What inspired Agni co-founders Astrid Schanz-Garbassi and Miriam Cruz to enter the food industry? The answer lies in their personal experiences and a deep-rooted passion for helping others. Agni is a company that connects people with healing foods and features a curated selection of cookies, tea and seasonings that aim to provide nourishment and promote hormonal balance for women.
Customers can choose either a la carte items or select from a variety of boxes such as The Women’s Health Box, The Mama Box and The Better Periods Box, each of which features ingredients specific to support restful sleep, energized days, improved mood and more.
Schanz-Garbassi, with a background in healthcare and coaching, has always been passionate about encouraging people to live their best lives. Cruz’s battle with chronic health challenges taught her that food can be a powerful tool for restoring health. Determined to empower women to lead more vibrant lives, the duo created Agni, making the path to optimal health accessible.
The co-founders were introduced through a mutual friend who saw the potential in their collaboration. “Our first phone call was essentially a blind date that, thankfully, went well,” teased Cruz. Just a few weeks after connecting, Cruz moved across the country to join Schanz-Garbassi and Agni was born.
Officially launched in early 2020, their timing coincided with COVID, introducing unforeseen challenges. Despite this, the two adapted strategies to ensure the long-term sustainability of Agni. They conducted extensive research and collaborated with an interdisciplinary Medical Advisory Board. Through this, they gathered insights from their target audience to create a range of products that addressed specific needs. “For example, we started by listening to new moms. Two common threads that came up in these conversations were postpartum constipation and seeking breast milk supply support,” said Cruz.
The key to Agni’s success lies in its commitment to creating delicious food products and ensuring their intended health benefits. They use only high-quality, whole, natural and unprocessed ingredients to ensure their products are health-supportive and bioavailable. According to Cruz: “If we don’t feel confident that we can make a product delicious, we move on and try new recipes until we find something that our customers will love.”
Inclusivity and accessibility are also core principles for Agni, which is why they’ve created products that cater to various dietary preferences and cultural backgrounds. Their products are free of common allergens and are made with a range of herbs and spices from around the world. “Our Sesame Nori Seasoning has ingredients traditionally more popular in Eastern cooking (nori, turmeric, mushroom powder), while Cinnamon Maca has spices more traditionally enjoyed as “hero” flavors in Western recipes (cinnamon, cocoa),” said Cruz.
However, Agni goes beyond creating nourishing foods. They also provide mental and emotional support for others. Their Instagram page, for example, offers practical insights and free support and the two women aim to expand their reach by broadening their virtual and in-person support. They’re also working to make their products more widely available through online and retail distributions.
AUTHOR
Nicolette Degrassi is a Boston based food and travel blogger. When she's not traveling the world, you can find her reading the latest Book of the Month novel or trying to perfect her sticky toffee pudding recipe. Follow her adventures on Instagram @nadegrassi.
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