In 2014, Nancy Kalish began a quest. She got down to make vegan, allergy-friendly brownies out of chickpeas—and get them to really style good.
“I saved working at it and saved torturing my household and mates with totally different recipes,” she informed The FruitGuys, cracking up on the reminiscence. “… I should have tweaked it properly over 100 occasions. You possibly can think about how comfortable my husband and daughter have been!”
Nancy within the kitchen
The early recipes have been “actually dangerous,” however ultimately Nancy started to show the flavour tide. After a yr of recipe-testing her wholesome vegan snacks, she got here up with a brownie that was scrumptious and nutritious. Actually, it impressed her to create a whole firm: Rule Breaker Snacks, a FruitGuys snack companion.
Why Bake Bean Brownies?
Nancy’s quest to make a better-for-you brownie began together with her personal candy tooth. As a well being journalist, licensed well being coach, and cookbook editor, she knew what she was presupposed to eat to remain wholesome—however avoiding sugary, processed snacks was simpler stated than accomplished.
“I lived proper throughout the road from an incredible wholesome meals retailer [in Brooklyn, New York] and but they actually fell down when it got here to snacks and treats I discovered satisfying,” Nancy stated. “I’d go in there and spend twenty bucks to select up all the stuff, and excitedly rip open these cookies and sweet vehicles that have been presupposed to be higher for you. However I by no means discovered something that actually hit the spot for me. It drove me again to wanting common sweets.”
So, Nancy determined to make her personal wholesome vegan snacks. Beginning a enterprise wasn’t a part of the plan. However when her family and friends urged her to promote her brownies she thought, “Why not?”
Rule Breaker’s chickpea-based Chocolate Brownie
It was June of 2014, so Nancy booked a sales space on the Pure Merchandise Expo West commerce present in March 2015. That date turned her deadline: She had 9 months to discover a bakery and switch her selfmade brownies right into a commercially viable snack.
The Commerce Present Scramble
Discovering the precise bakery was a problem, even in New York Metropolis. Nancy is vegan, and her brownies are vegan, gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, and free from the highest eleven allergens. She needed to keep away from cross-contamination, which meant discovering a bakery with those self same restrictions.
“As a well being journalist, I had discovered that lots of people have meals sensitivities and allergic reactions and dietary preferences which can be actually vital to them, and typically completely important to their well being,” Nancy defined. “So I made a decision form of naively that I’d attempt to fulfill all of these issues or as many as I probably might. I didn’t understand how arduous that was going to be.”
Nancy ultimately discovered a bakery that match all of her wants. Then, she scrambled to develop a second recipe—this time for Chocolate Chip Blondies—simply in time for the tradeshow. It labored.
Rule Breaker’s Chocolate Chip Blondie
“I took orders, and all of the sudden we have been within the meals enterprise!” she stated.
Beginning Over
The tradeshow went properly, however there was one large downside: Nancy’s Rule Breaker Snacks (which break the baking guidelines by skipping wheat flour, butter, and eggs) weren’t shelf-stable. So solely well being meals shops have been curious about shopping for them.
“I needed to give you a brand new recipe,” Nancy stated.
She enlisted the assistance of meals scientists and went again to the kitchen. On the subsequent Pure Merchandise Expo West, Rule Breaker took dwelling the NEXTY Award—which acknowledges “essentially the most progressive, progressive, inspiring and reliable merchandise within the pure merchandise trade.”
However it wasn’t sufficient. Retailers cherished the product, however they informed Nancy it wanted an extended shelf life earlier than they’d inventory it.
“I’d say, ‘How lengthy?’ and so they’d say, ‘A minimum of 9 months.’ I used to be pondering, ‘Oh my god, that’s not possible,’” Nancy stated. “… It took one other couple of years to determine find out how to make our merchandise have an extended shelf life with zero preservatives, zero crap, and chickpeas as the primary ingredient.”
Ingredient Obsession
Right now, Rule Breaker’s brownies, cookies, and bites are shelf secure for greater than a yr. The recipe improvement course of was grueling. However Nancy informed The FruitGuys that even when she felt pissed off, she by no means thought of compromising her requirements for her wholesome vegan snacks. Not solely are Nancy’s treats vegan, free from the highest eleven allergens, and licensed gluten-free, kosher, and non-GMO, they match these labels right down to the tiniest element.
“I’m going above and past precisely how each ingredient is produced and ensuring it’s freed from any animal merchandise,” she stated. “Just like the sugar in our chocolate chips. For those who’re a vegan, you’ll be involved about it being handled with bone char. Though that doesn’t should go on the label, I be certain all of our chocolate chips include a bit little bit of brown sugar and don’t use sugar handled with bone char.”
Rule Breaker additionally avoids pure flavors containing propylene glycol and makes use of solely responsibly sourced palm oil. The rainbow sprinkles on its Birthday Cake Blondies are even dyed with crops.
Rule Breaker’s Birthday Cake Blondie, topped with plant-based sprinkles
“Consider me, loads of folks have informed me your life can be a lot simpler for those who’d simply enable there to be soy in your product or have it made at a bakery that additionally processes nuts. No method! I don’t care if it’s arduous—I’m going to do it as a result of it’s proper,” Nancy stated.
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Thrilling Subsequent Steps
Rule Breaker Snacks started as a one-woman operation. Ten years later, it’s a tiny however mighty licensed women-owned firm with ten staff. Oscar—Nancy’s 12-year-old Goldendoodle—additionally helps out by retaining her firm whereas she works.
Thrilling issues are on the horizon as Rule Breaker grows. Nancy is sourcing extra natural components than ever for her wholesome vegan snacks. She plans to make the corporate’s plant-based dedication official with a vegan certification and an natural certification as the corporate’s price range permits.
Get Wholesome Vegan Snacks for Your Workplace
Right here at The FruitGuys, we’re thrilled to assist Nancy on her journey! This November, we’re that includes Rule Breaker’s Chocolate Chip Blondies, Chocolate Brownies, Birthday Cake Blondies, and P’nutter Chocolate Chip Blondies as our Snacks of the Month for World Vegan Month. We’ll embody not less than one taste in all of our Considerate Snack Packing containers, and so they’re additionally out there by the case for workplace celebrations.
For those who’d wish to have a good time World Vegan Month with a vegan snack bar, vegan lunch and be taught, or different plant-based exercise, degree it up by grabbing a case of Rule Breaker treats.
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