*Lachlan Powell & Vanessa Murillo co-founders of I Am Grounded*
Take our word for it: I Am Grounded is an incredible brand.
Founded by the visionary duo Lachlan Powell and Vanessa Murillo, I Am Grounded is a disruptive health and wellness social enterprise from Australia with a mission to create systemic change in coffee by adding value to the fruit.
Deeply committed to social empowerment, I Am Grounded provides economic opportunities for coffee-producing communities.
We sat down with Vanessa to chat about their brand, so you can learn more about what sets I Am Grounded apart.
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Tell us a bit about the people behind I Am Grounded:
Vanessa and Lachlan are both the Co-founders of I Am Grounded who’s purpose is to make food and beverages for the 21st century consumer. A couple for 14 years and engaged to be married, the two founded the business back in 2018, after Lachlan’s triathlon parents inspired them to make a better smarter energy snack. Vanessa, born in Colombia to a coffee family, migrated to Australia when she was 6. During her childhood, she was immersed in the coffee industry accompanying her parents on multiple origin coffee buying trips, and becoming a barista master at the age of 15.
I Am Grounded’s goal is to make smooth energy using coffee fruit, the by-product of the coffee beans. They work with farmers back at Origin in Colombia to transform and upcycle this antioxidant-rich byproduct. Back home in Australia, the pair work with an exceptional manufacturer to transform the hero ingredient into a range of caffeinated energy bars.
What inspired you to start the company and when did you start it?
Lachlan grew up learning to cook from his active health-focused mum, loves to experiment with wholesome ingredients. After seeing how years of consuming energy gels, and energy drinks messed up his parent's teeth, he asked himself why there wasn’t something better in the market and was inspired to create a different type of energy bar- one that is mindful, wholesome and jitter-free.
The pair got tinkering in the kitchen at the tail end of 2018, and spent 1.5 years after that researching the perfect ingredients to put into a snack format. Luckily, Vanessa had connections back at origin with coffee, and her father a coffee and food scientist, was already working with farmers on the coffee fruit innovation. They were taking the skin and the pulp and saving it from landfill as well as testing its antioxidant capacity and nutrients. The results were outstanding, the ingredient that the world was wasting is a superfruit! After, deciding on the launch flavours the pair sent 50 snack bars on a trip around Colombia gifting the bars to Coffee farmers along the way, it was important that they gave their approval before the products went to market. They loved the bars, and the rest is history. Their business is a real meeting of two cultures, two identities and a love/ passion for all things food.
The pair officially launched their first 3 flavours in August 2020, after a successful kickstarter campaign allowed them to scale up. Now, I Am Grounded can be found nationwide in retailers Woolworths, Harris farm and at airport terminals, as well as inside iconic hotels such as The Ace Hotel, offices like canva’s HQ and on their website!
What do you do to take care of your own health and wellness?
My approach to health and wellness comes from a grow and learn mindset. I believe the key to a healthy lifestyle that is right for YOU, is to invite diversity. Diversity in food, diversity in cross training and exercise, and diversity in mental/spiritual health. If the shoe doesn’t fit, don’t get too down. Health and wellness is a journey not a destination- enjoy it.
What is your favourite product in the I Am Grounded range?
My favourite right now is the Blueberry, Macadamia it’s my breakfast bar and makes me feel so good, happy and satiated - it is good mood food!
What inspires you to get out of bed every morning?
Knowing that I am living my dream and pursuing my passions. It’s not easy, but nothing worth having is easy.
What benefits will someone get from addiding I Am Grounded products to their shopping list?
Get smooth energy your way. Our range is tailored to a time of day. We have a Sunrise bar made for a gentle morning boost; a 9am bar - made for breakfast; a Pick-Me-Up made as a runners/cyclers fuel; a 3pm made to curb those 3pm slumps; and an Arvo bar - made as a preworkout before pilates or gym session. They will never overly stimulate you instead give you a gentle boost in moments of time when you need a little extra help.
What's a great way to eat I Am Grounded thats not straight from the packet?
After 5 years we have tested our products with a range of different ingredients and these are my favourite ways to consume.
Tip 1- Break a bar into cubes and pop on top of yoghurt, cut some fruit (banana or passionfruit) and enjoy!
Tip 2 - This one relates to the cocoa, almond bar. Heat this one up and it turns into a brownie!
Tip 3 - Make a lemon cheesecake! You can use our bars as a base for a raw dessert like a cheesecake! They make for an energising and delicious dessert.
Here at Retreat Yourself, we LOVE dreaming BIG - what is your vision for your company?
Our aim is to clean up coffee’s bad reputation. Each product upcycles a minimum 50g of coffee fruit from ending up as landfill! Since inception we have upcycled over 33,000 kilos of coffee fruit and fed over 450,000 bars to aussies!
And lastly, what does a fulfilled life look like to you?
Living your truth and in alignment. You are what you say, eat, believe. So be mindful of self sabotage.
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We can't wait to watch I Am Grounded's journey over the coming years.
Find the full range of I Am Grounded at iamgrounded.co and use code RETREATYOURSELF for 25% off your order until 31/10/24!
Follow them on Instagram at @iamgrounded for more information about their products.
