Chef Emily Edwards took matters into her own hands when she decided she wanted live a healthier lifestyle, but had very limited healthy snack options.
Thus, the launch of Emily’s Foods came about and is known for their best selling product, Paradise Snax, including Paradise Spread, a fan favorite. This spread is the world’s only organic, sweet conveniently packed protein spread, also serves as a dip and better for you by satisfying both natural health, taste and indulgence.
The Prevailing Woman got a chance to chat with the Mississippi native about how her plant based spreads took her business to new heights after becoming the 2020 recipient for The Society of Innovators and the 2021 winner of Innopower Black Innovators On The Rise!
Talk to us a little bit about your journey to entrepreneurship! At what moment did you feel like this was your purpose?
Starting Paradise Spreads was not my 1st time being an entrepreneur. Prior to Paradise Spreads, I founded and ran a successful private mental health agency. In 2018, I became burned out. I still wanted to help people but not from a mental health aspect any more. Growing up I spent many days in my mother’s kitchen, the gathering place. One of my most memorable moments was licking the batter from a wooden spoon. My momma loved baking and her kitchen was filled with so much love, laughter and the sweet aroma of good food. This is where I learned that sharing sweet treats truly brings people together.
Knowing how much I loved helping people and wanting millennial mothers to share the same experiences with their children, I began making plant based spreads and snacks with pea protein in my kitchen and quickly realized that people who did not eat sweet plant based treats fell in love with them.
What advice would you give to someone who isn’t motivated to change their lifestyle? What was your journey like?
Making a lifestyle change is challenging, especially when you want to transform many things at once. This time, think of it not as a resolution but as an evolution. Lifestyle changes are a process that take time and require support. Once you’re ready to make a change, the difficult part is committing and following through. So do your research and make a plan that will prepare you for success. Careful planning means setting small goals and taking things one step at a time.
During my own weight loss journey, I became frustrated with the lack of plant based snacks, and spread options that were healthy, contained less sugar, more plant protein and convenient for my busy lifestyle. I incorporated my product, Paradise Spreads and it is the perfect sweet treat for me.
Can you share some fun ways to use your products? What are some unique customer experiences that you’ve heard about?
Unique customer experiences:
1. You’ve created a dip monster with that strawberry flavor!! My son asks for it all the time.
– Emily G.
2. P.S. It took every fiber of my being to not just down the entire tub of chocolate Paradise Spread – it is DIVINE!
– Poloma V.
For more information on how to get your hands on Paradise Snax, check out their website https://paradisesnax.com/, shipping anywhere across the country!