By: Samantha Rojewski
Grounded Granola, LLC is one of the only businesses in Nebraska that houses locally made granola. It’s also the only place in the state you’ll find savory granola like the popular Spicy Bloody Mary. You can find Grounded Granola online at groundedgranola.com and in several retailers across Nebraska and Iowa.
Fifteen years ago, if you asked Jennifer Keen where she would be today, she would have never imagined she’d be running her own business—and by herself.
“I didn’t know anything about having a food business, or even just a business with a physical product. I had a consulting business in the past, like marketing consulting, but that’s a totally different ball game,” she said.
The foundations of Grounded Granola began fifteen years ago when Keen’s mother was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. Keen began to research diet and how to avoid contracting diabetes herself. She learned that trading the refined flour and sugars in foods with natural alternatives can have a significant impact on people’s health.
“I grew up eating a lot of processed foods,” she said. “Once I couldn’t include those things in the foods that I was preparing, it forced me to use whole foods, and I just kind of fell in love with it. I absolutely loved cooking and just the endless possibilities of it.”
In 2018, Keen experimented with granola snacks she made just for herself. After the company she worked for downsized in 2022, she had the opportunity to pursue a new career. One that she was passionate about. During this time, Keen worked with life coach Jill Englund and the Grow Nebraska Women’s Business Center (GNWBC).
Keen is a graduate of GNWBC’s Snap & Boost, where she gained different perspectives on how to refine her business plan and connected with other small business owners. Keen is also an alumnus of GNWBC’s My Google Business Page and Member Directory trainings.
With her newfound knowledge, in 2023, Keen opened Grounded Granola, and she’s the sole employee and operations manager. She’s a one-woman show with roles including accounting, loading 450 lbs. of ingredients into her car once a month, baking, stocking, delivering, and marketing.
“That’s the biggest challenge. There’s just nobody to delegate to. I will say my 83-year-old mother helps me package a couple of times a week,” she said.
With the assistance of Deanna Marcelino, NSBAA Grants Management Coordinator for GNWBC, Keen was awarded a Nebraska Small Business Assistance Act grant this year. A portion of the funds went to two packaging machines to expedite the process, and next, she plans to get an air compressor.
Keen’s goal is to double sales year over year and continue increasing wholesale sales. Long-term, Keen hopes to hand over the reins to someone new and, ultimately, sell the business. She plans to dedicate that time to teaching classes on foraging and fermentation and traveling.
