This is one post of a series unlocking insights from global entrepreneurial ecosystems from mentors, startups, and beyond. Follow the journey via www.catgeorge.com or via @kittengeorge on Twitter & Instagram.
Johnny & Ali were always late to class. They would then spend the next 2 hours hungry, without caffeine and half asleep having missed their morning caffeine boost. As Freshmen at Northeastern, this daily grind became a clear problem that they wanted to fix and they realized their peers were dealing with as well. So they launched an experiment to figure out a way to eat their caffeine. A goal to create something a packable version of caffeine that they could bring from home. This idea was the grounds for a business they would eventually launch in 2014. Born in their college dorm room, the Eat Your Coffee Bar is a snack bar made up of real foods and real caffeine from coffee. They used their fellow students as taste testers to eventually create the ultimate caffeine-infused, organic and healthy energy bar. After 14 trial batches and dozens of student feedback testimonials, the first Eat Your Coffee product was born.
You may not want to give up your morning cup of joe, but if you find yourself needing a boost mid-morning or during that 3pm slump, you gotta try Eat Your Coffee’s tasty caffeinated energy bar.
The company isn’t trying to replace your morning traditional cup of Joe. Rather, they’re providing a snack-able source of caffeine that can live in your backpack, replace your sugary “energy bar”. If you are like me, the standard coffee stain on your white t-shirt, as well as provide a caffeine fix infused with other healthy ingredients such as chia, nuts, and gluten-free oats. If you’re someone who can’t drink their coffee black (which let’s face it, is most of us) — the Eat Your Coffee Bar provides a healthier alternative to the milk and sugar and comes in yummy flavors like Mocha Latte, Coconut Mocha, and Caramel Macchiato. There are also some perks to this edible version of coffee including a less jittery caffeine experience, a clean packable caffeine (convenience!), and the ability to combine coffee and breakfast into one meal that leaves you feeling satisfied without the achy stomach you might normally experience on caffeine without breakfast.
An edible version of caffeine– like Eat Your Coffee Bar – provides a healthier and longer lasting experience of caffeine.
Johnny and Ali soon realized that they had created something unique with the capacity to scale beyond their campus. With this in mind, they launched on Kickstarter and met their goal within 15 hours of launch and ultimately, raised $45,000 at the conclusion of their campaign — well beyond what they envisioned. Last year marked a major milestone for Eat Your Coffee, going from selling in 15 locations to over 1,100. They hired their first full-time employee from General Mills. They’re on the verge of reaching 1,000,000 in sales and their pipeline includes many new stores looking to feature this tasty, caffeinated energy bar. The most recent bottleneck to continued growth is finishing their $1M funding round. They have reached their goal nearly 1/3 of the way by closing $300,00 but are spending time and energy finishing this raise to continue on their high growth trajectory. If you are an investor interested in a high-growth opportunity investment or know someone who is, this company is for you. Reach out to the team directly for more details.They are currently about to launch their second Kickstarter campaign this September to fund a fresh new Eat Your Coffee Bar flavor. Want to purchase some bars for yourself? Sign up for their newsletter and you’ll receive a promo code for 50% off your first order.
College is one of the best life stages to devote your time and energy to a startup. – Johnny Fayad, CEO of Eat Your Coffee
Participating in Parallel 18 was a major milestone for Eat Your Coffee. Particularly because they participated during a critical period – from launch through growth. The most impactful aspect of the program was giving the founding team space (mentally and physically) to focus on their work and grow their business — a growth that included reaching $150,000 in revenue. They are looking forward to Puerto Rico’s organic coffee market becoming more robust. Finally, CEO Johnny Fayad shares some of the greatest wisdom he’s learned over his time (especially as a student entrepreneur)– lean on the people around you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. He also has a word for fellow student entrepreneurs in the beginnings of thinking about a company they want to launch: do it. During college is one of the best life stages to devote your time and energy to a startup.
Want to try Eat Your Coffee?
To get you hands on this caffeine-infused energy bar, sign up for their newsletter or buy directly here. Follow Eat Your Coffee’s Instagram via @EatYourCoffee to win cool stuff and keep an eye out for their upcoming Kickstarter in September.
“ Don’t be afraid to ask for help.” – Johnny Fayad, CEO of Eat Your Coffee
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