We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Kaminski. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.

Hi Sarah, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

There are a lot of granolas on the market. Most list sugar as the second or third ingredient, and use inflammatory seed oils. We didn’t like that, so we changed it! Best Ever Granola is sweetened only with pure Pennsylvania maple syrup–no refined sugars or weird sweeteners required.

We rely on the power of simple ingredients–cold pressed, unrefined coconut oil, organic gluten free rolled oats, raw nuts and seeds + unsweetened fruits to create products that not only taste amazing, but provide sustained energy and make your body feel good, too.

Sarah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

In 2019, I developed a granola recipe that was featured inside The Veg Out Project Recipe Series. It was nutrient dense, seriously delicious, my kids devoured it, and everyone who tried it loved it.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, my service based business took it a big hit and it was time to pivot. The Original granola continued to come to mind, as it was the perfect, convenient done-for-you meal or snack food as we all navigated life with so much more on our plates. This was my pivot!

So, I got to work with ingredient sourcing, choosing organic gluten free rolled oats, pure PA maple syrup, organic unrefined, cold pressed coconut oil + a variety of raw nuts & seeds. We started toasting organic thick cut coconut chips, and is was, well… the Best Ever.

We kept the recipe gluten free + vegan, sweeten every batch with just pure PA maple syrup, and in those first few weeks, produced over 225 pounds of plant fuel out of a tiny 3 rack oven.

We quickly grew into a commercial kitchen space, and in our first year, expanded our products into dozens of markets and cafes regionally, hired a production team, and were recognized by the Good Food Awards for ingredient sourcing, sustainability standards and epic taste.

Today, our products can be found with over 100 retail partners in 10 states.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I started Best Ever Granola out of my 3 rack home oven. What started as 1 recipe on a blog has grown into a line of 7 products and counting, found in over 100 retail locations in 10 states. I started by getting my product into as many people’s hands as possible. I created brand awareness and visibility by creating partnerships in every pocket of the city–starting hyper local in Pittsburgh. Attending pop ups and markets + being consistent on social media channels has also been instrumental in growing awareness about our products, creating partnerships and growing our customer base.

Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?

I started Best Ever Granola with $2500 of personal savings. We utilize business credit to maximize cash flow, and have not yet needed to raise any outside capital or take on any debt. The business reinvests in itself, growing a steady 35% + year over year.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bestevergranola.com
• Instagram: @bestevergranola
• Facebook: @bestevergranolapgh
• Other: Tiktok @bestevergranola

Image Credits

Sarah Kaminski
Caitlin Girdwood