We were lucky to catch up with Chennelle Diong recently and have shared our conversation below.

Chennelle, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

I love this question! Like many lightbulb moments that pop up unexpectedly, the name GoodLove came to me at midnight while I was working on a project to complete my MBA. I was in a state of transition and didn’t want to go back to work for someone else. My partner and I always talked about starting our own business, and we knew it would inevitably involve food. When the name ‘GoodLove’ popped into my head, it was like I had this fully drafted vision of how I wanted it to look and feel. It sounded nostalgic yet also relevant to our times.

To me, GoodLove invoked feelings of genuine, authentic love and care. It’s that super deep stuff! The best way I can describe it is like a 90s R&B slow jam. You know what I mean? It’s like you feel ‘seen’ for the first time. And as celiacs, that feeling of being understood, especially as it relates to food, is something that’s been missing in the food industry. We all just want to feel included, and what we offer at GoodLove Foods, especially for celiacs, is that feeling of inclusivity, just in the form of food.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

GoodLove Foods is the result of a 16-year relationship between me and my partner, Justin. When we first met in 2008, he told me about his celiac disease, and on our first date, we picked up a gluten-free pizza from Beaujo’s in Boulder. At that time, I had no idea what gluten-free meant, despite working in the hospitality industry. Food is my love language. Growing up in a Filipino-American home, we showed our affection for each other by preparing delicious dishes. I took that same passion and, coupled with a newfound determination, set out to create gluten-free versions of my favorite recipes so that we could enjoy them today. In fact, after our first date, I even bought a “Gluten-Free for Dummies” book.

Throughout our relationship, Justin and I have made countless memories through food. This is what inspired me to launch a CPG brand that specializes in gluten-free, frozen, ready-to-bake goods. Gluten-free baking is notoriously difficult, and for many, it’s too time-consuming and costly to learn. We both recognized a need for convenient, fresh-baked gluten-free goods that anyone could prepare with minimal effort and enjoy with their loved ones.

While there are plenty of gluten-free dry mixes and ready-baked goods in the frozen section of grocery stores, there was nothing that offered the experience of at-home, fresh-baked gluten-free products. This is why GoodLove Foods stands out. Our products offer crave-worthy convenience that’s safe for celiacs, and so delicious that it can be enjoyed by everyone, not just those who must avoid gluten.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

As someone who is on the ADHD spectrum and a perfectionist, I’ve always struggled with procrastination. Whenever I’m responsible for a project, I tend to put too much pressure on myself to make it perfect, which leads to emotional distress and poor time management. When I started GoodLove Foods, I knew I had to change my mindset and redefine what “perfection” really means. Although it’s still a challenge, especially as an entrepreneur, I’ve learned that striving for perfection is a setback because it doesn’t exist. Instead, I try to embrace change and take a “what the hell” approach to things. Everything has to evolve eventually, and I’d rather move forward than stay stuck.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Every entrepreneur has a muse or source of inspiration and for me that’s my business partner, and husband, Justin. I mentioned a few details already, but one of my favorite stories is how we met. It was 2008 and I was just getting off of work. It was about 11 PM and I pulled into a Shell gas station to top off my tank. As I was walking in to pay, Justin was finishing up paying for his own gas and held the door open for me. As I walked past him, he said something really cute that made me laugh. When I walked back out to my car we started chatting and I guess, as they say, the rest is history! If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have educated myself on what it meant to be “gluten-free” and years later I wouldn’t have found out that I too have the markers for celiac disease! It was like a twist of fate that we ended up together; two food lovers with celiac disease, who wanted to start their own gluten-free business and share their products with the world. That’s just how we roll.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://goodlovefoods.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodlovefoods/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodLoveFoods
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chennellediong/