HOUSTON – Support Local spotlights individual businesses challenged by the coronavirus pandemic and offers ways you can support them. We asked Houston businesses to share their story with us including how the public can help them. Here, we include their stories and how Houston residents can continue to support them during this time. Fill out this form to have your business included.
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How did the business start?
Owner Jennifer Thai left her finance career at BP and decided to start her own company because of her daughter’s food allergies. Thai said she began selling super muffins and beanie bars in the rain at Memorial Villages Farmers Market in November 2015. “It took me over two years to invent the super muffins through trial and error,” Thai wrote to KPRC. “My hubby will tell you all about the hundreds of trial muffins he had to eat.” Once her daughter outgrew her allergies, two years into selling at farmers markets, she continued to build the shop to help the community have more inclusive, safer and better foods. Thai won $10,000 at the City of Houston’s Liftoff Business Plan pitch competition and NextSeed’s NextUp pitch competition for her unique company idea. Thai now serves on the advisory board for the City of Houston Office of Business Opportunity and the Rice Entrepreneurship Initiative Alumni board.
How has the business found success?
Awesome Bites Co. has found success through the support of the food allergy community and Texas Children’s Hospital, where it runs quarterly events for kids with food allergies. The business also receives support from other female founders, restauranteurs, Rice & Duke alumnus and mompreneurs.
Thai said the company’s popularity came by selling over 100,000 super muffins, which are muffins that replace eggs, butter and sugar with lots of whole fruits and vegetables.
What type of goods does Awesome Bite Co. offer?
Awesome Bites Co. founder says they are the nation’s first allergy-friendly, artisan bake and ice cream shop. The shop offers made-from-scratch healthy, plant-based baked goods and ice cream that is dairy, egg, soy, peanut and tree nut free. Most of its other goods are also gluten-free.
“We also make brownies and blondies that are healthier than granola bars because I make these gluten-free vegan brownies with organic black beans and chickpeas - we call them Beanie Bars," Thai wrote. “Our n’ice cream and allergy-free donuts, made exclusively on Wednesday’s, are all customer favorites.”
The shop’s most popular items are the Lavender Earl Grey and the Chocolate Olive Oil n’ice creams, as well as the Apple Cider and Thin Mint donuts.
Where is Awesome Bites Co. located?
Awesome Bites Co. is located at 2313 Edwards Street Suite 185.
“We opened our shop in Sawyer Yards eight months ago, after a four-month delay due to a contractor that caused $45k in damages,” Thai wrote.
How can you support this business during the coronavirus pandemic?
You can help this business by ordering for carryout or curbside pick up through its website.
The shop also offers a limited menu on UberEats & GrubHub.
To view a list of other Houston businesses you can support, click here.
