How do you sell vegan to the masses without the dogma? The Good Phyte. With No Diet Dogma Allowed. Welcome to Episode 101 and my conversation with Stacy Miller of Good Phyte Foods.

Stacy became disgusted with overpriced, oversugared processed foods, especially snacks. Most are too caloric with high glycemic indexes but use wholesome packaging to build trust. There's a lot of green so it must be organic. Which fools folks who don't have time which we know is how big corporations get us. How could she create something healthy, yet so tasty eating it doesn't feel like punishment? Why not a healthy snack just as easy as those famous crackers shaped like fish? Something you can use when you've got a screaming 2-year-old and feel good about? How could she do that without pushing a lot of rigid dogma? How could she use local ingredients to create a 3-tiered bottom line?

"When it comes to healthy eating, I'm just trying to provide an alternative."

The result is Good Phyte Foods, a play on the word "phyto" which is Greek for plant. Crackers, granola, muffins, bars, and salads that not only taste like the naughty stuff but give you the energy you need to navigate these turbulent times. Seasonal ingredients in a shelf-stable product. A new concept I hadn't thought about but was eager to discover. Especially since my own experimentations with kale chips haven't been successful. Or tasty. How does Stacy navigate this special learning curve? Because there isn't fresh spinach in December. Or tarragon.

What's the inspiration behind the Dar Bar? During a moment of HANGRY I bit into one at High Tor Gear Exchange and was hooked. Fig and lemon? Yes, please. Add in the Superstar Bar with vanilla and fresh rosemary, crackers with broccoli and garlic, and a granola that contains  BEETS AND CARROTS and you've just gained a loyal customer. I'm a diehard snacker, especially late at night. Now when the granola urge hits, I can feel just a bit better about burning the midnight oil.

Let's not forget the SALADS. Stacy has just started selling these at local farmer's markets around town (details on her website) and her combinations which include local tempeh, purple asparagus, roasted golden beets, spinach, beet noodles, and vegan strawberry tarragon dressing are to die for. A big ass salad with an attitude.

What challenges did she face in creating her fabulous raw bars? It's one thing to get a bunch of ingredients to stick together, but they have to taste good too. Not just interesting, but something you'll actually want to eat. How about her triple bottom line? Supporting local farms while creating a healthy, tasty product. Taking that extra step, creating consciously by choosing to use local produce. Kind of like eating consciously by choosing snacks that are good for you. Keeping specific data on the quantity and type of vegetables used and consumed the most so you can grow your business consciously as well.

We spend a great deal of time talking about perception. The way you perceive your brand's image, story, and purpose might be very different from those of your potential customers. It's a learning curve we're both still surfing through and making a lot of discoveries as we go. Great topic for those of you starting your own businesses.

Good Phyte Foods can be found all over town in places like Rebecca's, The Juice Laundry here and in DC, as well as The Organic Butcher in McClean. Interested? Contact her for a distribution form! She's got an online store, a monthly share program, and of course, the markets. Maybe to-go salads and vegan snacks at the markets is the lynchpin, the testing ground for whether or not a brick and mortar vegetarian restaurant can thrive. And maybe Stacy is our pioneer. In any case, I enjoyed this conversation even more than her Dar bar. Hope you do too. Cheers. Now go lighten up your summer with some clean eating! Be a part of Phyte Club!

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