Today, I am joined by Rey Ortega, The Mad Cookie Man of Sun Flour Baking Company.
From his bio: Rey is a pioneer in the plant-based sector with over 30 years of experience. In 1994, he founded the Alternative Baking Company, one of the first vegan cookie brands on the market, which generated $1 million in sales in 1995. In 1997, he founded Sun Flour Baking Co. to create new flavors, tastes, textures, and nutrition products with a longer shelf life and higher profit margins. Sun Flour Baking produces raw and baked gluten-free cookies free of animal products. It also provides co packing, product development, consulting, testing, nutrition facts, graphic design, and wrapping in small batches. Clients include Continental Airlines, Sodexo Marriott Food Service, and Whole Foods. The company supports Farm Sanctuary, the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), and In Defense of Animals (IDA).
Rey owned Garden to Grill, a vegan restaurant, for five years. With extensive knowledge across the entire product life cycle, he is an experienced formulator within the industry, has designed three facilities, and has sold millions of vegan cookies, keeping eggs and dairy out of the mouths of many. Besides owning five plant-based brands, he has also published two children’s books and is an expert at cannabis infusion for topical and edible products.
Rey is a lot of fun to chat with, as you’ll hear in this episode, we do a lot of laughing. But, it’s not all silly, Rey shares how health issues led him to veganism, how our cultures can define us, tough business decisions, and connecting with the spiritual side of veganism. Of course, there is some silliness, wait until you hear us bond over opening cans of cat food. Oh, and I drop a strategically placed f*bomb when talking about Sun Flour Baking Cookies…
"Cookies were my happiness..."
I mean come on...they're SO good....
Check out Rey's website Start a vegan business for links to all of his social media as well as books, and to order cookies.
You can also visit Sun Flour Baking Company to order cookies as well.
Are you off to buy some cookies? What surprised you? Tell me in the comments below!
Want to hear more from another food producer? Check out this episode:
Episode 70 - Your life is a sum of all you do with Michael Schwarz, Founder and CEO of Treeline Cheese
My daughter is vegan and very healthy. She I'm sure has found many of these products and she has taught me how delicious eating vegan can be.