New year, new things for GoNanas! Keep reading to find out how GoNanas, a U of M founded, wholesome banana bread company rebrands and expands in the new year.
Who They Are
Annie Slabotsky and Morgan Lerner are two University of Michigan graduates who met during their time in Spoon. They initially bonded over their overall passion for food and health, and soon found out the both of them shared a specific love for baking banana bread, as it is something that they have been making in their families for a long time. One day during their drive to Bloomfield Hills to go bake at Annie’s house, they thought of the idea to try to “healthify” the classic treat that was so near and dear to them, and set out to test a banana bread recipe that was healthy and delicious.
Recipe testing was not an easy task. Their first attempt was burnt completely; this didn’t deter them though. They cut off the top and ate the middle and were shocked by how good it still tasted. If a burnt loaf still tasted delicious, they knew the potential it had when cooked properly. Another unique aspect of their re-invented bread is that it was gluten-free, simply out of preference for oat flour. Everyone who tried that initial product loved their bread and could not tell that it was healthier, so their next step was making it accessible to as many people as possible.
Flavors & Ingredients
The staple flavors of their now all vegan banana breads are chocolate chip, crackly (with millet for a nut-free crunch), and zucchini. GoNanas also rotates seasonal flavors such as pumpkin, apple cinnamon, carrot cake, blueberry, and mocha chip.
All of GoNanas breads are made locally in Ypsilanti, Michigan and the company does its best to locally source ingredients to ensure top quality and support the local community– an important principle in their business. Their local communities are one of the most important parts of their business, as they strive to support and connect with the people who produce, sell, and consume their products.
Expansion
Since the beginning, Annie and Morgan wanted to spread their delicious creation to as many people as possible. Just this year, the company has expanded their banana bread to Madison, Wisconsin as well as Chicago, Illinois and Boston, Massachusetts. Their intentions are to make their product accessible to as many people as possible while maintaining the integrity (nutrition & taste) of their products. Just as important to them too is spreading their core mission, as a female-founded company, promoting balanced living and working to counter the prevalent diet culture in the health world.
Rebranding
Just last week, GoNanas upgraded the packaging of their beloved breads. In order to curb issues with customers’ confusion over the different flavors of bread, the packaging of each flavor will have its own bright and fun color to correspond with that particular flavor. Their new packaging also does a better job of telling their unique story and attributes of their small business being Michigan-made, while boasting some of their nutritional stats on the front.
GoNanas is also an anti-diet culture brand. What does this mean? This means that they want people to feel like they can indulge and listen to their bodies without guilt. They purposefully do not put the nutritional information on their packaging, just the ingredient lists. Even though it is advisable to include this data, they don’t want the low-calorie aspect to be the reason people eat their bread. They believe in feeding the soul, not supporting calorie restrictions.
How to Buy or Order
GoNanas’ delicious bread is currently sold in Michigan at these various boutique coffee shops & restaurants, as well as small grocery stores. Not in the area? Order online here. Enjoy!