Tom’s Perfect 10 Pushes Deeper into Retail With Whole Foods Debut

Tom’s Perfect 10 is shifting its focus towards brick-and-mortar retail expansion this year, beginning with today’s launch in Whole Foods Market stores across the New York tri-state area.

The granola brand’s two core flavors – Ginger Zing and Classic – are now available for purchase in 10 oz. bags in 45 Whole Foods Markets throughout the tri-state area. The products are being distributed to the grocery chain via UNFI.

With this new retail partnership, founder and self-proclaimed granola aficionado Tom Bannister said he hopes to disrupt mainstream granola consumption by showing the longstanding breakfast staple can serve other use occasions.

“[Granola] isn’t just a breakfast thing, and I think once you add fun flavors, it moves more into snacking or serves as a midnight treat,” he explained. “We have proven, as opposed to the more standard granola that you see on the retail shelf, that you can do other things with the product.”

New York-based Tom’s Perfect 10 was founded in 2020 by Bannister and his wife, Instagram influencer Eva Chen. Unsatisfied with the granola products on the market, he began experimenting with recipes in their home kitchen during lockdown.

In preparation for the launch, Bannister leveraged the large following on both his Instagram account and his wife’s Instagram account – a combined audience of more than three million people – to help build excitement and demand for their products. Eventually, the brand’s pre-launch waitlist included nearly 20,000 people.

The granola brand’s portfolio includes the two SKUs launching at Whole Foods as well as a rotating flavor of the month. In order to secure a permanent spot in the lineup, the monthly release must achieve a “Perfect 10” rating on an Instagram-sourced community scorecard. The brand’s flavor-of-the-month drops are created in Brooklyn while its “Perfect 10” flavors are produced by a co-packer in North Carolina.

“I think people are craving new taste combinations and pairings. I’m inspired by the flavor explosion that’s happening in the food space, especially in New York,” said Bannister, claiming that he can come up with 20 new ideas just by strolling around the block.

Aside from Whole Foods, the brand’s two core flavors can be found in more than 100 stores nationwide, including 33 Foxtrot locations across Chicago, D.C. and Dallas as well as specialty stores in New York.

Another granola brand capitalizing on the rise of snacking is Purely Elizabeth, with founder and CEO Elizabeth Stein recently telling Nosh that her brand’s new product’s format – a dessert-inspired Cookie Granola Line offered in Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin and Double Chocolate flavors – is positioned to introduce a unique element into the category.

Beyond retail, granola has found itself on fine dining menus of New York City hotspots, as reported by Town & Country magazine. At Loring place, owner Dan Kluger uses homemade spicy granola to add crunch to the restaurant’s signature roasted acorn squash. Similarly, since-closed Cool World used savory granola to add texture to its own take on a classic wedge salad.

Looking ahead, Tom’s Perfect 10 expects to see a shift in sales from primarily online to in-store over the next 12 to 18 months. According to Bannister, the brand will continue to pursue a deep and narrow approach in the natural channel focusing primarily on its existing partnerships with Foxtrot and Whole Foods as well as specialty retailers.

The brand plans to make its relationship with Whole Foods an “intimate” event, hosting tastings with various partners such as yogurt and milk brands. Bannister said he plans on personally attending as many of the tastings as possible.

On the direct-to-consumer side, Tom’s Perfect 10 will be rolling out monthly flavor drops over the next year. This year’s releases will center around collaborations with local partners within the restaurant industry, such as cake shops and bakeries, to maintain a local feel while emphasizing gastronomy.

“I don’t see us scaling too far too fast. Right now, I think we’re [taking] a slow and steady [approach] and trying to build something that is real,” said Bannister. “We’re also still small-batch, so you have to balance doors with production and supply chain.”