Meet Kris Kim, Founder of Garufood (it's our new whole food plant protein obsession!)
If you found your way here from our Instagram, then you know all about our new obsession with the incredible plant protein Garu!
Kris Kim, Founder of Garufood Inc started in 2018 with Stephen Kimoff, her partner and an athlete extraordinaire, after enjoying raising her daughter for 18 years in Vancouver. She loves travelling, cooking and good conversations over delicious wine.
We caught up with Kris to learn more about her, Garu and why she created this incredible company!
Glow: We are so excited to connect with a Canadian company as passionate about plant based whole foods as we are! Please tell us what led you to start Garu.
Kris: One of the best things for us is to connect with companies that think alike, and we are very excited about this partnership too!
We started Garu because we were unhappy customers of plant protein powder.
The taste, the digestive issues like bloating and the fractionating/isolating process of it all. One of the founders (and my partner) Stephen, used to use plant protein powder for his activities, and we were wondering how we can replace it with whole foods without compromising the same convenience and health benefits.
Then I got an idea from my childhood drink my mom used to make for me every busy morning ~ powder made of more than 20 roasted whole grains and dried plants.
Garu has the same convenience, indulgence and health benefits but is quite opposite of other plant based and animal protein powders - whole foods (vs fractionated), slow processed, involving days of soaking, sprouting, drying, steaming, roasting and milling (vs processed with chemicals to isolate protein only)
Glow: We absolutely that it began from a family recipe and personal need - so similar to our own story! Can you give us a little more detail on how your product is created differently from our plant protein options?
Kris: Simply put, our plant protein is whole food and other plant proteins are fractionated from whole food. Our products naturally contain all the nutritional benefits from the whole ingredients more than just protein, other protein powders have to add back nutrients after taking them out to get protein.
We believe in the famous quote by Aristotle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, when it comes down to food, especially.
Glow: Absolutely! What would you say is the one guiding principle or strongest core value of Garu?
Health and education. Health of individuals and health of the planet and it's only achieved through education.
Glow: What is the one thing you hope to change about the way people perceive plant protein options?
We don't need highly processed fractionated protein for our health and everyday diet, because we can get enough protein from whole foods. There is a place and a role for fractionated protein for sure, like there is a place for a drug for the sick, but not for everyday use and for everybody. It can't be sustainable and the only sustainable option is through food, which all of humanity have been thriving on for thousands of years.
Glow: We agree completely! So, what is your favourite way to use your Garu products?
That's a hard question, there are so many favourite ways!
First of all, I love adding Garu to my morning smoothie. Garu Black Sesame and Black Bean goes well with banana, almond butter and nut milk...
Garu Red goes well with anything fruity like berries and citrus...
I also like Garu in warm drinks. My go to is Garu Cacao for the most delicious hot chocolate!
The versatility is there, because it's food that blends in well with other foods.
Glow: Such versatility! We have already been playing around with ways to include it on some of our delicious raw treats, smoothies and Juices!
And now, how can people learn more about Garu?
We are active on Instagram, so follow us @garufood to learn more about us and our prducts! If you are not a social media person, subscribe our newsletter for recipes, new products and promotions at garufood.com
WRITTEN by Marnie Ashcroft
TAGS:
