Mike Kelly

Managing Partner, Papa Bear’s Nut Butter Roasters / Foodspoon LLC

Los Angeles

I started Papa Bear’s (Legally, HA!) in September of 2016 with a simple idea in mind. How do I recreate healthy-ish nut butter versions of the roasted nuts you smell at theme parks, on the boardwalk, or in the mall? As a former Division I Football Player I had always had Peanut Butter as a staple in my diet even long after my playing days were over. I’ve always had the mindset that I wanted to start my own business but I didn’t know it would be a food business until the idea hit me. I wanted to construct a new way for people to enjoy nut butters with unique flavor profiles that are tasty but won’t kill you nutritionally. Before I knew it I was in the food business.

I bought a food processor, which was not commercial grade by any means, and started mixing my concoctions in between my full time day-job duties. God Bless my roommates over the years for dealing with the constant food processing, large boxes being delivered to the house, nuts everywhere, and anything and everything in between. After establishing two flavors I loved, I began reaching out to Farmers markets to start selling the product locally. The first year or so running Papa Bear’s was an operation entirely run out of my home kitchen. During this time I went through 15+ Food processors and a lot of money. Unfortunately, nut butter is not cheap to make!

Using low glycemic index sweeteners, a one-of-a-kind roasting process, and producing in extremely small batches has established my business as a local leader in the crowded nut butter category without sacrificing flavor. Now we are produced in a small commercial kitchen where we still have the ability to control our small batch method and taste every batch before it is jarred to ensure it’s up to our standards.

I've recently decided to take my learnings and pivoted my business to join Foodspoon. Their mission is to create healthy snack foods focused on diet trends within the industry.