Blinded by the Light

We were finally breaking through on two fronts. Erewhon demos were converting retail shoppers, which meant we were getting reorders every 2weeks. On the other hand, social media seeding was generating content that was selling out our 3PL stock with every viral video. We were cranking out berries as fast as our freeze dryers could go.

For the first time we had the ability to expand the product line and the melts looked like the obvious next move. I wasn't passionate about the tablets and doing nothing seemed like a wasted opportunity. The feeling was somewhere between having permission and feeling obligated. I didn’t have the experience to see I was looking at it backwards. I was about to learn that the hard way.

Blinded by ambition and an eagerness to prove we belonged in retail buyer conversations, I kept pushing at the spots where we had fallen short. It just so happened Barely Bears came off the production line weeks before Walmart held its annual Open Call. I sent samples to Bentonville and crossed my fingers that this time would be different. Heck, Aesop himself could have introduced me to King Midas in that moment and I wouldn’t have made the connection. I was sure this was going to work out exactly how I hoped.

Then the email came. Walmart wanted to talk about Barely Bears.

I just about hyperventilated telling Juliano. As if he knew what was around the corner, he calmly said, “Let’s set up the meeting and see what they say.” That’s why I have a 50/50 partner with instincts to keep us grounded. I just didn’t know how fast I’d be coming back down to Earth, which is where we’ll pick up next week.

Now for this week’s taste test, holiday edition.

I usually pass on maple and brown sugar oatmeal, but that ain’t what we’re talking about. I stumbled on Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods Superseed Snack Clusters and thought, ok, that’s new and intriguing. Healthy ingredients, crunchy texture and I’m willing to make exceptions for added sugar in small doses when family is in town and the vibe is festive.

Before the berry, they tasted wholesome and lightly sweet with that toasty, nutty thing going on. Good for small snacking, nothing crazy.

Then I chewed Nature's Wild Berry for 30 seconds so the pulp could coat my tongue and went back in. I’m not exaggerating, it was like eating praline candy straight up. The sweetness got louder, the toasted notes turned buttery and the whole thing felt like I had upgraded the same bite without changing a single ingredient.

If you have ideas for what I should taste next drop them in the comments so we can keep the fun and discovery going.

As always there is a hidden alphanumeric code in this post. Spot the odd word with a number, enter it exactly as written and save 20 percent for the next 48 hours. Thanks for reading and for riding along.

-Hank