A Philadelphia vegan protein ball company is looking to add wholesale accounts as part of a slow and intentional growth strategy that looks to avoid many of the pitfalls of consumer packaged goods startups.
Plants on Fire was launched in 2019 as a wholesale and direct-to-consumer business and has since landed in local retailers like Riverwards Produce, South Philly Food Co-op, specialty grocery store Salt and Vinegar, and Herman’s Coffee.
Founder Danielle Kocher, who has had a longtime interest in the startup world, is growing Plants on Fire slowly as part of the do-it-yourself ethos she’s leaned on for the brand. That means self-funding the business, not seeking out a co-packer or large retailers yet, and keeping product offerings limited for the time being.
Kocher got the idea for Plants on Fire several years ago after being frustrated with the vegan protein bars on the market. Originally from the Poconos area, Kocher went vegan at the age of 19 as part of an effort to reclaim her health and fitness.
“I was tired of being tired,” she said.
Dubbed the “class sleeper” in high school, between her senior year of high school and the end of her freshman year at Arcadia University she gained about 30 pounds. Fed up with feeling lethargic, that summer she began running and switched her diet first to pescatarian before going vegetarian and ultimately vegan.
“I saw how much better I felt,” she said after making the shift. More than a health choice, she said it was an ethical choice, as well.
The shift was a lasting one that she’s maintained since, even participating in ultra marathons. Today, Kocher also works as a nutrition coach and is certified through Precision Nutrition as well as for plant-based nutrition.
After college, wanting to keep a foothold in fitness, she began working in membership sales at City Fitness Philadelphia. During that time, she continued to learn more about plant-based nutrition and wanted to create a better vegan protein bar solution. The small selection on the market at the time had more fat than protein or contained additives to extend shelf life, she said.
So Kocher decided to make her own, ultimately crafting vegan protein balls. “I started toying around in my kitchen with my food processor,” she said, creating a minimally viable product, which she began selling in 2019. That included to gym members, two of whom were industry insiders Vince Finazzo, the founder of Riverwards Produce, and Justin Rosenberg, the founder of fast-casual stir-fry chain honeygrow, who Kocher said gave her advice on getting the business off the ground.
Today, Plants on Fire comes in four flavors: cookie dough, chunky peanut butter, almond butter and jelly, and snickerdoodle. A single pouch contains two protein balls, which can be purchased for about $4 each in retail shops or online in packs of four for $14.
A single protein ball contains about 100 calories, 3 to 4 grams of fat, 12 to 13 grams of carbohydrates and 6 grams of protein. The recipes have a base of dates, almond and pea protein, and are gluten and dairy free.
They are primarily eaten post-workout, though some eat them during their workouts, particularly long races, or simply as snacks. “People love them as an aid station snack because the dates provide a lot of carbohydrates and then it obviously has the protein, and that’s a really great balance of nutrients to have when you’re intra-workout and when you are running,” Kocher said.
She initially produced and packed Plants on Fire out of the Dorrance H. Hamilton Center for Culinary Enterprises in West Philadelphia but moved production in February to Frankford Works in the Frankford neighborhood.
Recognizing the product is somewhat niche, Kocher has focused on wholesale more so than direct-to-consumer. In addition to local stores, Plants on Fire is available on healthy direct-to-consumer platform Bubble Goods, as well as premium commerce wholesaler Bulletin. The latter has expanded the brand’s reach to cities like Los Angeles and New York. Those markets, along with Philadelphia, make up the majority of Plants on Fire's business.
At present, 70% of business is wholesale, with the remaining 30% coming from direct-to-consumer.
The primary consumers are vegans and flexitarians. Kocher said she’s been surprised to see a broadening demographic interested in her products and vegan foods in general. “There are a lot of people, especially middle aged and older people, who are adding more plant protein to their diet,” she said.
