Granola Lab: Sold in over 60 locations, including three New York City Whole Foods and several Bed Bath & Beyond stores
iCrowdNewswire -
Jun 2, 2015 9:06 AM ET
Granola Lab
Personal Story
I’m from Brookline, Massachusetts, and have been in New York since 2004, now happily settled in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. In 2009, I was working as an academic catalog librarian, increasingly frustrated by my computer-bound, mostly sedentary job. I realized I wanted a more active, creative working life. At first I dreamed of opening my own coffee shop, but the financial hurdles were too high. In the course of my research, I met someone who made granola for her café, and that intrigued me. I started baking granola and giving it to friends – people said, “You should sell this!” So I started experimenting with different varieties.
Granola Lab launched online as an Etsy shop in March 2010. A few months later, I filed for a business license and started working out of my first commercial kitchen at a café called Crop to Cup. In true bootstrapper fashion, I worked as a barista for them in exchange for use of their kitchen. Throughout Granola Lab’s growth, I’ve found a wonderful community of food artisans in Brooklyn, whether at the shared commercial kitchens I’ve used or at events like Smorgasburg, in Williamsburg.
Business Description
Granola Lab is now sold in over 60 locations, including three New York City Whole Foods and several Bed Bath & Beyond stores. Our granola is all natural and preservative free, and organic when possible. We use a lower amount of sugar than typical mass-produced granola, and our fresh texture and bigger, bolder flavors (such as Mediterranean Mix, which includes sesame, pistachios, cardamom, date molasses, etc.) help us stand out from the pack. We have five different types of granola and are still experimenting with new varieties.
Our three-person team operates out of a candy company’s commercial kitchen, renting production time and storage space. Demand is high and Granola Lab needs more space and time to bake and package than the current situation allows. The business has grown incrementally for five years, but we’re ready – finally! – for more aggressive expansion.
What is the purpose of this loan?
I just signed a lease on a 1,000-square-foot industrial space in Sunset Park. The space is a blank slate and will need to be outfitted with equipment and requires some plumbing and electrical work before we can move in.
This loan will help pay for a $4,000 double convection oven, plus additional equipment, including: low-boy refrigerator with worktop ($1500) work tables & industrial shelving ($1000) triple-wash sink & water heater ($800) air conditioner, industrial exhaust fan & installation ($2700)