Meet Hemplete: Our Purpose and 2020 Vision

Thank you for stopping by our blog. In this post, we’ll talk about our history, our purpose, and our vision for 2020.

When we started Hemplete just three short years ago, few people were talking about hemp seed as a viable food source, let alone a protein powerhouse. Since then, there’s been a monumental shift in how the cannabis plant is cultivated and utilized.  We are solely focused on hemp, a variety with no intoxicating properties (those with a low-THCA/high-CBDA chemotype). From seed oils and textiles to protein and fuel, hemp may very well be the most versatile crop in the world. Even old George W. was growing hemp (Washington, not Bush). And we are grateful that everybody is talking about this wonderful plant protein source now! 🙌🏽 

Like many others, our founders Abe and Justin were struggling to find one protein bar that checked all the boxes: 

✅ Clean

✅ Protein-rich 

✅ Sugar-free

✅ Sustainable

✅ Easily Digestible 

Most of the bars on the market were full of unhealthy or overwhelmingly artificial ingredients. To put the icing on the birthday cake flavored protein bars (🤢), they also made us feel bloated. What the yuck?

Abe Hits the Kitchen

At the time, Abe was traveling a lot, eating tons of protein bars that were less than desirable (and barely digestible). To avoid sugar, he was resorted to eating “natural” bars with the sugar content comparable to that of the average candy bar. He figured he could do better, so Abe and Justin went to work.

Abe was a long-time fan of hemp, having used raw hemp protein powder frequently due to its impressive amino acid profile, digestibility, and sustainability. But the usability of products was horrible. Abe couldn’t find any hemp products in regular grocery stores. Those he did find had that “burlap sack" aesthetic. It wasn’t approachable; it tasted earthy and was difficult to blend in a smoothie, let alone add to cooking recipes. 

It just came to our minds suddenly: why not just make one great bar ourselves? Not surprisingly, we started at home in the kitchen. 👨‍🍳

Our goal was to make a digestible, delicious, and protein-rich plant-based nutrition bar with 100% clean ingredients and low sugar content. So, we did a lot of research to find a great protein source that could do it and again, we were drawn to hemp protein.

Once we had our first recipe, we took it to a co-packer in LA. We thought we’d have delicious healthy bars to sell in a month and quickly learned that’s not how the industry works. They kept adding ingredients to our test bars without telling us. We fought hard for 6 months before they agreed to make the original formula.

 

Why We Chose Hemp

🌱When we started Hemplete, our bars weren’t vegan. We originally used honey but ultimately decided to leave it out in favor of ingredients that were guaranteed to be sourced ethically. While we never set out to create a vegan brand, all of our products are, in fact, vegan (big ups on the oops!).

We just knew hemp was awesome. Ultimately, after scouring the earth a bit, we found an organic hemp protein supplier. The clouds parted. And the Greek god of hemp came to us, as if in a dream, and said: “LET THERE BE HEMP!” 

We were so impressed by the nutritional and environmental benefits of Hemp (and the glutes of its god) that we went from protein bar gurus to all-out hemp seed activists. So that’s how Hemplete came to be.

We have been lucky to have a loyal network of friends and early customers to support us from day one. Without their honest feedback, we wouldn’t have been able to create the delicious products you know and (hopefully) love. 

 

A New Era for Hemplete 

In early 2018, Abe’s friends Collin and Cindy (the first Hemplete couple!), joined our team. From the beginning, they believed in our values and products. And they’re excited for the opportunity to serve those who have longed to find a nutrition company that shares the same passions as we do.

We have worked through a tough but rewarding year together and we’ll remain in pursuit of creating the perfect  hemp protein bars and hemp protein powders for all of you to enjoy.

Our mission has always been to make hemp food more accessible and delicious so more people can reap the rewards. And now, we can finally say that we are ready. And while we are delivering quality, plant-based protein products, we will keep sharing our understanding of a healthy lifestyle and building a community that empowers you to help one another live healthier lives.

A lot has changed in three years. The hemp industry is growing and CBD products are jumping off the shelves. It’s exciting to be a part of. We’ve built a dream team recently and have lots planned this year. Check out  our shop and let us know what you think.

 

Our 2020 Vision for Nutrition and Wellness

It's almost 2020. We may not have flying cars but we have hemp bars. We’ll take it!

We take nutrition and wellness quite seriously. We grew up putting all kinds of garbage into our bodies. And after learning more about how processed foods, traditional food production, and artificial ingredients negatively affect the body and its many functions, we embraced the idea of eating a clean, plant-based diet. 

Some of us eat meat, some don’t. We aren’t here to judge anyone for their habits—we simply hope to be a beacon of hope and truth for those looking to lead healthier lives and adopt more sustainable eating habits. To us, better every day is but the only way. 

You might be eating hemp for the first time. Or you might be an OG who wore hemp necklaces and carried around a fanny pack filled with raw hemp powder, dusting every meal with the goodness of hemp. 

That sets you apart, my friend. Here’s what sets us apart:

Functional Nutrition and Healthy Habits -  Other brands prioritize profit margins over sustainability. And they have no problem using artificial ingredients or gut-flinching sweeteners. After all, it's typically more cost-efficient. As a business, we must care about profits. But we won’t sacrifice quality, digestibility, and sustainability in favor of the dollar. We are in this for the long haul and the only way to get to the promised land of lush hemp and pure glory is by creating amazingly delicious, sustainably produced, and responsibly sourced hemp food products. We care about healthy habits because they lead to a healthier, happier life. We like eating foods that make you feel better, both during and after you eat them. Pretty simple.

 

Future-Forward Thinking and Sustainability - For many, whey protein is simply not an option. It has many benefits but much like our humor, many people have issues digesting it. And others take issue with its origins and less-than-sustainable cultivation methods. We have built many a muscle with the help of whey; we simply choose to use a plant-based protein source these days. And given the state of things, we think that’s a great thing. We are all about sustainability because the Earth is our one and only home and it is our job to care for it. Hemp is a complete plant protein, providing all the BCAAs you need to stay lean while eating clean.  That’s future-forward thinking—that’s hemp for good. 

Total Body Wellness and Mindful Health - The benefits of a plant-based diet are endless. But this isn’t a lecture—we’ll get to those nitty-gritty, oh-so-pretty deets at a later date. Like many things in life, you only get out what you put in. That includes your body. To fuel the body and the mind, we all must be cognizant of what (actually) does our body good. We all can be a bit more mindful about the foods we eat and whether or not they are helping us to function at the highest level, or whether they are bringing us down. To achieve total body wellness, we need to try to clean our diets, calm our minds, and practice self-care. Part of our goal as a nutrition company is to help spread awareness of the transformative benefits of plant-based living. And to help promote a more positive relationship with food. Sometimes you just have to have those potato chips. Sometimes you feel like your body will be energized by that kale salad. Balance is key. 

Our Blog: A Place to Connect, Learn, and Share

Our blog speaks to those who seek continuous improvement. No matter where you are in your nutrition and wellness journey, we’re here to connect you to your healthiest self, inside and out. We’ll talk a lot about the superfood that is hemp. We’ll go behind the scenes at the Hemplete HQ to teach you more about our products and process. And we’ll dish out loads of delicious recipes, nutrition tips, and a wealth of content from hemp lovers all over the world.  In turn, we will strive to educate you on the benefits of hemp, no matter your dietary preferences.

So bookmark our blog, share it with friends, and join our newsletter. As a subscriber, you’ll get first grabs on product launches and major savings.

Be here with us, be part of our journey, and enjoy our clean and delicious bars! 

Talk to us whenever you want on Instagram  @hemplete or via email  support@hemplete.com! 

With seeds of love and hemp,

- The Hemplete Team