Making a Real Food Revolution

Noha Waibsnaider is being honored as a Champion of Change for her accomplishments as a crowdfunding pioneer.

From Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign to Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, from New York Mayor Bloomberg’s ban on large sodas to California’s proposition to label genetically modified food, healthy eating is being discussed more thoughtfully than ever before. People want real food: more and more people shop at farmers’ markets, and they care whether the food is organic, where it was sourced from, how it was made.

In 2004, while working for a large food company, I learned that 80% of food sold in grocery stores is loaded with added sugar and preservatives. I was horrified by this version of “food” and decided that I needed to make something better. I grew up eating dried fruit, a healthy snack that people all over the world have been eating for thousands of years.  Thus, Peeled Snacks was born: organic fruit snacks that provide a natural source of fiber, vitamins, and real energy, without a sugar crash.

The label on our snacks says, “Our goal at Peeled Snacks is simple: to make you feel good about snacking.” We do this by working closely with farmers and suppliers to make real, nourishing, and tasty food, and by engaging our community about the impact of food on body, mind, and the world. We use only organic ingredients in order to ensure that the farmland and workers (and you!) are not exposed to dangerous pesticides and chemicals. We also investigate and encourage our farmer partners’ dedication to sustainable agriculture and fair working conditions.

My husband likes to say I had a great idea six years too early. It took a lot more time and money than I expected to get Peeled Snacks through those years. I was fortunate to find supportive investors who share our vision to provide real food. Last year, many of our investors found us through CircleUp, a crowdfunding portal.  I’m grateful to President Obama for his efforts to enable investment-based crowdfunding through the JOBS Act, and for recognizing me as a White House Champion of Change.

Today, Peeled Snacks are available nationwide in airports and on Amazon, and they’re quickly making it to grocery stores around the U.S.  The little company I started eight years ago is making waves and providing healthy food options across our country. As part of the Real Food revolution, I am doing my part to change our food landscape, influencing large companies to make healthier food, and hopefully creating a healthier tomorrow for all of us. I feel extremely privileged that my job is to make people feel good about the food choices they have and the tasty snacks they eat.

Noha Waibsnaider is Founder and CEO of Peeled Snacks.