Almond Innovation in Chicago

Greetings from Chicago, Illinois! Hailed as the unofficial capital of the Midwest and known for its unique cuisine, one-of-a-kind architecture and famous festivals, the “Windy City” is a hub for culinary innovation with abundant opportunities for all sorts of food professionals. 

For food entrepreneurs, early-adoption customers, a close-knit food community and startup incubators ensure Chicago is a perfect place to introduce new products, expand a business and create a loyal customer base. Local product developers like JiMMY! Bars, Fueled by AF, and LusOasis are putting the spotlight on products with purpose and functional benefits.

Read more below or view interviews on YouTube to hear each founder talk about their company’s story and offer perspective on food industry trends.

JiMMY! Bars

Siblings Jim Simon, a seasoned entrepreneur, and Annette Delprete, a classically trained chef, founded JiMMY! Bars in 2014 after realizing a need for protein bars that both taste delicious and use only clean ingredients with good intentions. In 2018, Jim and Annette pivoted and launched their “Bars with Benefits,” focusing on products containing ingredients with functional benefits from weight management and brain health, to performance & recovery, to a bar that strengthens hair/skin/bone health. JiMMY! Bars’ current products include a Keto Bar line with flavors like blueberry, cookies & cream and white berry, as well as Keto dessert cups. The company plans to soon expand into new and exciting product categories with the help of ingredients like almond flour.

Fueled by AF

Fueled by AF founder Angelica Ford began with a mission of creating a community for healthy alternative snacks for all. Angelica wanted to ensure her company was an inclusive environment, so she began a “Made With Love” program employing individuals with intellectual and/or physical disabilities with emphasis on creating an adaptive, enriched workplace addressing specific skills and needs so that all employees can thrive. Using quality ingredients like almond butter and almond milk, Fueled by AF’s primary products include a line of protein bites that come in Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cinnamon Raisin, Coconut Chocolate Almond and Maple Pecan. Most recently, they’ve started producing their own almond butter.

LusOasis

Founder Huan Xia quit her corporate job and set out to create LusOasis: a company to help people eat and live well. LusOasis is a vegan, keto-friendly baking mix company featuring plant-based ingredients, proving that the boldest flavors can come from the right combination of natural and unrefined ingredients like almond flour, flaxseeds, dates, and flavorings like basil, cayenne and cacao. LusOasis’ product range is versatile for all kinds of consumer innovations and DIY recipes, inspiring user-generated content and engagement promoting the line on social media and beyond.