Suzanne Vier and Randy TenBrink met at Grand Valley State University in the early 90s, became good friends and then lost track of each other when they went their separate ways. About a year ago, the two friends found each other on Facebook and immediately decided to get together in person. When they did, TenBrink, who is known among friends and family for his homemade granola, asked Vier to taste it and offer an opinion.
"I took one taste and said 'This is too good to keep to yourself,'" says Vier. "That night we went out to HopCat and discussed how we could start a business."
May 28 the duo launched Randy's Granola in Original and Lotsa Chocolate flavors, which they create, package and ship using The Starting Block, a regional nonprofit kitchen and entrepreneurial incubator in Hart. They market the product from company headquarters in Marne.
The granola contains maple syrup and brown sugar produced in Michigan, rolled oats, peanuts and cinnamon, and is available in three sizes: a two-ounce re-sealable Pocket Pack, a 12-ounce bag and a 72-ounce family size. Each two-ounce serving contains eight grams of protein, four grams of fiber and is gluten and cholesterol free.
Vier says they decided to target three markets: online, retail and restaurant. Fittingly, HopCat is the first area restaurant to offer Randy's Granola on its menu – by the bowl and as a crunchy topping on a specialty spinach salad.
"Our hope is that we show that granola is not just a great source of nutrition, but that we take it to the next level," Vier adds. "The New Yorker magazine touted granola as the cupcake of '09, and the new way it's being thought of is not just as a breakfast cereal but as a healthy wholesome snack as well."
Source: Suzanne Vier, Randy's Granola
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Photo:
Misc oats and spices offered by Randy's Granola -Courtesy Photo
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