Today we’d like to introduce you to Heath Squier.
Heath, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Hi, my name is Heath Squier and I’m the owner of Julian Bakery. I’d like to tell you a bit about us and how a small mom-and-pop shop grew to become a purveyor of high-quality products made with the finest ingredients that are sought after by people all over the world who aim to live healthier, fitter lifestyles. It all starts with my parents, Barbara and Fred, who originally opened up shop in a small town called Julian in the mountains of Southern California in 1990. They wanted to provide the world with a healthier alternative to the chemical-laden baked goods that litter grocery store shelves.
You see, my mom is a nutritionist and she always believed in creating meals and baked goods using only the finest, freshest, most wholesome ingredients. She wanted us to have nutritious options beyond popular sugar-laden, nutrient-free products like Pop-Tarts, Wonder Bread and sugary cereals. That passion inspired her to create a hub where health-conscious consumers could also have access to healthier choices.
This was a risky venture because there really wasn’t anything out there like the things my parents sold. But it seemed there was a huge market for these “alternative” breads and goods because the business took off. My mom’s most successful items were low-carb and featured protein-rich foods from organic whole grains, eggs and whey protein.
This nutrient-dense foods that promoted optimal health put us on the map and made Julian Bakery a household name. So, you can say that I was lucky to grow up in an environment where health through food was a top priority. And in 2009, I joined the family business and was given the opportunity to contribute and development all of the products we have today.
However, even though I worked for Julian Bakery and was exposed to healthy food options my entire life, I struggled with my weight, energy levels, allergies and inflammation. At age 30, I spent 5+ in the gym each day and ate all the “right” foods, yet I never felt great and I became frustrated that I couldn’t build the body I felt my efforts should have produced. By the time 2011 rolled around I weighed 220 pounds—the heaviest, I’d ever been.
It was time to try a different approach. In part due to my mom’s influence and my own research, I came across the Paleo diet. What I learned fascinated me and I decided to give it a try. Initially, I cut down on my bread intake and avoided cheese and sugars. For the first time in a long time, my body started to change and my energy levels improved.
There had to be something to this, I thought, so I decided to follow a low carb, Paleo style of eating. Within 2 months, I lost 35 pounds and went from 14% body fat to 7%. I was full of energy and no longer felt discomfort after eating. My allergies disappeared, the inflammation in my knees was gone, my brain fog cleared and my mind grew sharper.
I knew that I couldn’t keep this discovery to myself. I felt like I’d found the fountain of youth and I had to share my experiences with as many people as possible. I also knew that I was in a fantastic position to truly help others through Julian Bakery.
Inspired by my mom’s low carb products—as well as her passion to create healthy organic products—I decided to experiment and formulate my own gluten-free, low-sugar, low-carb, high-protein bread. Eventually, I created our first Paleo product, Paleo Bread™, and I couldn’t keep it on the shelves. Also, thanks to the reputation my mom had built, grocery stores around the country were willing to sell it.
The bread’s success proved to me that people were tired of the chemicals, sugar, carbs and gluten, and wanted foods that supported Paleo, vegan, Pegan and fat-loss lifestyles. That was the start of a huge lineup of Paleo products that I created for millions of people enjoy and make the Paleo, low carb lifestyle easy.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I consider our business very blessed as I began to formulate products for consumers that based on my own allergies back in 2009. Every product we launched was a huge hit as there was little to no competition in gluten-free and low carb products. Our greatest challenge has been handling the global demand for our products and increasing production to accommodate the growing demand for our brand.
Please tell us about Julian Bakery Inc.
Julian Bakery now distributes a multiple brands we make like InstaKetones®, Paleo Thin® (Protein Bars, Powders, Bread), Paleo Wraps®, D-Max®, KetoThin® ProGranola®, Pegan Thin®, IKDiet® PrimalThin®, ProCookie®, PeanutPro®, and Pure Monk® to stores and customers around the world.
We focus on all styles of eating no matter if you are vegan, paleo, vegetarian, or low carb we have a delicious tasting product for you. I’m overjoyed to report that the little shop in Julian has grown into a 30,000 square foot global distribution center in Oceanside that employs more than 70 people in Oceanside, CA.
Julian Bakery was founded upon the premise that we could make healthier breads for everybody. Now, it has become one of the foremost leaders in advancing the Paleo, gluten-free, low-carb, keto movements.
This is just the beginning for the Julian Bakery and many great things are coming as our goal is to change the way the masses eat by providing food products for all styles of eating.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My proudest moment came on 05/30/18 when our Julian Bakery ProGranola hit #1 on the best selling list under cold cereals on Amazon. We beat out brands like Cheerios and other large brands to be number one.
This was truly a moment of validation and pride showing me that our brand and mission was now being appreciated by consumer around the globe.
Contact Info:
- Address: 624 Garrison St Oceanside CA 92054
- Website: www.JulianBakery.com
- Phone: 760-721-5200
- Email: sales@julianbakery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianbakery
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julianbakery
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