Rob Hearne: Lily’s Toaster Grills was born from a deeply personal mission: to honor the generous spirit of the founder’s late wife, Lily, by creating a brand rooted in care, quality, and community. Inspired by Lily’s giving nature, supporting families in need became a cornerstone of our brand’s values. We recently celebrated a remarkable milestone of one-half million sandwiches donated to help feed children experiencing hunger. 

The product itself was created with the goal of delivering a high-quality, comforting grilled cheese experience that’s quick, convenient, and mess-free. We spent months experimenting with fresh-baked bread, wholesome cheese, and real butter. The biggest challenges were with how to create a frozen grilled cheese sandwich that delivered homemade quality taste and ensuring that the sandwich will never leak cheese into your toaster. Our R&D team rigorously tested the product in hundreds of toasters before we finally nailed it and prepared to take the product to market.

Over the last five years, we’ve scaled the business rapidly. All of our sandwiches are handmade, and you can find them in almost every major US grocery store.

JS: Then, tell us a bit about your product line—the items, flavors, ingredients, etc.

RH: We currently offer five delicious Grilled Cheese sandwich varieties. Our hero item is a classic American Grilled Cheese sandwich. Other flavors include Cheeseburger, Pepperoni Pizza and Cheese, Ham and Cheese, and our latest innovation, Cheesy Garlic Bread. We only use all real ingredients: fresh-baked bread, wholesome cheese, 100% real butter, and high-quality meats.

JS: Getting to enjoy a grilled cheese or similar sammy by simply popping it in the toaster sounds pretty great to me—can you please tell us how that magic works (without giving away any company secrets, of course)?

RH: Does a magician share her secrets?!

The product is patented. Its magic lies in the ability for people to prepare the sandwiches in a vertical toaster so you get a buttery, crispy outside and a gooey, cheesy middle. It’s just like homemade - but more consistent! - and will never leak in the toaster. The sandwiches are also great when prepared in an air fryer or toaster oven. 

The line definitely caters to busy individuals and families looking for convenient, satisfying comfort food that tastes homemade.

Courtesy of Lily's Toaster Grills

JS: In addition to working to give consumers tasty sandwiches, you also work to give back. Please tell us a bit about your Grilled Cheese for Good program—how it got started, the organizations you’ve partnered with, and the difference you’ve made to date.

RH: As I mentioned, we’ve donated over one-half million sandwiches through our Grilled Cheese for Good program. This huge milestone for the brand was reached through partnerships with organizations in Colorado and Memphis, and with the help of our loyal Lily’s consumers, every sandwich sold allows us to continue to scale our donation program. 

In addition to our sandwich donation program, our entire team regularly volunteers in meal preparation and distribution in our home community of Denver.

JS: What’s next for the company? Please feel free to tell us what you can about any new products in the works, plans to expand production, new upcoming retail partners, or whatever else you like.

RH: Our latest grilled cheese flavor, Cheesy Garlic Bread, has been a real hit. It’s great as a standalone snack or meal option, but you’ve also got to try it alongside your favorite Italian dinner!

We also have plans to expand beyond grilled cheese by delivering homemade, quality frozen foods across a range of different products. Stay tuned!

JS: Do you have a favorite product in the lineup?

RH: This is like asking which child is your favorite. I love them all equally!

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