our history
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Enjoy Life Natural Brands™(ELNB) was founded in early 2001 with the mission of making great-tasting gluten-free and allergy-friendly foods that most everyone can eat freely. The company owns and operates two brands: Enjoy Life Foods and Perky's 100% Natural. The Enjoy Life line is specially made to be gluten-free and free of the eight most common allergens: wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish and shellfish. The Perky's 100% Natural brand, which was acquired in late 2004, includes five gluten- and nut-free cereals including Perky O's, Nutty Rice and Nutty Flax.
Company founder Scott Mandell started ELNB after writing the company's business plan as part of a class assignment for the MBA program at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. The business plan was inspired by the insight that people with dietary restrictions must frequently sacrifice good taste and nutrition in order to find gluten- and allergy-friendly foods they can eat. Scott and his team members envisioned a unique company that would offer great tasting, nutritious foods for people on restricted diets. Needless to say, they got an "A" on the project!
In late 2001, Scott, a former banker, traded in his business suit for an apron and sought funding for the new venture from friends, family and "angel investors." He used the funds raised to get the company off the ground, develop products and build a dedicated nut- and gluten-free bakery in Chicago, IL. The company took the unusual approach of investing in a special facility so that people with celiac disease and food allergies/intolerances could know that all Enjoy Life products are made in the safest environment possible.
Shortly after the bakery was built, the Enjoy Life line was launched with 12 tasty items including cookies, snack bars and bagels that were gluten-free and free of the eight most common allergens - meaning NO wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish or shellfish. Initially Enjoy Life products were sold online and through natural food stores. Today the product line has grown to 19 different foods including new cookie flavors, granola, trail mix and chocolate chips which are available in natural food and conventional grocery stores throughout the US and Canada and through specialty online stores.
In early 2006, Enjoy Life moved to a new production facility in Schiller Park, IL which is twice the size of the original bakery and includes plenty of room to accommodate the company's rapid growth. Scott and the ELNB team had a busy 2006--they doubled sales of the Enjoy Life and Perky's brands, expanded the company's management team by hiring two industry veterans to oversee its sales and marketing efforts, expanded retail availability into the western part of the U.S and throughout Canada, received independent gluten-free certification for all their products from the Gluten Free Certification Organization AND introduced six delicious new products. Whew!
Today, Scott is happy that he has traded balance sheets for baking pans. He's proud to offer great-tasting gluten-free and allergy-friendly foods that most everyone can eat freely. He and the rest of the team are truly "enjoying life."
