When Sarah Hughes couldn’t find a breakfast option that was nutrient dense, tasted great, and was free of allergens, she channeled her creativity and invented her own. Her product, Square Roots, couldn’t be more aptly labeled: the shape is all in the name, and they’re packed with superfoods like sweet potatoes and beets. Whether it's a math equation or your morning routine, Square Roots are all about simplifying a problem and getting down to what works!
How did you first create your product?
I was doing an elimination diet to determine what food allergies I have, and I was struggling to come up with a healthy, nutrient-dense breakfast that would sustain me until lunch. I happened upon a recipe for a breakfast cookie, and I revised it to remove the added sugar and increase the nutritional value. I continued to tweak the recipe over the next few months and experimented with different ingredients to get the right mix of nutritious starches and healthy fats to give me the energy I needed to power through my morning. And Square Roots were born!
Why did you start your business?
Before I started my business, I worked long hours in an office in front of a computer. I was bored and wanted to do something creative and challenging. I’ve always wanted to start my own business, but it wasn’t until I hit on the idea of Square Roots that I realized I could start a business around something I really loved: food!
What drew you to the food industry?
I love food. I can happily spend hours perusing food blogs or cookbooks, studying how different people prepare foods differently. And I love to try new foods and track food trends. I like experimenting with flavors and am always looking for ways to make recipes healthier and more nutrient-dense. I eat Square Roots everyday for breakfast because they fill me up and make me feel great. It was definitely an “Ah ha!” moment when I realized I could build a business around Square Roots and share them with others.
What is your biggest business accomplishment to date?
My biggest accomplishment to date is having a product that’s ready for sale! It took a lot of R&D to get to this point, and I’m excited to finally see Square Roots on grocery shelves!
What does success look like to you?
Success is seeing Genuine Roots become a company that makes healthy, delicious products (including Square Roots) and is also able to pay its bills and take care of its employees. It’s having a company that hasn’t strayed from its core values and has lived up to its mission: grounded in goodness, sustaining people and the planet.
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