Your name:  Eric Lofgren

Year the company was started:  2018

Where is your product made? Our product is made in Delta, BC. We are headquartered in Lions Bay, BC.

What is the ‘key ingredient’ that makes your product line special? We feature pumpkin seed protein powder, a minimally-processed, high-quality source of plant-based protein that is easy to digest and offers a healthy, viable alternative to the more common pea protein isolate, a highly processed food that can cause gastrointestinal issues and also trigger an allergic reaction in some consumers. Our other premium ingredients – typically not found in other protein bars – include organic dates, Callebaut Belgian cocoa powder, extra virgin olive oil, Himalayan pink salt, and food-grade essential oils.

What motivated you to start your company and create the products that we see today? 

As an active, health-conscious consumer of protein bars, I was disappointed with the lack of choice in the market. Specifically, there appeared to be much repetition and a normalization of ultra-processed ingredients, added syrups, sugar alcohols, protein isolates, and allergens with little to no choice for a clean, plant-based protein bar that is free of added sugars and allergens. So, despite being a career engineer with no formal culinary training, I set out to invent a new category of protein bar. After two years of experimenting with over one hundred recipes, the best solution turned out to be radically simple: use only a small number of clean, plant-based ingredients that can be recognized as actual food and cold-form into yummy, fudgy bars that remind of rich, cocoa & olive oil brownies.

What are your company’s core values?

We are a family-owned business on a mission to lead consumers toward a healthier, more environmentally-friendly lifestyle with our deliciously clean, plant-based protein bars. Our core values are simplicity and transparency; in a world of clutter and misinformation, we believe that consumers are ready for a no-nonsense, minimalistic approach to snacking in which the health and nutrition value of the product can be readily understood, without the hype. We also believe in educating consumers that even an incremental shift toward a plant-based diet will reduce their carbon footprint while simultaneously improving personal health – a win-win situation.

If you could tell a retailer three things about what makes your brand different, what would they be?

1. Our radically simple protein bars are made with only a handful of clean, minimally-processed, plant-based ingredients, making them different from the vast majority of protein bars that often include animal-derived proteins, ultra-processed ingredients, allergens, and/or harmful added sweeteners.
2. Next Level’s radically simple protein bars are crafted to meet the needs of the growing demographic of active, health-conscious women and families who are challenged with food allergies and intolerances. Free of all common food allergens (i.e. gluten, grains, soy, dairy, eggs, sesame, tree nuts, and peanuts) and sweetened only with organic dates – a diabetic-friendly, fibre-rich, whole food – our protein bars satisfy with a solid hit of 10 grams of plant-based protein, making them the ideal snack to enjoy before, during, or after a workout.
3. We value your consumers’ time. Our cleanly minimalist recipe and packaging are designed to be understood at a glance, with ingredients listed in clear, easy-to-read bullet point format. With our short list of ingredients that resemble actual food, we save the consumer from the hassle of  having to pull out their phone to Google what a certain ingredient actually is and whether it is healthy or not, as is too often the case with other protein bars.

What are some challenges you've had to overcome to bring your business to its current state?

Staying true to our vision of creating a protein bar with less than eight whole food ingredients was difficult while also balancing matters of taste, texture, and shelf life. Scaling the recipe with a co-packer partner, while not compromising on the integrity of our ingredients, was also challenging; however, we persevered and devised our best recipe yet. Growing a business during The Pandemic was/is challenging, with lasting effects on supply chain costs and increased ingredients costs. Our goal is to always devise creative ways to maintain our product at a reasonable price to the consumer, providing great value amid rising grocery prices.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I like spending time in the local forests, often hiking with my family. When the weather turns nasty, we are happy to stay indoors and gather around the fire for a board game. I also love spending time in the kitchen, either cooking or baking for friends and family.