Bread that has no business being this good
+ a granola so tasty, my mom stole a whole bag
Hello hello!
Little biz update: as a two-person startup that’s spreadsheet-averse and criminally bad with numbers... we finally decided that it was time to bring on a finance team that could actually keep up with our growth.
So, we brought on Ever Ledger, the full-service accounting and finance partner that specializes in high-growth CPG. Ever Ledger is handling our books, tax, and financial modeling under one roof—so we’re not stitching together three different vendors and chasing down our own numbers.
They typically work with CPG brands, helping brands build investor-ready financials, prep for fundraising, or even plan retail expansion. If your books are messy, your accountant is too slow for your speed, or you’re gearing up for a raise/expansion, check them out!
Now, onto the goods 👇
Nate’s Pickups:
LL’s Kitchen Granola (literally all their flavors)
You may or may not have noticed it, but there are a ton of new granolas on the market. New brands are launching, cereal brands are coming out with their own granolas, and existing granola brands are massively expanding their lineups. Literally every other day I hear about a new one. If I showed you my pantry right now you’d think I exclusively ate granola. And a lot of the ones launching are great, so good it’s actually hard to pick a favorite, but there’s one that has really stood out to me. Not because it has added protein, or crazy flavors, but because of its texture. Also, I know it’s good because I shared some with my mom when she came to visit and she stole a whole bag!
Quick Facts: Chewy, snackable granola made with infused olive oil and sweetened only with local wildflower honey—no refined sugar. All-natural ingredients, no preservatives or fillers. Handcrafted in small batches in California by founder Lindsey Mifsud, a former college athlete and nutrition coach. Comes in flavors like Blood Orange Apricot, Cherry Vanilla, Apple Cinnamon, and Sweetheart Crunch, plus limited editions like Campfire Crunch.
Apple Cinnamon and Blood Orange are my two faves :)
Reasons to love:
It’s soft. I love a crunchy, crispy granola as much as the next guy. Luckily I have a lot of amazing options to pick from, really good options. But there just isn’t a lot out there in terms of snackable, soft granola. LL’s is that option. Look, sometimes you just want a granola snack, but grabbing handfuls of granola isn’t the most conducive to snacking. It breaks apart so easily, gets everywhere, and can lead to a whole mess. With this, there are more solid chunks for you to grab on to and eat, without it falling apart. It’s what I want from a Nature Valley bar, but this doesn’t leave a million crumbs in your lap.
Wildly flavorful. This is some of the best and most boldly flavored granola I’ve ever had. One unique aspect of LL’s Kitchen is that they use infused olive oil in the recipe, which I think dials the flavor up to eleven. It adds a rich, almost savory depth you don’t get from many other granolas. I’m always impressed with brands that can build such a strong flavor profiles without leaning on a ton of added ingredients or fillers, and LL’s pulls it off.
Where to buy: Online and at Sprouts (starting June 8th)
Jenna’s Pickup:
Bittman’s - Whole Grain Sourdough
In the interest of shocking you all, I’m writing about real CARBS today. The audacity!
Modern diet culture has managed to move away from keto and paleo, at least linguistically. But in CPG, fear is much stickier than trends: though these diets—in their strictest sense—haven’t lingered, the fear they produced is stronger than ever. In our silly little protein-obsessed society, I try so many products that scream about low-net-carbs and “great macros” (another way of saying “low-carb”).
But every once in a while, I’ll sample something that reminds me: there’s still innovation that has nothing to do with lowering a carb count or upping protein gains. Innovation that’s solely about the quality and accessibility of good, real food in its purest sense. This week, that thing is Bittman’s.
Quick Facts: Whole grain, pre-baked sourdough products frozen (fresh), shipped to your door, and ready-to-bake straight from the freezer. Made by Mark Bittman, the brilliant chef, NYTimes columnist, and author behind the staple cookbook series owned by every mother you’ve ever known: How to Cook Everything.
Reasons to love:
You’d never know they were frozen. These loaves arrived frozen at my door—and even having seen them in their frozen state, submerged in dry ice, I’m still having a hard time believing they were ever frozen. They come pre-baked and were frozen fresh—all you need to do is toss them in the oven for a few minutes to reheat, and they fully taste (and smell) fresh-baked. Without any preservatives, stabilizers, or additives, each loaf maintains that perfect, farmers-market-fresh, sourdough crunchy crust with a soft, bouncy center.
Simplicity meets innovation. Made with a base of just three ingredients (water, whole grain flour, and salt) plus a wild sourdough starter that’s “old enough to vote, possibly rent a car,” the recipe is bakery simple. But the products have range, including a corn sourdough and sourdough focaccia (this was a HUGE hit at a recent dinner party). The whole grain element may seem trivial, but it adds this lovely nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the tang of sourdough. Innovation isn’t always about doing something net-new—it can be about taking an age-old staple and giving it a little more character or changing how it’s preserved and distributed.
A gorgeous gift. I love the idea of giving the gift of beautiful bread. Whether you have a long distance foodie friend (promise they’ll know Mark Bittman) or you’re looking for a condolence gift that isn’t another sad lasagna, this is a fantastic option. These artisan loaves come beautifully packaged—they’re one of those special gifts that’s both very practical and a luxury in every sense.
Where to buy: Build your own box of six sourdough products on their site for $99, or subscribe to save.
Check out our most recent episode of The Curious Consumer, where we dive head first into the rise of the canned shirley temple, Jam’s genius NFL partnership, and why the $50 strawberry brand just closed $150 million round. →
Thanks for reading! Anything you think we should try for an upcoming edition of Express Checkout? Email us at hello@expresscheckout.co
So enjoyed trying LL’s Kitchen granola. Great for those who shy away from crunchier granolas. Yum!