoony labels that let the contents do the talking. The message? This small-batch sauce is cool, clean, and unapologetically #calienteAF.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T12:35:51-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T12:35:53-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"senor-lechuga-hot-sauce","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T12:35:52-04:00","alt":"","width":3840,"height":2560,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/SenorLechuga_240x160_1b5409af-be9e-41c4-97c4-7af5f227e16a.jpg?v=1636043753"}}
Rind Snacks
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Helen Seitner opened a natural foods store in Flint, Michigan in the 1920s, long before kale was cool. She regularly...

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{"id":556356763682,"title":"Rind Snacks","created_at":"2021-11-04T12:29:44-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/Rind_240x160_b3c2eeb7-b7e1-4e9c-9aa7-5b387cb6d4f0_480x480.jpg?v=1636043281\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHelen Seitner opened a natural foods store in Flint, Michigan in the 1920s, long before kale was cool. She regularly purchased hundreds of pounds of produce for juicing, and great-grandson Matt Weiss grew up witnessing the benefits of her healthy lifestyle. Helen lived to a sprightly and vital 100 years, and used that time to preach the power of whole fruit snacks, and drive home the lesson to not let anything—including stems, roots, seeds, and rinds—go to waste. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe apple clearly didn’t fall far from the tree when it came to Matt. The maker previously worked in the investment research industry, where he covered innovative and disruptive growth companies in the health and wellness space. Little did he know, he was destined to become one of them! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eTaking a page from his great-grandmother Helen, Matt developed a line of snacks whose secret ingredient has nothing to do with what he adds, but what he’s chosen not to subtract. That would be the rind, which he describes as the heart of the fruit’s nutritional power, being rich in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants. And it’s not just a boon for consumers. Matt’s motto to “Keep it Real, Eat the Peel,” is also better for the planet, since preserving the rinds amounts to diverting over 100,000 pounds of annual food waste. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHow else is he affecting change through fruit? Matt launched the Love is RIND charitable initiative as a force to combat childhood hunger. The company partners with local organizations to donate nutritious food snacks on weekends; a time when access to food outside of school is more limited. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs for his own family, Matt has found it incredibly gratifying to watch his three children \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eembrace the spirit of entrepreneurship, by critiquing, working on new flavor combinations and packaging design, and preaching the power of the peel to everyone they meet! Great \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003egreat \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003egrandma Helen would be proud.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T12:29:43-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T12:29:44-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"rind-snacks","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T12:29:44-04:00","alt":"","width":1157,"height":772,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/Rind_240x160_94e2f205-457d-490d-8561-739fc9090507.jpg?v=1636043384"}}
Foraged & Found
Mouth Team, November 4, 2021

Jenn Brown worked in marketing and advertising for several years, before taking a “sabbatical” in 2015 to travel. She ended...

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{"id":556356730914,"title":"Foraged \u0026 Found","created_at":"2021-11-04T12:26:01-04:00","body_html":"\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0100\/5392\/files\/ForagedandFound_240x160_ec13f60d-33d3-430a-99b5-1228f8c73031_480x480.jpg?v=1636043054\" alt=\"\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJenn Brown worked in marketing and advertising for several years, before taking a “sabbatical” in 2015 to travel. She ended up as a private chef cooking aboard tourism yachts in Alaska, where she fell in love with the Last Frontier. Deciding to spend more time in the area (off of yachts), she found herself regularly foraging for wild foods, and turning them into snacks to share with friends. They were such a huge hit, she attempted to sell them commercially for the first time at Ketchikan’s blueberry festival—which proved an encouraging launching pad for introducing her foraged products to the wider world! \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eJenn specializes in pantry staples like pickles, that are rich in wild-foraged Alaskan superfoods such as kelp and sea asparagus. The aquatic plants grow prolifically in the ocean and on the isolated shorelines of the Southeast Alaskan archipelago, yet they’re a vitamin and mineral-packed food source that’s not traditionally found in American diets. In fact, they’re more frequently taken as supplements, in order to provide a daily recommended allowance of nutrients like iodine and vitamin K. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWith Foraged and Found, Jenn’s goal was to turn these valuable but little known culinary assets into familiar and approachable snacks that could be easily integrated into a healthy lifestyle without skimping on flavor and fun. Yet as much as she’s intent on introducing a taste of Alaska to the other 49 states, Jenn is equally dedicated to improving access at home. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eShe’s president of the Ketchikan Agricultural Producers Association, a nonprofit designed to improve the local food system in Southeast Alaska, encourage local people to grow crops for the community, and connect farmers to sellers. Because while she loves living in a global economy, Jenn knows the value of sourcing ingredients close to home, and is proud to be part of an organization — not to mention a wild foraged ingredient-infused CPG business — designed to promote that!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":1310142,"author":"Mouth Team","user_id":48867525,"published_at":"2021-11-04T12:26:00-04:00","updated_at":"2021-11-04T12:26:40-04:00","summary_html":"","template_suffix":"","handle":"foraged-and-found","tags":"","image":{"created_at":"2021-11-04T12:26:01-04:00","alt":"","width":3613,"height":2408,"src":"\/\/mouth.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/ForagedandFound_240x160_8c1de1cd-ef19-4199-8aff-14d6de32241e.jpg?v=1636043162"}}
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