Hartsdale Small Business Spotlight: Noomi Organic Peanut Butter

HARTSDALE, NY — Every local business has a story worth sharing with the community. And that's the belief behind this exciting series — to shine the spotlight on all our favorite local businesses, and to learn a little about the ones we may not know that well.

• Business: Noomi
• Owner: Krystina Murawski
• Website: www.noomibrand.com
• Mailing Address: PO Box 358, Hartsdale, NY 10530

1. How did you come up with the name?
Noomi™ [new-me] is a mindset that empowers people to create their best life. Our vision is to inspire others to pursue what they are passionate about — to find their “new me.” My noomi is this brand. I strived to find the perfect peanut, and create the best peanut butter (PB) I could possibly make. In fact, I tested over 25 different peanut types and made over 100 different recipes before I found success in the 100th batch. And in giving that 110 percent of my heart, drive and enthusiasm, a new me was awakened by this brand. A happier and humbled me.

The way I see it, success is not only measured by the gratitude and inspiration I feel through the brand I brought to life, but how those same sentiments can be transferred to anyone who engages with it. In a nutshell: find your Noomi, and wholeheartedly choose to pursue it. I promise you it’ll be worth the journey.

2. Why start a business in this town?
Ever since I was little, I always loved being in the kitchen with my mom. As I got older, I started dabbling more with cooking and baking, and it became clear that the kitchen was not just another room in the house; it was a creative outlet for me. Cooking is one of the few things I do that allows me to escape. In the kitchen, time stands still, and I thrive on the creative and culinary challenges that a recipe, or totally new experiment, can bring.

In February 2016, I bought my first place, a co-op in Hartsdale. Before moving in, I made the decision to renovate my kitchen — and it is hands-down, one of the best investments I have ever made. My little 8-foot galley kitchen is just as I created it to be. A home inside my own home, and a galley — albeit an 8-foot galley — of joy and endless inspiration.

I’ve always loved peanut butter, and have always wanted to start my own business; when I put two and two together back in January 2018, Noomi was founded three months later, and entered the market just three months after that. And while it may sound a bit nuts, my very first kitchen in Hartsdale is the place that inspired me to bring Noomi to life.

3. What business are you in?
Founded in April 2018, Noomi™ [new-me] is an artisan producer of organic small batch peanut butter and a lifestyle brand out of Hartsdale. Noomi uses organic and all natural ingredients to create nutritionally balanced, clean label products. Before that first spoonful, you may think Noomi is just another brand of delicious peanut butter. But give it a try, and you'll experience the dazzling new flavor that's putting PB on a whole nutter level!

Noomi's signature blend of organic peanut butter is a naturally perfect balance of sweet and salty, made with USDA-certified organic dry roasted peanuts, USDA-certified organic Deglet Noor dates, grapeseed oil, peanut oil and premium Atlantic sea salt.

When you think Noomi, think "nutritious." It's a no nutsense product. Noomi peanut butter does not contain any artificial sweeteners, refined sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils or palm oil. We pride ourselves on the absence of these types of sugars and oils as it helps us create healthy and transparent products for our customers.

4. What's the most difficult challenge you've faced as a business owner?
I once heard it said that it’s not about how much time you have in a day, it’s about how much energy you have. And running a small business, as one person, requires a lot of energy, coupled with ongoing learning. One of my biggest challenges has been managing the time commitments of my new full-time corporate job and the ambitious goals I’ve set for Noomi. Both are important to me, and both require a significant amount of my energy to produce the success and results I desire.

To be an entrepreneur is to run on a lot of energy; to think quickly and make tough decisions when you have to; to set and meet deadlines; and to be strategic and pro-active in chasing all that you desire to achieve. You are in control of what you are able to accomplish, which is exhilarating, but not always without stress. Finding the balance and prioritizing key tasks is critical to achieving personal and professional success. And while it can sometimes be a challenge, using every day and interaction surrounding Noomi as a learning opportunity has helped me understand how to more effectively balance the two.

5. What's been your proudest achievement since opening?
When I reflect on the story of Noomi, I’m incredibly humbled by how I was able to develop a consumer product, execute my brand vision and grow the company in our first year of business.

One achievement I am particularly proud of is Noomi’s acceptance as a full-time member of the Specialty Food Association (SFA). Typically, to become a member, your company needs to have been in business for over one year. Since Noomi had not reached that point at the time of application, I had to write a compelling waiver letter explaining how Noomi was fully operational and why we should be accepted into the SFA. I also had to provide product samples as well as additional supporting documents and references from my retail partners as part of my submission.

“The mission of the SFA is to champion, nurture and connect members to deliver innovative products and expand consumption of specialty foods.” That’s why I’m so thrilled for Noomi to be a part of this community of like-minded makers. Having Noomi peanut butter recognized as a “specialty food” speaks to how I brought the company to life — and I never want to lose sight of how truly special and fulfilling my journey as a small business owner has been. Noomi’s acceptance is also a strong testament to how our brand and products are perceived by the industry, even in our company’s infancy.

As a member of the SFA, I was also able to enter Noomi’s signature blend of organic peanut butter into the 2019 sofi Awards, as a contender in the “Nut Butter - Seed Butter” and “New Product” categories.

6. How does your business give back to the community?
Besides being founded in Westchester County, Noomi is deeply rooted in the local NY community. In July 2018, we made our official debut at the John Jay Homestead Farm Market in Katonah. Participating in this market is a great way for us to give back, as our involvement as a vendor helps fund preservation and restoration initiatives for this local historic landmark for years to come. It was also a pivotal stepping-stone that allowed us to expand our initial reach into other local NY farmers markets, which led to local retail opportunities in the state, too!

One of the retail partnerships we are incredibly proud of is Taste NY at Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley. Launched by the governor of NY state, Taste NY market is an outlet for promoting local products and supports the individual and collective growth of the small business community. We believe in and value the products we create and make them with our local community in mind. And behind those products, packages and jars are small batch producers, like me, who are eager to share our passion and story with the world — so that we may inspire others to pursue what they love, by reminding them that it’s all possible. If we can help support our customers’ ambitions, goals and dreams through Noomi’s mission and vision, we’ll consider that the greatest success.

Would you like to see your small business showcased in this series? Email michael.woyton@patch.com.

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