Adriana, Green Mountain Peanut Butter: Creating products that people deserve
This is my craft
Adriana is an energetic bundle. Even though I haven’t met her in person, yet, I can sure tell during our online conversation and from her fun posts on Instagram. The Costa Rican came to Vermont more than 12 years ago to improve her English.
To my surprise she told me that her second language would be German and that she had spent a good chunk of her life during high school in rural Germany. It’s just so fascinating how small this world is, ey?
Several lucky circumstances made her stay in Vermont. The Green Mountain state reminded her a lot of her home country Costa Rica because of its beautiful mountains, tells me the outdoor fan Adriana.
Making peanut butter is carved into Adriana’s lifeline it seems. Ever since she was nine years old she wanted to make peanut butter and build a business around it, she says.
Back in Costa Rica it was Adriana’s Dad who raised her and made her the person she now is. They both share the love for food and cooking, especially peanut butter. Growing up the family would always have peanuts in the house to munch on, and to make peanut butter using all natural ingredients.
Adriana’s Dad, though, would still also buy the very sugary version from the stores, but eventually got concerned about its unhealthy ingredients and stopped buying it.
“At age 9 I decided to make my own peanut butter,” says Adriana, “because I was already obsessed and couldn't live without it, that’s when I tried to find the flavor that my dad would eat since he was used to the sugary one.”
So the intention for her own products initially was to move from sugary to a healthier alternative for her Dad, and yes, to trick her Dad’s mind: “He’s not gonna notice that it’s all natural…!”
That’s when her product Vermont Maple Cinnamon was born. Adriana’s recipes often are inspired by Ben & Jerry’s crazy ice cream flavors or pick up the characteristics of every season, such as her White Chocolate Pretzel Peanut Butter, a guilty pleasure for the winter season.
All of her peanut butters are nutritious and fun healthy snacks. Being the social and extrovert woman Adriana is, you’d often find her at markets and events with her unique peanut butter fountain. Know those chocolate fountains, where you can dip fruits in chocolate?
Well, Adriana is probably the only person - I know of at least - who is offering peanut butter on a fountain. For someone like me who loves dipping apple slices in peanut butter, this sounds like peanut butter heaven to me.
To me it feels like as if Adriana has arrived in Vermont, personally and with her business. During our conversation she shares with me that Vermont and its community has always been good to her.
Now is the time she wants to give back in growing her small business, she says. Adriana wants to grow so big that she can support the community in providing jobs and career opportunities, hire her own team of very talented people from all places and colors, and have her own facility.
Her life goals are more of a humble kind wanting to live peacefully, and continue living the way she does: “I don’t want to lose my spark! That’s why I’m here in Vermont.”
Just recently Adriana bought a house and intends to have more animals (besides her dog Koda), grow a garden, and lead a simple and peaceful life. “I do would love to have my family closer,” she shares with me.
Green Mountain Peanut Butter is located in Hardwick, Vt, and only uses USA grown, dry-roasted peanuts for their products.