BAM the Brand, Inc.

I’ve been waiting a LONG time to share this one: Buckwheat Milk is BACK. Five years ago, I had an idea to make a plant-based milk from buckwheat, a lesser known super seed. I’d been dairy-free most of my adult life and was determined to make Buckwheat Milk happen, against the odds.   Today, I'm proud to announce a new partnership with New Barn Organics, which has acquired BAM the Brand, Inc.’s Buckwheat Milk recipes and is relaunching Buckwheat Milk under the New Barn brand beginning this week at Whole Foods Market.   Throughout the ups and downs of my journey with BAM, I persisted because I believe in BAM’s mission and north star: Because Agriculture Matters™. When production challenges forced BAM off shelf, I simplified our manufacturing process by developing a new ingredient that would become the base for the milk: Buckwheat Milk Powder. Turns out, that ingredient has applications beyond just milk. This “problem” created the opportunity to re-think BAM's business model and expand our impact in the process.   New Barn and BAM are value-aligned and oriented around the same foundational goals. I’m thrilled for all that’s ahead for buckwheat, Buckwheat Milk, and Buckwheat Milk Powder.     None of this would have happened if not for my participation in the Whole Foods Market Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP). That’s where I met the wonderful Ted Robb and Hannah Youngblood from New Barn Organics. Thank you to Lisa Tosun and Kelly Spillane for your continuous, enthusiastic support and encouragement, and to BAM’s earliest retail partners – Jimbo's, Erewhon and Mother's Market & Kitchen – for believing in Buckwheat Milk from the beginning. I’d also like to thank the Sharks from Shark Tank ABC, and Kevin O'Leary in particular, for helping make my episode last year interesting enough to air but not *quite* enticing enough for a deal. I found a pretty great partner in the end!   And a BIG thank you to Andrew Watman at Forbes for capturing our story so beautifully and for joining us in Upstate New York last month to visit the farmers and supply chain partners who have been such an integral part of my journey. I hope you’ll give it a read.     BAM 2.0, here we go! https://lnkd.in/g6ikaEg3