Iman Mounib’s chocolate-hazelnut unfold – made from simply three native components – is a refreshing tackle the long-lasting breakfast topping.
The College of Toronto Scarborough alumna’s startup, Mounib Actual Meals Solely, sells an expansion made solely of hazelnuts, honey (courtesy of native Mennonite communities) and natural, fair-trade cocoa powder – with a vegan choice that swaps honey with natural cane sugar.
The corporate additionally sells a chocolate and peanut butter unfold (with its personal vegan version), and provides an almond-chocolate model at its farmers’ market cubicles.
“The tip objective is to create an alternate that’s useful to your well being and tastes actually good,” Mounib says. “All of our spreads are good to your well being and good for the planet.”
Mounib started growing the talents wanted for her enterprise early in life – partly as a result of she grew up in a low-income family. “We didn’t have wholesome, reasonably priced choices,” she says, “and that was large in inspiring me to begin making my very own meals at dwelling.”
Along with working her startup, Iman Mounib works as a advertising and marketing supervisor on the yogurt firm Yogen Früz (picture courtesy of Iman Mounib)
Well being points later compelled Mounib to cease consuming refined sugar, however she nonetheless craved her favorite sweets: Nutella and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups – each of which impressed flavours for her spreads. So, she began making her personal variations with what would ultimately grow to be her three-ingredient recipe.
Immediately, Mounib Actual Meals Solely merchandise are bought in nearly 20 eating places, cafes and shops within the Larger Toronto Space, in addition to at one location in Ottawa. Most retailers promote the jars themselves, however two areas use the spreads on breakfast gadgets reminiscent of bagels and lattes. The corporate additionally seems weekly within the Woodbridge, Leslieville and Roundhouse famers’ markets in Toronto, and sells the spreads on its web site.
The corporate’s glass jars, lids and labels are all bought in Canada; Mounib even solely hires native graphic designers. Prospects may also return the jars for reuse by means of the corporate’s in-house recycling program. The one plastic is within the legally required meals seal, although Mounib is looking for a workaround. She’s additionally attempting to make the label biodegradable.
“As tacky because it sounds, I actually do consider that nevertheless you impression the atmosphere impacts your soul,” Mounib says.
There are 46 startup corporations presently working out of The Hub at U of T Scarborough (provided picture)
Mounib’s strategy has been formed by Ontario farmers. For six years, she spent each Saturday at a farmers’ market, serving to promote baked items from her good friend’s native bakery. After the pandemic shut the market down in 2020, Mounib started promoting her personal merchandise on Instagram, the place her so-called “wholesome Nutella” took off. In December 2021, she formally launched her firm.
“Farmers are entrepreneurs too,” she says. “That farmers’ market taught me that even when you’re spending a little bit bit extra to supply native, the impression is so significantly better for the atmosphere and the neighborhood.”
Mounib initially used her personal kitchen and blender to make spreads. Now, she has a facility in Toronto, her personal staff and an industrial blender. She’s working with The Hub, U of T Scarborough’s entrepreneurial incubator, to scale the enterprise up and get into as many GTA cafes, grocery shops and eating places as attainable.
“Mounib has overly impressed me, she’s spinning actually quick,” says Donovan Dill, interim director at The Hub.
Subsequent, Mounib says she needs to broaden all through Canada earlier than tackling U.S. cities reminiscent of New York and Miami – and past.
