When Higher Arlington resident Stacie Skinner’s son was 8, he was recognized with meals allergy symptoms that compelled her household’s concentrate on a pure, natural, whole-food weight loss program to be much more conscious. As a working mum or dad, Skinner began on the lookout for handy merchandise that match his wants—and sometimes got here up empty-handed.
“I noticed this massive void out there; there have been merchandise on the market, however they didn’t style good they usually positively had no dietary focus,” she says. “I used to be simply actually shocked and disillusioned in what I noticed was available.”
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Her expertise in product improvement and R&D for native meals producers, and her pure entrepreneurial spirit, drove her to fill that hole herself, Skinner says. She determined to concentrate on one particular product—frozen waffles—in 2016 after her son tried an possibility already available on the market that he declared to be disgusting.
The ensuing product, Lopaus Point Waffles, are freed from seven of the 9 main meals allergens recognized by the FDA, together with gluten/wheat, dairy, peanuts and soy. The thick, Belgian-style waffles, which can be found in 4 flavors, are additionally freed from added sugar. Skinner named the model for the Maine village the place she grew up consuming home-cooked meals ready by her personal mom and the enjoyment they skilled whereas cooking collectively there.
“‘Pleasure’ is my favourite phrase,” Skinner says. “It’s been my favourite phrase since I began this firm. In case you have a look at previous stuff, like from 2016, I used to be already signing my title with ‘joyfully obsessed,’ as a result of that is the very best job I might have ever dreamed of in my life.”
The model launched from a gluten-free shared kitchen area on the West Facet (now closed), Skinner says, which leveraged partnerships to seek out job placements for folks with studying variations and developmental disabilities. Now with its personal manufacturing services in Groveport, Lopaus Level continues to concentrate on offering an inclusive surroundings for workers with particular wants by a partnership with Goodwill Columbus.
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“It makes the tradition of our firm actually totally different … and it’s celebrated right here,” Skinner says. “It’s probably the most rewarding factor.” The model’s manufacturing facility by no means needed to shut down as a result of pandemic, she provides, which was particularly useful for her particular wants staff.
“In the event that they don’t come out from their group residence to work, they’re actually shut down [and isolated]. They’ll’t get in a automobile and simply run to select up milk or one thing; they’re actually locked down,” Skinner explains.
Lopaus Level noticed its first spherical of angel funding simply final yr, Skinner says; she’s seeking to safe further buyers so the model can broaden choices and attain.
Order Lopaus Level waffles online or discover them at Large Eagle Market District, Entire Meals Market and Recent Thyme shops in Central Ohio, in addition to unbiased groceries like Weiland’s.
This story is from the February 2022 concern of Columbus Month-to-month.
