Ballet dancer launches Get Golden snack bars

Company: Get Golden

Introduced: August 2022

Distribution: National

Suggested Retail Price: $3.49/bar

Product Snapshot: Get Golden is officially launching nationwide with a refreshed visual identity, new USDA-certified organic formula, and an entirely new SKU, Chocolate Sea Salt, to add to its growing line of products.

After soft-launching the first iteration of its Classic Caramel bar in August 2020 online and in all LA-Based Erewhon Markets, where the bars have earned an “A” rating, Get Golden has proven its concept and is now poised for strategic, national growth. In the next phase of the business, the company has optimized its manufacturing process for scale, launched a revamped web experience, and an expanded list of new retail partners to meet growing demand.

Founded by Jenelle Manzi, a professional New York City Ballet dancer, Get Golden is the result of years spent seeking out nourishing and fulfilling snacks to close the gap between meals to fuel her active lifestyle. When she wasn’t performing, Jenelle spent most of her time off in her Upper West Side kitchen developing healthy bar recipes made with nuts, seeds, and spices so she could have nutritionally-dense snacks on hand that would keep her satisfied between rehearsals, practices, and shows. When Jenelle brought her homemade bars to the studio, her fellow ballerinas shared their own frustrations with the sugar and preservative-laden snack options that often left them feeling queasy or lacking energy. From there, Get Golden was born to deliver thoughtfully crafted, convenient snacks that deliver on taste and quality, ultimately helping consumers feel fueled and energized on the go and in between meals.

Both of Get Golden's Classic Caramel and Chocolate Sea Salt bars are crafted using a blend of crunchy super seeds (sunflower, chia, sesame, pumpkin), premium nuts (almonds, roasted cashews, pecans), and puffed quinoa—all of which provide real nourishment and health benefits including protein for sustained energy, fiber for satiety and digestion, antioxidants to neutralize free radicals, essential amino acids for energy and overall bodily health, and omega-3 fatty acids for heart health. The ingredients in each Get Golden bar are bound by a Turmeric Coconut Butter "Caramel," a proprietary blend of turmeric and coconut butter, that gives each bar a satisfying chewy texture—free from the artificial gums and preservatives that comprise traditional bar binders. The "Caramel" was meticulously developed over the course of twenty-plus iterations and is a result of Jenelle’s use of turmeric which, due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing properties, she used to combat chronic injuries sustained over the course of her ballet career. All of Get Golden’s products are USDA-certified organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, and contain no refined sugars.

“For many years, I searched for flavorful and satisfying ways to fuel my body before ballet practice or a big show that didn’t require compromising quality ingredients,” says Get Golden Founder and CEO Jenelle Manzi. “Over and over again, I found that the available snacks that fit my dietary needs were tasteless and left me feeling unenergized—which, as a professional ballerina, is not an option. Time in the kitchen has always been a relaxing pastime for me, so I started experimenting with whole food ingredients to create my own, truly satisfying snacks. I founded Get Golden for those of us who are on the go—whether that be to ballet rehearsal, the carpool lane, or hiking to the top of a mountain —and are looking for a little extra something between activities. We prioritize simple, good-for-you snacks that actually give you a boos, so you can live your life with the energy you want and deserve to be your best self.”

Get Golden’s new visual identity, designed by Family Bros, nods directly to Jenelle’s ballet career. Inspired by how the graceful movements, colorful costumes, intricate stage sets, and musical scores come together to produce an extraordinary show, Get Golden’s design comes together in the same way to reflect the beauty of ballet. The design utilizes a strong, repeating motif that elicits unity and harmony, while also incorporating various abstract forms throughout to add interest, movement, and energy. The essence of Get Golden’s design was to evoke a sense of choreography—text, shapes, colors—that creates a small moment of beauty as the consumer unwraps the package and takes the first bite.

Customers can purchase the bars direct to consumer on Get Golden’s website and Erewhon (all seven locations), Pop Up Grocer, Wine + Eggs, Wine + Rock, Individual Medley, GoPuff (throughout the tristate area), S&S Corner Mart, and Rad Habits Juice. Get Golden will be donating 1% of all online sales from launch through the end of 2022 to The Swan Dreams Project, a non-profit organization founded by ballerina Aesha Ash dedicated to helping young children of any background to understand that beauty and talent are not constrained by race or socioeconomic status and that their dreams are achievable.