Last Updated on April 27, 2022 by Colleen
Join Colleen and Evolve CPG founder Gage Mitchell as they talk about food and politics and how consumers must drive the change to a cleaner food system.
From the Podcast Recap at EvolveCPG.com
“The general trend towards healthier living and better information about nutrition has many layers, with one of the main tenets being an increase in transparency from food brands about the ingredients used and their sources.
Today we are joined by Colleen Kavanagh, the CEO and Co-Founder of ZEGO Foods, to talk about how the company is enabling its customers to live healthy and fulfilling lives, and supporting achievement on multiple levels.
Colleen shares some of her personal journey with nutrition and how this led into her career, the important shifts in the industry in recent years, how public policy fits into the picture, and the central theme of transparency at ZEGO! So, for a great check-in on the present and future of the world of healthy foods, be sure to listen in with and see what Colleen has to say!’
Key Points From This Episode:
- How customer action can quickly impact the industry and make a meaningful change!
- Advice from Colleen around the legalities of going to market and a safe marketing plan.
- Colleen’s background and how her own celiac disease diagnosis led her getting into nutrition.
- ZEGO Foods’ process to becoming a B-Corporation and the processes around certification.
- Pesticides and diseases; the research that has illuminated the dangers of what we consume.
- The launch of ZEGO Foods and how Colleen formulated the vision for the company.
- Concerns about safety and assurances related to allergies and ingredients lists.
- The centrality of the testing process at ZEGO Foods and bringing these practices up to speed.
- Information on A Better Course, Colleen’s school nutrition program!
- Thinking about the next few years at ZEGO; the two current goals of the company.
- How local work in San Francisco deeply impacted Colleen’s philosophy.
Celebrate #EarthDay this week at Lassen`s locations across the Los Angeles area, Santa Barbara, and Bakersfield! We`ll be on promotion, and you`ll find us handing out oatmeal sample packets at select locations this week!
Find a Lassen`s near you!
๐ Wilshire La Brea
๐ Echo Park
๐ Los Feliz
๐ Simi Valley
๐ Lancaster
๐ Oxnard
๐ Ventura
๐ Santa Barbara
๐ Santa Maria
๐ San Luis Obispo
๐ Bakersfield
Apr 20
Today is #WorldIBSDay and we`re celebrating with a big bowl of gluten-free organic ZEGO oats. Oats contain fiber, which keeps the digestive tract in check. Dietary fiber helps things run smoothly…all the way through! If you have iBS, make sure you`re working with a great dietitian who can point you in the right direction when it comes to an IBS-friendly diet that can include oats!
Apr 19
You`ve heard that fiber is important, and that most Americans aren`t getting enough of it in their diet. But how can you really tell if you`re getting enough fiber? How can you read a nutrition facts panel to tell if you`re eating enough?
According to the FDA, the daily value of dietary fiber is 28 grams per day. Keep in mind that this is based on a 2,000 calorie diet and doesn`t take into account your calorie needs – so it might be slightly higher or lower.
A nutrition facts panel on any packaged product, like our oatmeal, will show you how many grams of fiber are in each serving and compare that agains the daily recommended value. For our oatmeal, each serving contains about 5 grams of dietary fiber, or about 14% of your daily recommended dose of fiber.
A bowl of our oatmeal is a great way to start your day with fiber and protein. Look for other whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and nuts (depending on your dietary restrictions) to fill the rest of your fiber needs!
Learn how to read a nutrition facts panel and learn more about fiber from the FDA!
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/interactivenutritionfactslabel/dietary-fiber.cfm
Apr 17
Itโs National Banana Day!
Thereโs nothing like the comforting aroma of banana muffins baking in your kitchen. These Gluten-Free Banana Oat Muffins are not just a tasty treatโtheyโre packed with fiber, protein, and essential nutrients to fuel your day.
Find this recipe and more on our website!
#NationalBananaDay #GlutenFreeRecipe #organicoats
Apr 15
Are we truly feeding our soil, or just feeding our plants? Learn more from the frontlines of farming on this Food Gossip short!
Apr 13
Swap your beige processed breakfast like white toast for some color! Add some muesli or superfood to a bowl of seeds and nuts and freshly cut fruit. Not only is this more appealing to your eyes (and your stomach), but youโll increase your fiber too!
Apr 11
Did you know that April is National Organic Breakfast Month! This theme was started to promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle and to encourage all of us to start our mornings with wholesome, organic food options. Not only are our ZEGO oats certified organic, but they are purity verified. They`re tested for over 500 pesticide and herbicide residues and heavy metals. You know your oats are the purest they can be for the best way to start your morning!
#OrganicBreakfastMonth #CertifiedOrganic
Apr 7
Happy Easter! We hope your basket is filled with lots of yummy allergy-friendly treats.
If the Easter Bunnyโข๏ธ ๐ฐ left you any extra carrots, you`ve got to try our Oat Carrot healthy cookies. Head to the blog to get the recipe!
Apr 5
What is Fiber?
Did you know that there are TWO types of fiber – soluble vs. insoluble.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water in your digestive tract, forming a gel that slows digestion. It helps to lower your cholesterol, reduces your risk of heart disease, and stabilizes blood sugar.
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve, adding bulk to your stool to help it move through the digestive system.
Many foods contain both, and both are important for your overall health!
Reference: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983
Apr 3
Today is April 1st and itโs no joke that today weโre celebrating sourdough!
April 1st is National Sourdough Bread Day, and weโre all about that #glutenfree sourdough.
Did you know that you can use our oats to make sourdough starter? Our double protein oats are raw, which means that the active enzymes can start to ferment and make sourdough starter at a quicker rate than heat-treated oats. Make into a flour or use the oats themselves to make a starter, or to add to an existing gluten-free sourdough starter. Learn more on our blog!
Apr 1
Do you live in NorCal or NV? Find us on sale at a @Raleys Nob Hill or Bel-Air market near you this week.
Make your mornings better with ZEGO at Raley`s!
Mar 31
Our B Corpโข certification is one way we show what matters most to us: building a food system thatโs transparent, inclusive, and better for everyone. And weโre honored to stand alongside thousands of other companies around the world who are raising the bar with the power of the B.
This #BCorpMonth, weโre celebrating a global movement proving that business can be a force for good โ for our communities, our farmers, and your food. Weโre proud of the progress weโve made together, and even more energized for what comes next. Because when companies choose impact and integrity, everyone benefits.
Hereโs to better business, cleaner food, and a future we can all trust.
Mar 28
Weโre celebrating our Blueberry Lemon Poppy Superfood with a Gelsonโs giveaway! Find our delicious Blueberry Lemon Poppy Superfood Blend, Cinnamon & Spice Superfood Blend and Regenerative Organic Oatmeal at all Gelsonโs locations in Southern California. ๐โโ๏ธโ๐ดโ
Enter to win a viral Gelsonโs mini tote and three Blueberry Lemon Poppy Superfood blends! Hereโs how to enter to win!
1. Follow @GelsonsMarkets and @ZegoFoods
2. Like this post
3. Post a blueberry ๐ซโ emoji in the comments!
*Giveaway ends at 11:59pm 4/3/26. Winner will receive a DM from this account ONLY. This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram. Open to US residents, 18+ only.
Mar 27
Sometimes we just need to trust Mother Nature and run with what`s she`s given us!
In this snippet from a Supply Chain panel at Natural Products Expo West, CEO Colleen Kavanagh talks about how we achieve our signature product – Double Protein Oats, thanks to nature, and the High Plains region of the US, and our farmers.
Mar 23
At a recent farming conference our CEO attended, we were struck by some real life examples presented by regional farmers on the effect of climate change to their farms – and their bottom line.
Mitigating the effects of climate change is so important to the future of our farms and the success of our farmers!
Mar 20
Looking for your very own pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Youโve found it in our Double Protein Organic Oatmeal. No matter if youโre Proteinmaxxing, Fibermaxxing, or just getting a delicious bowl of gluten-free oatmeal in the morning – you just got lucky.
Mar 17
People ๐ค Planet.
Everyone who works at ZEGO is proud to be B Corp. Our B Corp sign, found in our display at Erewhon, deserved it`s own moment in the sun.
As a Certified B Corporationโข, everyone who works with us โ our employees, partners, and communities โ plays an important role.
Weโre all part of the one million workers around the world united by the B.
Mar 16
Now that our team has settled in from #ExpoWest, we just wanted to share how grateful we are!
Thank you to everyone who came to our sessions on using AI in CPG and managing unique ingredient supply chains. Thank you to everyone who visited our booths, or took a sample of our oats home from the Why Regenerative party. Thank you to New Hope Network for giving us the time to chat on your Natural List podcast!
We`re soaking it all in and we`re just delighted by our time in Anaheim at Expo West 2026.
Mar 12
Bright, lemony, and thoughtfully made – our Blueberry Lemon Poppy Oats are all about flavor you can feel good about. Thanks for the love (and the bag suggestion)!
Mar 11
It takes a lot for a company to make a positive impact on the world. Countless actions. Constant effort. Real changes. And rigorous measurement. We know, because we do these things every day.
And while the work is complex, our commitment to continuous improvement is straightforward. One simple symbol says it all: the B.
As a Certified B Corpโข, weโre excited to join forces with the 10,000 companies around the world who are united by the B to share our story during #BCorpMonth.
Mar 9
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Organic Double Protein Oats 1 bag$8.99 -
Organic Plant Based Protein Powder (15oz bag)$29.99 — or subscribe to save 10% -
Organic Gluten-Free Muesli: Nut Free Cinnamon Twist (13oz)$9.99 — or subscribe to save 10% -
Organic Double Protein Oats 5 bag case$44.95 — or subscribe to save 5% -
Organic Gluten Free Muesli: Apple Cranberry (13oz)$9.99 — or subscribe to save 10% -
Organic Plant Protein (5 bags, 15 oz each)$129.95 — or subscribe to save 5% -
Organic Oatmeal Superfood Blueberry Lemon Poppy 1 Bag$8.99 -
Organic Oatmeal Superfood Cinnamon Spice 1 Bag$8.99 -
Regenerative Organic Oats 1 bag$8.99