On a mission to reimagine the modern vending machine
Be BOLD, TENACIOUS & RESILIENT.
My idea for B.T.R. NATION came at an unlikely time in an unlikely place: standing in front of a hospital vending machine. My parents were both diagnosed with rare forms of cancer (my mom with a leiomyosarcoma, my dad with appendeceal cancer). I became their primary caretaker, and we were constantly on-the-go between their chemo appointments, radiation, and doctors.
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We ate out of hospital vending machines and cafeteria food for over 3 years.
My nutrition began to suffer. I was disgusted by the so-called "better-for-you options, high in sugar with ingredients I could barely pronounce. I craved a snack with a clean, transparent ingredient profile that was also low in sugar.
I was done with sacrificing something. Low sugar but junk ingredients. Real ingredients, but absurdly high in sugar that spiked my blood glucose levels. No, thank you.
I craved a snack that served a purpose. Not just better-for-you, ACTUALLY good-for-you, for your mind, body, and tastebuds.
With my background in foods studies and biochemistry, I took to the kitchen. I started making protein packed bites boosted with plant-based, superfood ingredients like maca, almonds, and cordyceps. Easy to digest, no added sugar, gut-friendly. When I brought these snacks to the hospital, everyone loved them.
When my parents passed away, I made it my mission to share these nourishing snacks with the world, to pass on their legacy, and to help fix our broken food system. By reducing just 20% of added sugar in pre-packaged foods we can eliminate millions of cardiovascular events and hundreds of thousands of cases of diabetes. Something needs to change, and we're going to make it happen...together.
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B.T.R. stands for "Be BOLD, TENACIOUS & RESILIENT," my parents' personal mantra. Their ethos is baked into every aspect of this company from the packaging to the recipes to our mission. Now B.T.R. NATION is reaching tens of thousands nationwide, and this is just the beginning. Thank you for joining us on this journey to make B.T.R. NATION a household name.
Stay BOLD, TENACIOUS & RESILIENT,
Ashley
