F&M Stories
Sweet Success: Alum Launches Organic Chocolate Brand
When Franklin & Marshall graduate Taylor Smith ’15 couldn’t find a healthy chocolate spread, she created one and took it to market.
“I made the very first jar in my parents' kitchen,” said Smith, founder of Broma organic nut butters.
Within a year, Smith expanded to a commercial kitchen in Queens. She has since outsourced production to a natural food facility in Colorado.
Made with organic dark chocolate, almonds and lentils, Broma is the first plant-based, complete protein nut butter on the market.
“I started the brand in 2020 as a way to help my grandma get some vital nutrients, mainly protein,” Smith said.
Available in jars and squeeze packs, Broma spreads are vegan and free of palm oil and refined sugar. Each serving contains complete protein, fiber and commonly missed nutrients such as iron and folate.
The company’s name is derived from Greek “Theobroma” – “Food of the Gods” – and the botanical name of the cocoa plant.
“It means a lot of things to a lot of people,” Smith said.
In just four years, Smith’s creation has gained recognition from USAToday, VegNews, FreshLiving and more. The brand was a finalist for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Startup Shelfie award, and received Clean Eating magazine's 2021 “Better for Your Breakfast” award. Most recently, Broma was a 2022 NEXTY natural product industry award finalist in the Best New Functional Food or Beverage category.
Smith graduated from F&M with a degree in government and a minor in Italian.
“I chose F&M because of its strong academic reputation and the feeling that I could see myself thriving there on my first visit. The small class sizes and close-knit community also appealed to me as they promised more direct interaction with professors and a supportive learning environment,” she said.
With a lifelong interest in fitness and nutrition, “I decided to fully delve into the food space by getting my master’s at NYU,” Smith said.
An F&M education “has been instrumental in launching and managing Broma,” Smith said. “The interdisciplinary nature of a liberal arts education equipped me with a broad skill set and the ability to think critically and creatively across various fields.”
“I always felt like I could do anything with my degree, which allowed me to think outside the box when launching an innovative product like Broma.”
Want to try Broma? Use F&M10 at checkout for 10% off at: EatBroma.com
F&M graduate Jonathan Izzo '24 combined twin passions for his family’s Italian heritage
and for sustainable food systems to cap his academic career.“I always felt like I could do anything with my degree.”
Student Explores Food in Italian Slow-Food Culture
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