LEAWOOD, KS — Emerging brand simplyFUEL began as an online store in 2016 when founder and chief fueling officer Mitzi Dulan began making products in her kitchen to fulfill digital and word-of-mouth orders. In those early days, the brand’s production team was a bit unconventional as Dulan called on a network of friends to help fulfill orders from customers like the US Men’s National Soccer team and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 2017 Natural Products Expo West show was the next big play for the company when simplyFUEL drew big-name attention.
“We ran out of samples the first day and had to make more protein ball dough that night,” Dulan recalled. “We had so many people coming to the booth that we were rolling protein balls in the booth as fast as we could.”
At the show, the brand caught the attention of Los Angeles-based Pressed, a manufacturer of cold-pressed juice and plant-based foods that sells its products in its own retail stores. Pressed became simplyFUEL’s first large-scale client, adding the protein balls to the 68 locations it had at the time. The retailer has since grown to 114 locations in California, Texas, Arizona and New York City.
A Los Angeles-based buyer from Costco also noticed simplyFUEL at the show. But with no co-packer, that opportunity quickly turned into a challenge.