| Tell us about your company: |
| Good Grains is a modern cereal brand creating organic, minimally processed products made from puffed whole grains. Unlike most conventional cereals, our products are puffed rather than extruded and contain no refined sugars, seed oils, or preservatives. Sweetened only with organic honey, Good Grains delivers the nostalgic taste and crunch consumers love with simple ingredients they can feel good about. |
| What inspired you to start your business? |
| Good Grains was inspired by my experience growing up in the cereal industry and seeing how most cereals had become overly processed and filled with ingredients families were trying to avoid. As a father, I wanted to create a better option for my own children—one that still delivered the nostalgic taste and crunch of traditional cereal but was made with organic, minimally processed ingredients. That led us to build Good Grains around puffed whole grains rather than extrusion, creating cereal that is simple, delicious, and genuinely better for families. |
| What are your proudest achievements so far? |
| Our proudest achievements include launching nationally in Sprouts, expanding into leading retailers such as Erewhon, Gelson’s, Wakefern, and Thrive Market, and securing nationwide launches with Whole Foods Market and Target for Q1 2027. We are also proud to have created the first certified non-ultra-processed cereal, earned third-party glyphosate-free certification, and built strong early customer loyalty through repeat purchases and subscriptions. Most importantly, we have proven that families want a cleaner, minimally processed cereal without sacrificing taste or nostalgia. |
| What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs: |
| My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to stay close to the problem you are solving and listen carefully to your customers. Building a business rarely goes exactly as planned, so resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to keep learning are essential. Do not wait for everything to be perfect—start, gather real feedback, improve quickly, and surround yourself with people who believe in the mission and strengthen the areas where you need support. |
| Please share a memory or thought about your alma mater: |
| One of my favorite memories from UCI was being a student-athlete and playing baseball. Traveling the country and competing taught me the discipline, work ethic, and grit required to become an entrepreneur. Now, as I build Good Grains, I draw on that same resilience every day—continuing to push forward, overcome challenges, and grow. One of my favorite memories from USC is spending Saturdays with EMBA 39. Each week, I had the privilege of sharing a room with 60 of the brightest, most ambitious, and inspiring people I could have imagined. Together, we challenged one another, refined our skills, expanded our perspectives, and dreamed bigger about what was possible. The experience was about far more than earning a degree—it was about building lifelong relationships and gaining the confidence to pursue bold ideas. |
