Popular butter spread means a bigger facility for this Bellingham food manufacturer
Liza Higbee-Robinson and Nicholas Sotak wanted to see if they could make a popular outdoor sports snack a little more interesting.
That was the idea that led to LEAP — a nut butter business in Bellingham. It started in the spring of 2020, but things have reached a point where they recently moved into their own manufacturing facility in the Haskell Business Park. They are also inviting similar businesses to share the space, which is being called the EAT Incubator. The facility, at 1420 Meador Ave., will also have a retail store that should be ready to go in March, Higbee-Robinson said in an email.
“We dreamt up LEAP thinking one day we could market our spreads as a healthy, high energy snack to fuel people on their adventures,” Higbee-Robinson said.
During the pandemic and as global supply chains continue to deal with challenges, local food processing seems to be catching on. Along with this EAT Incubator, plans are in the works to build a 30,000-square-foot food campus facility in Bellingham’s waterfront district.
The plan for the EAT Incubator is to have other manufacturers whose products are plant-based, dairy-free, peanut-free, and gluten-free, with the entire 2,000-square-foot facility being certified gluten free.
LEAP is at the Bellingham Farmer’s Market and is now making its way into local stores and restaurants.
The first four spreads are a different take compared to peanut butter:
▪ Nutsoseedy (cashew-almond butter blend with chia and flaxseed, vanilla and cinnamon).
▪ Cashew Cardamom Blueberry (cashew butter with cardamom and blueberry from Bow Hill).
▪ Hazelnut Wakeup (hazelnut butter with coffee, cayenne, cocoa powder and maple syrup).
▪ Walnut Blackout (walnut butter with cocoa powder and maple syrup).
So far customers are pairing the spreads on many different types of breads, Higbee-Robinson said. It’s also being used in smoothies as well as baked recipes.
Higbee-Robinson said all products are made using 100% organic, non-GMO, vegan ingredients and little or no sweeteners. They plan on having the products certified organic when the application process is available to them.
LEAP (an acronym for Live, Eat, Appreciate, Play) wants to team up with other similar businesses for this incubator. One business in place is Thoroughfare Tempeh, which makes tempeh, a food usually made from fermented soybeans that originated in Indonesia. Owners Alice Mayeron and Mike Houder chose to use non-soy legumes for their tempeh, which they say helps accommodate various dietary restrictions and adds some unique flavors. Along with being at the EAT Incubator, Thoroughfare can be found at the Bellingham and Barkley farmer’s markets and is used at the Old Town Cafe.
The retail store component is a work in progress, but it’s expected to become a showroom for the products made at the EAT Incubator. Beginning in March, regular walk-in hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, while other pick-up times can be arranged.
This story was originally published February 15, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
