Organic Coffee Shop Owners Launch Snack Subscription Business

The owners of a successful pair of organic-themed downtown coffee shops have put together B-Natural Snacks, a delivery subscription service for granolas, nut and fruit mixes and protein bars, according to an article in the New Haven Independent.

The new venture grows out of, and operates from, Gabi Merayo’s and Nebya Shewaye’s B-Natural coffee shop/restaurants.

Merayo and Shewaye, who have run B-Natural’s two locations for 12 years, told the newspaper they are looking to the new business model as a way of growing their enterprise. They tout the operation as New England’s “first snack subscription service.”

The new arm of B-Natural takes a fresh approach: all ingredients are prepared in-shop upon being ordered online and delivered to a home, dorm or office. B-Natural joins the ranks of other food subscription delivery services, but is looking to stand out by being in line with its original all-natural, organic mission: all of the snacks are preservative-free.

According to the New Haven Independent, the couple met while studying at Southern Connecticut State University. Merayo, who had moved to New Haven from Costa Rica, was a former Spanish teacher, while Shewaye, originally from Ethiopia, had joined his brother and uncle in Queens before pursuing a degree.