In their search for a scalable process, the founders experimented with a completely unconventional method: using a paint sprayer and heat guns to coat almonds with chocolate. While it failed, it demonstrates a crucial, scrappy innovation mindset.
To perfect their recipe, the founders didn't just experiment randomly. They carefully deconstructed a high-end chocolatier's almond with a knife to understand its unique properties and palate, which informed their own development.
To boost visibility for their risky chain-wide launch, the founders negotiated for a coveted end cap. Instead of a hefty fee, they offered Target an exclusive peanut butter almond flavor, turning product development into a powerful marketing asset.
Despite landing on the Inc. 5000 list, the company was losing money on a massive scale. The 'growth at all costs' mindset meant they ignored profitability, with founders admitting they didn't even know what COGS were.
Breezy Griffith's early ventures, like selling sorbets and sandwiches at a loss, weren't failures. They were crucial learning experiences that built the foundational skills and resilience needed to launch a successful CPG brand.
To secure one of their first major corporate accounts, co-founder Chrissy Holler bypassed traditional channels by sneaking into the Google campus cafeteria. She found the chef and pitched them directly, successfully getting the product stocked for employees.
The death of a young family friend prompted Breezy Griffith to move home and re-prioritize family. This personal shift, not a market analysis, was the direct catalyst for starting a business with her mother, demonstrating how life events can shape entrepreneurial paths.
When 40,000 lbs of almonds arrived rancid just before their Target launch, the founders' emergency plan was to deploy an 'army' of friends to buy out bulk bins at every local grocery store and Costco to meet the deadline.
The co-founders credit their success to their complementary skills. Daughter Breezy provides the relentless execution ('jet fuel'), while mother Val, the 'visionary,' has an innate ability to see long-term consumer trends before they materialize.
Unable to find a co-manufacturer through traditional means, co-founder Breezy Griffith scoured esoteric chocolate blogs, found a chocolatier's comment, reverse-engineered their screen name to find a phone number, and cold-called them at home.
Val Griffith, in her early 50s, was facing an 'empty nest' and saw co-founding a company with her daughter not just as a business idea, but as a fulfilling next chapter. This highlights a powerful, often overlooked motivation for late-career entrepreneurship.
Facing a tough funding environment in 2022, Breezy Griffith pivoted from traditional VC. She painstakingly raised capital from 65 separate celebrity investors, requiring multiple individual calls with each to close the round and save the company.
When the Target buyer asked if they had supply chain issues before offering a chain-wide launch, the founder instantly said 'nope'—despite producing in a 'chicken coop.' This bold move secured the deal, forcing them to rapidly scale.