HEALTH

What if we told you there was a way to turn your love of snacking into a sustainable activity that promotes gender equality around the world? It sounds crazy—but a new health-based granola company is making that dream a reality by parterning with global feminist organization, Girl Up. 

Gr8nola was created after the company's founder, Erica Liu Williams, began brainstorming healthy snacks during her annual post-holiday cleanse. The idea for gr8nola came to her while she and her husband, NFL player Tank Williams, were watching Chef Alton Brown make homeade granola on TV.

Feeling inspired to make her own granola, Williams set out to exclude all of the unhealthy ingredients from traditional granola recipes. The gr8nola website says, "At gr8nola we believe gr8ness starts from within. That's why our granolas are made with clean, superfood ingredients created to help you eat, feel and be your best."

Upon receiving positive feeback from friends and family after perfecting her gr8nola recipe, Williams launched her first batch of the product at a local farmers market. Gr8nola quickly became a succcess in corporate offices across California, and Williams soon realized she was interested in diversifying her flavors. 

Williams' product eventually reached prominent fitness gurus, models and other celebrities, including Halle berry and Nigel Barker, both of whom raved about the snack's unique flavors and health benefits. Barker, a long-time chaption for Girl Up, became determined to get the organization involved with gr8nola—leading to the company's partnership with Girl Up. 

Girl Up, which was founded by the United Nations Foundation in 2010, is an organization that aims to achieve worldwide gender equality by creating the female leaders of tomorrow.

Barker first connected with Williams two years ago after trying—and loving—gr8nola. Believing Williams would make an excellent role model for young girls, Barker proposed a partnership between Girl Up and gr8nola. The mentor program opened the door for five girls to gain entrepreneurial experience by helping Williams create a new flavor of gr8nola.

Together, the team has created the Peanut Butter flavor, which is made from real ingredients and stress-relieving superfoods. 8% of all Peanut Butter gr8nola sales will be donated to Girl Up, where they will be used to create our next generation of women leaders.

Have you tried Gr8nola? If so, let us know your fave flavor by tagging us in social media @girlslifemag.

by Claire Hutto | 1/31/2021