Connecting the celiac disease and food allergy/intolerance community together by sharing our stories to food freedom. From our beginning struggles to striving after a diagnosis, we can all relate and help each other out by sharing what weβve learned and our unique personal journeys.
Finally! Another Freedom Feature! It's been a while on out long summer hiatus, but I have a backlog of wonderful bloggers and brands to share with you! Today I am more than honored and excited to share the company of 88 Acres with you. I was first introduced to them at the Fancy Food Show in NYC this past summer. I was lucky enough to try their delicious allergy-friendly wholesome snack bars and immediately fell in love. Once I got to know more about Nicole and Rob's new brand and buisness,Β along with the values and mission they have, I knew they would be a perfect fit for a Freedom Feature. You are going to be blown away not only from their delicious bars and snacks but also the high standards and community help they provide! (There's a giveaway at the end too!)
background: who are you?
Nicole: I grew up on an 88 acre organic farm in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. My experiences on the farm gave me a strong connection to food, from tinkering in the kitchen with my mom as a child to running the family farm stand.
A few years ago I met the love of my life, Rob, and on our fourth date he almost died at dinner when his restaurant meal was cross-contaminated with nuts. The next day, I got rid of all the peanuts and tree nuts from my kitchen to help make Rob safe. I have no food allergies, but because of his, how I thought about food began to change.
what led you to start 88 Acres?Β
what are the foundations, values, and mission of your company?
88 Acres is a healthy food company. We handcraft our vegan, Non-GMO snacks with simple, wholesome ingredients sourced from the best farms around. All our foods are made free of peanuts, tree nuts, gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, and sesame.
There is purpose behind every aspect of how we took 88 Acres from our beginnings of baking at home to launching a mission-based food startup. Four core values drive what we do.The first is Economic Development. We hire from our inner-city community where our bakery is located and support team member growth. Second, we are focused on sustainably minded sourcing, which means we only work with partners who share our values. Stemming from that, we also look to provide ingredient and supply chain transparency to our consumers. Lastly, education is important to us. We partner with like-minded organizations to foster wellness and sustainability in our community, whether itβs a group advocating for Non-GMOβs or supporting womenβs empowerment.
tell us about your products and what makes them unique?
We opened our own dedicated bakery to ensure the highest product quality for all and safety for those with food allergies. Our bars are handcrafted in small batches by our amazing baking team, many of whom have been with us since the beginning. But the resulting chewy, made-at-home taste is why we started the company and we would not be satisfied with anything different for all our consumers.
whatβs your favorite or most popular item(s)?
Our most popular flavor is chocolate sea salt. We love it because itβs healthy but also satisfies the sweet tooth. But I am most fond of Triple Berry, our original flavor. Itβs inspired by my mom and grandmaβs summer pies with New England flavors of blueberry, cranberry, and currants. Our third flavor is also inspired by New England fall, with pumpkin pie spice, dried apple, crystallized ginger, and golden raisins. (<--- Triple Berry is my personal favorite!)
what do you hope to see in the future; for yourself, the bakery, and the gluten-free/food allergy community?
To enter, just leave a comment below (mandatory entry) on what flavor bar you're most excited to try! For 2 additional entries, follow me on InstagramΒ and leave your handle below in a separate comment, and like Strength and Sunshine on Facebook for a third entry (leave a separate comment for each entry please!) US addresses only, and I will notify the winner 1 week from today (October 13th)!
Make sure to follow along with Nicole and Rob at 88 Acres on their website, Facebook,Β Twitter, and Instagram! Thank you, Nicole and Rob! You have a beautiful brand and such an amazing future ahead!
So tell me:
+ What flavor seed bar are you most excited to try? The Triple Berry really is my favorite! So sweet, salty, and delicious!
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Stay connected: Facebook: Strength and Sunshine Twitter: @RebeccaGF666 Instagram: rebeccagf666 Pinterest: RebeccaGF666 Bloglovinβ: Strength and Sunshine Google+: Rebecca Pytell
Danielle
How inspiring. I definitely want to try the chocolate sea salt!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It's great!
Julie Waldron
I follow on FB Julie Waldron
Julie Waldron
I follow on Instagram @jwal902
Julie Waldron
The Chocolate Sea Salt sounds good.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It is!
Lisa J O'Driscoll
These sound like really great products. I'll have to check them out.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You should!
Tana Mason
I need to try these because I really never heard of them.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Really never? Wow!
Jordan D.
I follow you on facebook, too!
Jordan D.
I follow you on instagram @j_mosh
Jordan D.
I tried 88 Acres products at the GFAF Expo this summer and LOVED them. Chocolate sea salt is the BEST!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
So glad to hear that!
Alissa Apel
Probably the salty one. Usually I'd go for sweet, but I'm in a salty mood. Nom Nom
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, well it's sweet and salty π
Heather
i would love to try the chocolate sea salt! the seednola looks awesome too - so different than regular granola π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Nice and oat-free π
shelley
What a scary experience but what a wonderful way to turn it into something that will help so many people! I hope your venture is a huge success and I've got to admit that chocolate sea salt sounds divine.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, their business is no longer a venture. They are thriving!
Angela @marathonsandmotivation.com
Great story! I am going to check these out, thanks for sharing!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Fantastic!
jacquie
the chocolate seed bar!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
π
Carly @ FitLiving Eats
The Apple Ginger sounds delicious and different than the usual flavors!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yea! It's pretty unique for a snack bar!
kimmythevegan
Great feature! I love the story and I always appreciate people making allergy-friendly food, even if it's not specific to my food-allergy (though it looks like these bad boys are vegan - yay!). I'll have to check them out =)
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes, they're free from all allergens, thus, vegan.
Mel
Great initiative to share information about free from food you love.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Sure!
Janet Vickers
follow you on facebook!
Janet Vickers
Chocolate sea salt! Sounds amazing
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It is π
Marina @ A Dancer's Live-It
I also just liked your Facebook page!! π
Marina @ A Dancer's Live-It
I would LOVE to try the Apple and Ginger flavor right now because of the Fall weather! π Thanks so much for the giveaway Rebecca!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Great pick, Marina!
Julie @ Running in a Skirt
What a great story! Love this series and thanks for the giveaway.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, okay, you should enter then π
Kathleen - Bloggers Lifestyle
They all sound awesome, so good to see healthy snacks on the market.
Kathleen
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The types of small business we should support!
Nicole A
They all sound wonderfully delicious, but I can never say no to chocolate sea salt π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Chocolate is always a winner, I agree!
Farrah
Also already following you on fb! π
Farrah
Already following you on instagram with @fairyburger! π
Farrah
Those snack bars sound so, so good! π I love that they foster sustainability and use awesome ingredients! :] I'm not sure which flavor would be my favorite! Perhaps the apple + ginger--it sounds perfect for fall!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You'll love them all! (p.s. they'll be at the expo!)
Judy Morano
i am entering as I am so excited that your products are free of the very things my 2 grandsons are allergic to: nuts, sesame, eggs, tree nuts. The little guys are 6 and 4 and have a difficult road ahead of them. It's so nice that you make these bars that they can have. What a treat for them!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
These would be perfect to have on hand for them when hunger stricks!
nadia
These bars sound amazing! And free from EVERYTHING! It's nice to know there is a bar that caters for all the different common allergies π
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know! I love how "friendly" they are for just about every single one of us!
Casey the College Celiac
Liked you on Facebook!
Casey the College Celiac
I'm following you on Instagram π
Casey the College Celiac
The triple berry bar sounds amazing, but that seednola is calling my name!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well it's all good π
Steph G
Chocolate Sea Salt!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
π
Nancy
I love them all. But Chocolate Sea Salt is my Favorite. Rob is my nephew and my God Son.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
π
Julie
Chocolate Sea salt.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Good choice!
karen rieser
What an incredible journey for Rob & Nicole! They have definitely created a product that is not only good for you but tastes fantastic! I can't wait to try the apple & ginger bar with the flavors of fall! Great article!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Apple Ginger is the perfect bar for Fall too!
Sharon @ What The Fork
Great interview, it's always nice to read more about different companies. The chocolate sea salt sounds fantastic!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! Thanks Sharon!
Cricket Plunkett
I need to try these!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
So good!
Paige c
Chocolate sea salt sounds best to me
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Sure it does Paige.
Donna
Thank you for supporting 88-Acres!! My favorite is the Triple Berry!! I am one of the lucky ones who has had the privilege of "taste testing" these delicious bars since Nicole and Rob first came up with the idea in their kitchen!!!
Love, Nicole's mom
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O, haha! Nice to "meet" you Donna! You have a bright bunch to be proud of!
sarah@creatingbettertomorrow
follow you on IG @creatingbetter
sarah@creatingbettertomorrow
Love this story and I am so grateful that they found each other in that weird sort of the way! Flavor excited to try?!?! Hands down Chocolate Sea Salt!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yea, thanks, Sarah!