What was the inspiration for your business?
Adrian: I began churning homemade peanut butter in 2008 and quickly realized how amazingly delicious it was—better than anything in the store. And I could control what went in it (no nasty oils!). I started experimenting with it the same way I cook: throw in whatever is in the cabinets: green tea, chocolate, marshmallows, coconut, and other oddities. In 2009, when I was trekking towards Mt. Everest Base Camp in Nepal, I spread some spices on my generic peanut butter and crackers and it was one of the most magical combinations I’d ever sank my teeth into (and I was also slightly oxygen deprived). When I got back to the States, I set out recreating that spice blend and began selling those early Yumbutter potions at farmers' markets. This was a perfect outlet for my desire to use business to build a better world.
Matt: After spending time at Boulder Outdoor Survival School in the Utah desert, I contracted a severe gastrointestinal issue. It wasn’t diagnosed properly and took a huge physical toll on me. Through some mentors and delving into deeper nutritional study, I realized I could heal it through food and my diet. Through this process of crafting my own holistic foods, I began making uber-nutritious nut butters—far from my childhood staples. As I progressed in my nutritional and kinesiology study, I became a holistic health coach and loved sharing my creations with clients. Naturally, this lead to a desire to create a food company that nourishes people from the inside out and does business compassionately.
What do you want shoppers to know about your company?
Adrian: We’re making food for you! We live and breathe and eat (pun slightly intended) this stuff. We’re constantly diving deeper into nutrition research and aiming to bring more nutrition to your table (or purse or backpack) in accessible and convenient ways. We’re always striving to make our products better, healthier, and more sustainable. We’re working to make our pouches more conveniently recyclable.
Matt: When you spread Yumbutter, you’re supporting a shift in the way businesses are run, while simultaneously fueling yourself with amazing, nutrient dense, organic nut butters. It is our hope that Yumbutter will inspire you to find and live your own dream and, in turn, create a healthier, happier planet.
What is the vision for your business in the years ahead?
Our vision is to lead the nut butter category in innovation, cutting-edge nutrition, and social and environmental impact. We’re getting so much traction right now—people supporting our mission, our ingredient integrity and taste, and our innovative packaging—that in two years Yumbutter will be the name people think of when they think of the “good for me, good for the Earth” nut butter company.
What makes your product and company different?
We want people to think: “Eating healthy and doing good can be easy.” We position ourselves as “world-changing nut butters” because we’re obsessive about offering the most nutritious, clean, and mouth-rockin’ nut butters on the planet, in packaging that makes eating healthfully on-the-go super easy. On top of that, we’re creating social and environmental impact: our ingredients are certified organic (with exception of the almonds), our nut butters improves the lives of children with malnutrition through our BuyOne:FeedOne program; also, our supply chain is increasingly ethically sourced, and we’re carbon neutral administratively.
Explain Holistic Responsibility™—you call it a better way to do business.
Holistic Responsibility is the result of asking ourselves the question: “How can a nut butter company improve people’s lives?”
We aim to consider our impact on the health and happiness of Yumbutter fans, our supply chain partners, Mother Earth, our employees, the business ecosystem, and people born into unfortunate circumstances. To us, running a food company is a deep responsibility. Since day one, we’ve infused our company with social and environmental impact and continue to improve everyday. To us, Holistic Responsibility means four things:
• Craft delicious food that is Clean, Fun, and Fair.
• Openly sharing about holistic health.
• Growing compassion by serving others.
• Supporting organics, responsible growers, and a more ethical supply chain.
What’s your favorite way to eat Yumbutter nut butters?
We really try and keep it simple around here: Most often we like to spread our nut butters on something healthy: apples, bananas, energy bars, oatmeal, smoothies, sandwiches, and more.
We also love this recipe from Yumbutter fan, LynnMarie.
Yumbutter Health Nut Bars
• 4 cups organic oats
• 1 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed
• ¼ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews)
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
OPTIONAL MIX-INS: ¼ cup raisins or ¼ cup chocolate chips, or both!
• 1 cup honey
• ¾ cup Yumbutter organic peanut or almond butter
• ½ cup coconut oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Directly on baking sheet, combine oats, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds; spread evenly and toast in oven for 8 minutes, stirring after every 2 minutes. Transfer toasted oats and seeds to a large bowl.
2. To same bowl, add flaxseed, nuts, and sesame seeds; toss together. Add optional ingredients, if using.
3. In a small saucepan over medium-low, heat honey to a simmer for 8 minutes, being careful not to boil. Stir in Yumbutter and coconut oil until melted and easily stirred. Remove from heat and cool slightly for 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla, salt, and optional mix-ins, if using.
4. Pour honey mixture over oat mixture and stir until well coated. Pour mixture into same prepared baking sheet with parchment, firmly pressing oat mixture in pan. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cut into bars. Wrap individual bars in wax paper or plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
What's a guilty pleasure of yours?
Adrian: A hot coffee after mountain biking, and Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss Ice Cream (usually a whole pint).
Matt: Three-hour massages once a year on my birthday. Splurging on local kombucha while traveling.
What's on your iPod right now?
Adrian: Pandora stations curated from Bon Iver (for kitchen time) or Macklemore (GTD time) and podcasts from Tim Ferris, Tara Brach and Michael Stone (meditation teachers).
Matt: Jose Gonzales, Angus and Julia Stone, Jane Winther, Emancipator, PANG, Trevor Hall, Wild Feathers.
Do you have any pet peeves?
Adrian: Airlines.
Matt: Narrow mindedness and dogmatic viewpoints on life.
Give us an inside scoop on yourself.
Adrian: I just bought a 300 square foot house (on wheels) and will be trying my hand at living big while living small.
Matt: In high school, I had 21 different pairs of Chuck Taylors and often wore mix & match colors—one color on the right foot, and a different color on the left foot.
