We can't help but feel like cheering when we read Loren's story. She has overcome a giant obstacle in her own personal health and is using that experience, plus big helpings of inspiration and motivation, to make the lives of other people more healthy. It's probably no secret that we at GFJ have a pretty big sweet tooth, but don't think that we're biased?Loren was a winner long before we met her.
When did you know that you wanted to work in food?
Growing up in a foodie family in NYC that believed in health/wellness and that always had family dinners, I should have known that my life would end up somewhere in natural foods. I spent my summers and school breaks working at one of the best bakeries in NYC and fell in love with the way sweets made people feel. I came home to NYC for the summer after I graduated college at USC. I was planning on moving back to LA, and with my plane ticket bought and leaving in one week, I was unexpectedly diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a type of cancer. I had to cancel my move and spent my unexpected "year off" undergoing treatment. I think feeling helpless actually motivated me to find ways to feel empowered, so I chose to spend that year doing things I never had time to do: take cooking/baking classes and study nutrition. My life completely changed. I was already a yoga teacher and health conscious person innately, but I fell in love with tasty, natural, whole foods. To eat smartly and keep my body as strong as possible, I stopped eating anything refined - no white flour, no white sugar. I moved on to healthier, unrefined ingredients. When I realized how much better I felt, and how the taste in food was actually improved, I knew that my new mission in life was to bring these types of ingredients into mainstream. It was easy to make healthy, fresh meals-but I have a serious sweet tooth, and couldn't find anything that tasted delicious AND was made of ingredients I wanted in my body. It was then that I realized I was going to have to make my own. What is more delicious than cookie dough? Or, warm, fresh cookies out of the oven? Sweet Loren's ready-to-bake desserts was born.
How did you get your current good food job?
After I fully recovered, I was totally interested in the food industry. I worked for a vineyard in Oregon; I managed a restaurant in NYC; and then started a catering department of another restaurant (jumping around?realizing I was an entrepreneur too). I entered a baking contest and won-it was then that I knew I had to start my own company because more than my family and friends were endorsing it. I started Sweet Loren's in 2010. My first clients were the Columbus Circle Whole Foods and Red Rabbit (a company that brings local, healthy food to elementary schools in NYC), so from the beginning I felt like there was a need for products like ours.
How did your previous work or life experience prepare you for a good food job?
I have never worked in corporate America-for better or worse! But, I have had lots of serious life experiences that have given me strength and courage. They have also helped me to see what matters the most to me in life: health; happiness; celebration; work ethic; fresh, good food; and family/friends. I was a waitress for several years, a retail girl, and a baker?always looking for something more?but, I learned how to work efficiently; how important customer service is; how to connect with people; and how to take care of people through food.
What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in pursuing your Good Food Job dream?
Well, not getting paid a salary is incredibly hard-especially when you are working harder than ever. But, that's what a boot-strapping start-up is all about. I think just keeping your eye on your end-goal and mission is a constant obstacle that I deal with every day?but, it actually drives me daily too. I am happier than I have ever been, but cookie dough has taken over my life and some times it is hard to separate from it, and talk about more important things in the world than brownie batter. I also was living at home all while starting Sweet Loren's-which clearly has it pros and its cons. At the very beginning, I felt uncertain who else would love Sweet Loren's products as much as I do. After winning The Next BIG Small Brand Contest and People's Choice Award in 2011, I felt reaffirmed and energized that Sweet Loren's had real potential to become a brand name one day. Winning that amazing contest helped me to keep persevering. What keeps me going truly though, is all of the incredibly amazing people that I have met along this journey-they have all been beyond supportive. The accomplishments and growth of Sweet Loren's just feeds my fire to make sure we do this right, to not give up, and to continue to add value to our marketplace.
What can you identify as the greatest opportunities in food right now?
I think the food industry is constantly improving in every single category. We are all becoming more educated individuals that care about health, freshness, and improved taste. I don't think any category is set for life-every product needs to constantly keep improving itself-whether through packaging, marketing, or improved recipes. I think all natural food is growing exponentially and as long as it is delicious, then people will buy it and come back. The hard part is keeping price competitive?so that is the opportunity right now.
If you could be compensated for your work with something other than money, what would it be?
This is a great question! I would say I need one of two things to survive happily: meals at all new restaurants that open up AND a membership to my gym. Inspiration and my release, keeps me healthy and balanced ?