Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Medvene.
Daniel, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m an active person and an entrepreneur, so I really need a lot of energy. Before starting Quantum Squares, I was using pre-workout powders at the gym and drinking tons of coffee at the office. This kept me going, but my stomach was always messed up, I was constantly hungry, and I often had that “wired, but tired” feeling.
Because of this, I was always trying new energy products, looking for the right combination of energy, healthy ingredients, and satiation, but could never find it. Most of the energy bars and energy drinks out there are packed with synthetic ingredients and tons of sugar. Even the healthy bars are usually chalky, dry, or just terrible tasting. I love coffee, but because it has no essential nutrients, I can’t drink more than one cup a day without getting that jittery, “crash”-like feeling.
So in 2016, my partner Leah Marquez and I decided to start experimenting in the world of bars to see if we could come up with something better than what was currently out there. We both wanted a bar that could give us long-lasting energy, without sacrificing on ingredients or taste.
But we also wanted a bar with sustenance, something that would fill us up and keep us going throughout the day. After a lot of trial-and-error (I’ll get into that in a moment…), we finally discovered the recipe for Quantum Squares, which combined natural energy from organic green coffee beans and wholesome macronutrients for long-lasting, no crash energy.
Today, we’re available in coffee shops, juiceries, and natural grocery stores across the West Coast. We also won a “Shark Tank”-like a contest at WeWork, which means our bars will soon be available in select WEMRKT locations. Of course, we’re also available online (www.QuantumSquares.com) and on Amazon, but we’re growing quickly and expect to be in more retail locations soon.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest challenge we faced when developing our bars was formulation. We didn’t want a healthy bar that tasted bad, but we also didn’t want a bar that tasted good but wasn’t good for you.
On top of that, we wanted bars that met certain dietary requirements, like being vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. To make that happen, we worked with a dietician, food scientist, and pastry chef, and everyone had their own roles. The dietician was responsible for finding healthy ingredients. The food scientist made sure we had the right amount of carbs, protein, fats, and calories.
And the pastry chef was responsible for creating four gourmet flavors, using our healthy ingredients and dietary restrictions as a guide. It took over 180 recipe iterations, but once we began consistently winning blind taste tests at locations like Equinox, we knew we were ready to launch.
Please tell us about Quantum Energy Squares.
The biggest thing we want people to know about Quantum Squares is that we’re “not just another” energy bar. While our biggest differentiator is being coffee-infused, there’s so much more to our product and brand. We’re a Venice-born company, which means we’re closely connected to our Californian roots of health and exercise.
For this reason, we developed a bar that you can feel good about eating, whether you’re a gym-fanatic, vegan, or an entrepreneur, like me. We also donate a portion of our proceeds and our time to local organizations, like Heal the Bay, which is our current charity (we rotate charities based on our team’s passions).
In addition, we like to encourage exercise through our “Made to move you” initiative, which includes hosting local exercise meet-ups like hikes, jogging, surfing, yoga, or anything else that gets your body moving. If you’re in the California area, keep an eye out for future events — we’d love to have you!
Pricing:
- The MSRP is $3 per bar.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.QuantumSquares.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @quantumsquares
- Facebook: @quantumsquares
- Other: QuantumSquares.com
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