Meet Adrianna Ford-schatz of Allergy Schatz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrianna Ford-schatz

Hi Adrianna , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I used to be a foodie but in 2018, after having severe stomach pains at work, I found out I was allergic to milk, wheat, and corn. These allergies were in addition to the 6 other food allergies I already had (apples, mangos, coconut, almond, catfish, and scallop). I’m typically a private person but I decided to share my journey of navigating severe food allergies on social media. When I went shopping for groceries, I soon discovered that there were very few products that were top 8 allergen free, corn-free, and were not processed in a facility with cross contaminates. And even if I did find something, the taste was not desirable. I had no choice but to learn how to cook without these ingredients which meant a complete back-to-basics approach to cooking and making everything from scratch. It was a lot of work for one person working full-time so I could only imagine how stressful it would be for a parent of a child with food allergies; working all day and then trying to figure out recipes your kid would eat and like-I knew I had to do something. So I set forth to help others so they wouldn’t have to endure the same stress over a meal as I did.
This brand started with 1 person who didn’t know the first thing about starting a food business. In fact, friends and family were skeptical that there was even room in this market but the business took off when I dove into workshops, classes, videos and every educational tool I could to, learn how to make the foods I wanted without top 8 allergens, corn, or preservatives. Within the first year, we were invited to give lectures, cooking lessons, and be a part of large festivals in the Los Angeles area. We have enjoyed strengthening the food allergy community that is often overlooked for those who are trying only to be healthier. I run all aspects of the business (procurement, operations, cooking, filling, social media, etc.) because I don’t have access to help in part due to lack of funding. With that said I’ve managed to stand alongside brands that do have the help due to my determination and belief in what I do. Given that I suffer from physical disabilities as well, the journey has been difficult but I continue to push forward for I believe that what we are doing does, and will continue to, provide a great benefit to food allergy sufferers everywhere.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think like with everything in life, the business has had its ebbs and flow.s. The pandemic meant a huge shift to the business but also, more sustainable product ideas so it was a trade off. I would say the bigger struggles have been finances, and bandwidth. We have been fortunate enough to have received funding in many forms that has helped us make it to larger events. However, when I say we-that actually means just me and sometimes if I can pay a friend or family member to help out. But either way it somehow works itself out and I’m always so amazed and how the business continues to push forward. I definitely do not look forward to the challenges, but I can absolutely say that every one of them has made me grateful.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Allergy Schatz?
Allergy Schatz allows food allergy sufferers to live life to the fullest with safe, easy to follow mixes. We believe that food should never be chemically processed and should be safe for everyone to enjoy. Allergy Schatz is dedicated to providing allergy-friendly, vegan mixes to the community. That’s why we use certified organic, high quality ingredients from certified allergen-safe facilities. And for extra safety, we keep our facility free from gluten, corn, dairy, and nuts. Our easy to read labels, ingredient conversion aides, and recipe blogs and videos help take out any guesswork our customers may have and ensures they can save time in the kitchen.

Our foods are always gluten free, top 8 allergen free, and corn and preservative free. Our products include Unlawful Waffle Mix (Gluten-free Vegan waffle/pancake mix) , Fugitive Fry Mix (a flour blend of delicious seasonings to make crispy, fried meats and veggies that are gluten corn and dairy free), Vegan Chocolate Cake Mix, Vegan Cinnamon Cake Mix, and Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies. We offer our physical products like cakes, cookies, and more at fairs, festivals, corporate events, and other community events as well.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Just running a business on your own is. a huge risk-no matter the business. But if there’s no risk then how will you find satisfaction in the success or failure.? I’ve always been a person who if I truly believed in something, I went for it.; win or lose. Life is too short to wonder what would have happened. And I’m glad that I took the risk of doing this business , even though I had no clue what I was doing in the beginning. Every risk I’ve taken has led me to something even. better, despite if the risk was considered a “success” or “failure” which is far more important in my opinion; the wisdom the risk brought me.

Pricing:

• Unlawful Waffle Mix© (Gluten-free Vegan waffle/pancake mix)-$16.00 per 16oz bag
• Fugitive Fry Mix© (a flour blend of delicious seasonings to make crispy, fried meats and veggies- $16.00 per 16oz bag
• Vegan Chocolate Cake Mix-$16.00 per 16oz bag
• Vegan Cinnamon Cake Mix-$16.00 per 16oz bag

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.AllergySchatz.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/allergyschatz
• Youtube: https://YouTube.com/@allergyschatz

Image Credits
Allergy Schatz©, LLC