Let me introduce you to Boundary Waters Blueberry!
It's times like this, during Covid 19 crisis that many of us reflect on a simple question: How did this happen or how did we get here? As a small local business, we are frequently asked, how did we get to where we are today?
Every founder has a story. It usually stems from a particular passion or finding a solution to a problem. I originally created Kakookies for my daughter when she was a collegiate cyclist because I didn't feel good about her and her teammates stopping at Dunkin' Donuts before or after their races. My solution to that problem was, send them cookies (everybody loves cookies right?) that would satisfy their hunger and sustain energy. An oatmeal cookie recipe (power packed with nuts and chia seeds) was born and a business soon followed.
After we launched our business with 3 flavors, I was soon challenged to develop a nut-free cookie. As a food maker, I find inspiration from past experiences. I had recently spoken with my college friend from Alaska and we reminisced about our 3 week trip to the BWCA. More specifically, the group of men from Georgia that we "rescued" and fed after they swamped their canoes their first day out. We had just pulled a pot of oats from the fire when we heard the un-mistakable sound of aluminum clashing against rock and the voices of distress. With everything soaked, we invited this motley crew into our camp to warm up and put some food in their bellies. To extend our pot of porridge for sharing, we added freshly picked wild blueberries, home dehydrated apples and a handful of sunflower seeds. A pot of goodness that nourished these poor souls, gave us girls stories to talk about for many years, and... the inspiration for Kakookies nut free flavor - Boundary Waters Blueberry (BWB for short)
I've been proud of BWB - with blueberry muffin like flavor, it brings smiles to children with allergies and is a popular after-school snack. It is filled with antioxidant rich blueberries, apples, nutrient rich sunflower seeds to help fuel your outdoor adventures and is a convenient hand held breakfast for those mornings when you need to break camp quickly. We even have customers share their BWCA adventures with us like the photo below!
If you're reading this story, I trust you've probably spent time in this beautiful wilderness area; a magical place where it is easy to learn new skills, discover our strengths and find inspiration. Inspiration to create new things, get involved, and lead better lives! If you have a BWCA experience that inspired you to create something or make change, I'd love to hear your story.
Be well. Keep calm. Eat Kakookies!
~Sue
A little background about Sue: As a former YMCA camp counselor, Sue credits her cooking skills to the summers of cooking over an open campfire and finding creative ways to make trail food more exciting. She is a two-time Pillsbury Bake-Off finalist and founder of Kakookies; a MN local business that produces plant-based grab-n-go cookies to help fuel busy and active lifestyles.