A Bite With… Purely Elizabeth Founder Elizabeth Stein

Purely Elizabeth Cookie Granola was the biggest new product line launched in the granola category last year, creating new eating occasions for a segment traditionally tied to the morning meal and propelling the brand’s sales up 85% year-over year, according to SPINS data.

This week, Purely Elizabeth expanded the cookie-inspired granola line with the addition of a peanut butter recipe, crafted with organic oats, coconut sugar, coconut oil, chia seeds and maple syrup.

The latest launch joins a collection that includes Oatmeal Raisin, Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate flavors and is based on “the nostalgic, comforting taste of homemade peanut butter cookies, but with a Purely Elizabeth twist,” according to founder and CEO Elizabeth Stein.

“I think it tastes like a Nutter Butter,” she said. “It is by far my favorite product of ours, a total game changer whether for breakfast on top of yogurt, or straight out of the bag as a mid-day, afternoon or late-night snack.”

In an interview, Stein discussed the impact of the product line on the business and category, emerging competition in the granola set, and the brand’s plans for the year ahead.

It’s been a year since you debuted Cookie Granola. How has the product line performed since launch?

We knew we had a hit on our hands when we launched it on purelyelizabeth.com, and it sold out in the first month. In the retailers that we first launched them in, our Chocolate Chip Cookie Granola quickly became our No. 3 or 4 flavor.

Cookie Granola has been highly incremental. When we looked at accounts that took in Cookie Granola, our core SKUs continued to grow in dollars and Cookie Granola sales were in addition to that.

Cookie Granola is the best of both worlds, and I’m so proud of how far it’s come. We took our best-selling granola recipe and combined it with my favorite cookie recipes to create this craveable snack. They have the flavor and crispy texture of a delicious cookie in a bite-size cluster – made with 100% whole grains, chia seeds, and baked with coconut oil.

We’ve seen a lot of recent entrants into the granola segment. How do you continue to differentiate your offerings?

New entrants help bring awareness to the category overall. Category dollars grew by 10% [last year, according to SPINS data]..

We continue to stand apart from other competitors through our ingredients, our recipes, and our nutritional profile using organic ancient grains and baking with coconut oil. We are committed to reaching our goal of one-third of ingredients by weight from regenerative growing practices by 2026. Last year, all of our coconut oil and sugar were grown using regenerative practices.

When we innovate, we aren’t looking at just one thing. We look at the combination of nutrition, flavor, texture, and product form. That’s what we did with Cookie Granola.

How have your business and categories evolved since you launched Purely Elizabeth 15 years ago?

Granola was a small, emerging category when Purely Elizabeth started. Now it’s almost a $1.3 billion dollar category.

The underlying consumer and industry trends driving this growth have been: Increasing awareness and knowledge of food, ingredients and sustainable agricultural practices; growth of snacking, especially the need for healthier snacking options; and growth of categories that drive granola consumption such as yogurt, Greek yogurt, smoothie bowls.

What has been the biggest challenge you’ve overcome since you first launched, and what challenges are you anticipating for 2025?

Running a business is a journey filled with challenges, but one of the biggest has been navigating growth while staying true to the brand’s mission and values. As Purely Elizabeth has expanded, it became crucial to ensure that we maintained our commitment to quality, innovation and authenticity, even as the demands of scaling up increased.

One significant challenge came during periods of rapid growth, where supply chain issues or unforeseen hurdles could disrupt production. Learning to stay calm under pressure, problem-solve creatively, and lean on partnerships has been invaluable.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is the importance of adaptability and resilience. Challenges are inevitable, but how you approach them defines your path forward. Staying grounded in our mission — to help people thrive on their wellness journey — has always been my guiding light.

What milestones or developments are you looking forward to in the business this year?

In 2025, my goal is to continue building on the incredible momentum we’ve achieved while staying true to Purely Elizabeth’s mission of helping our community thrive on their wellness journey. I’m excited to continue to expand our product offerings even further.

I also hope to continue building our brand presence through some exciting partnerships, like our collaboration with [French cafe and bakery chain] Maman for the launch of Cookie Granola Peanut Butter, and deepening connections with our customers whether it’s through our podcast, social media or in-person events that allow us to connect on a deeper level.

Personally, I want to continue growing as a leader and empowering the team at Purely Elizabeth to reach new heights. 2025 will be about refining our culture, nurturing our people, and continuing to use business as a force for good. I can’t wait to see where this next year takes us.