Plant-based dry foods being made in Lacey, beverage plant expands, a bike shop changes
A life-changing medical condition and a global pandemic are never going to be cited as the secret ingredients to running a business, but somehow that’s exactly what led Greg and Jennifer Lassley Knight to start Earthling Food Company in Lacey.
Inspiration, it turns out, can come in many forms.
In December 2017, Jennifer, who was in her 20s, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and surgeries, but she did not have a difficult time with the side effects of the treatment and was declared cancer free in August 2018. The couple credits her plant-based diet for aiding her recovery.
“We were astonished at how well I recovered following the advice from a naturopath, and we are now on a mission to share the life-giving power of plant-based foods with others while empowering them to play a role in saving the planet,” said Knight in an email to The Olympian.
After she recovered, the two, who used to live in the Seattle area, first envisioned a brick-and-mortar business selling vegan breakfast burritos. The pandemic scuttled that idea, so they shifted again and started Earthling Food Company, a business focused on plant-based dry foods.
Working out of a commercial kitchen in Lacey, the business makes and sells Sweet Grains Crunchy Granola in three flavors: original maple walnut, toasted coconut, and bourbon pecan. The business also produces a savory, egg-like seasoning called Impact Seasoning, and this summer it plans to add to its dry food products with “meat grains,” Greg Knight said.
Add a little hydration and it tastes like sausage, he said.
The dry-food products, which are free of gluten, refined oil and refined sugar, can be purchased online or found in the Olympia area at the Ralph’s and Bayview Thrfitway stores, Olympia Food Co-op, Jay’s Farm Stand on Harrison Avenue, and Spud’s II off Old Highway 99 in Tumwater.
Other business happenings
The McDonald’s on Harrison Avenue in west Olympia has been demolished to make way for a new 4,300-square-foot McDonald’s at the site.
Work has started on the expansion of Crown Beverage Packaging, a can manufacturer on Fones Road. Publicly traded parent company Crown Holdings, which is based in Pennsylvania, has said this about the project.
“To meet the expanding requirements of specialty cans in the Pacific Northwest, we will construct a third line in our Olympia, Washington plant which is scheduled to begin production during the third quarter of 2021.”
Falcone Schwinn, which used to be at 1900 Harrison Ave. NW, is now California Bike Pickers, according to its website.
“California Bike Pickers was started by former San Francisco Giants catcher Todd Jennings as an eBay-based store focused on buying and selling quality bikes,” the website reads.
The business sells new and used bicycles.
This story was originally published March 19, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
