Taste Radio

If you take the brand out of the farmer’s market, do you have to take the farmer’s market out of the brand? Not if you’re Michele’s Granola, a brand whose rustic package design and proprietary recipe have remained the same since inception. It's a big reason why Michele’s has become one of the top-selling brands in its category. Launched in 2006 by founder Michele Tsucalas, Michele’s Granola markets small batch granola made from natural, organic and non-GMO ingredients. The company’s Maryland manufacturing facility produces over 35,000 pounds of granola and muesli weekly. Michele’s also sells a two-SKU line of granola butter made from oats and nuts.  The products are sold nationally at over 3,800 retailers, including Whole Foods and Wegmans, where Michele’s is the top-selling granola brand at each chain, as well as Ralph’s, Kroger and Sprouts. According to a profile in “Baltimore” magazine,” the company is expected to generate $15 million in revenue this year. In this episode, Tsucalas and company CEO Oliver B