Good Food Festival
Prime time: Paleo cookie brand start-up with national ambition
The Chicago-based business produces almond-flour based individually wrapped 1.5-ounce cookies that are free from gluten and grains.
Currently, they are primarily sold in the Chicago area – for $2.99 a cookie – in the natural food channel and independent grocers, gyms, juice bars and coffee shops.
The business is in the process of establishing retailer and distributor relationships, and recently improved its packaging to give the products a longer shelf life, which founder Casey McMillin hopes will generate more distribution opportunities.
'We are in growth mode'
“We are in growth mode from being available only in the Chicago area to being available nationally,” he told Bakeryandsnacks at the recent Good Food Festival in Chicago.
The cookies are available in in three flavors - chocolate chip, vanilla raspberry and vanilla blueberry- and the business is developing new flavors due to come market late in 2016.
“We are leaning towards a vanilla cherry [flavored cookie], but we still have other options to consider,” said McMillin, adding that a common misconception about Paleo Prime Cookies was that, because they do not contain common cookie ingredients, they won’t taste as good.
'Taste is number one'
“It is definitely a different type of sensory experience but consumers are consistently amazed that our products taste great using only a few ingredients,” he said. “We believe taste is number one in terms of putting a product on the market. If it doesn't taste great, it’s not going to go.”
McMillin added that the cookie industry was continuously changing, driven by consumers’ desire for healthier and more convenient products.
“Consumers are demanding less sugars and fillers in their products,” he said, adding that he was considering adding protein and plant-based materials to future products ,
“Many people look to their snacks to include added protein,” said McMillin. “The other opportunity is being 100% plant based; we currently use honey as a sweetener and may look to another plant-based alternative.”
