For Passover last year, Lindsay Perez decided to brainstorm a new matzo dessert combo.<\/p>\n
She placed dates, chocolate and peanut butter on the unleavened bread and did a taste test before bringing her creation to a Passover dinner. Her husband, Chris, took a bite, too, and they had a eureka moment. Thus NOSHY was born.<\/p>\n
Now products by their new company are being sold online and in several South Florida stores. The matzo creation became Lot\u2019s A Matzah, their biggest seller. They are slowly adding items to the NOSHY line. All are vegan and certified kosher, according to the company\u2019s website<\/a>, and several are gluten-free, nut-free and soy-free.<\/p>\n \u201cMy goal was to bring matzo into modernity and bring in as many people as possible,\u201d said Perez, 41, a Hollywood native who now lives in Pompano Beach. \u201cCombined with my Jewish roots and the concept of pareve \u2014 foods made without dairy or meat \u2014 NOSHY naturally evolved into a brand centered around inclusivity. Products like Lot\u2019s a Matzah reflect that connection.\u201d<\/p>\n Perez, who manufactures the products in a commercial kitchen in Pompano Beach, has worked as a personal trainer and became intimately familiar with the dietary needs of her clients. She also was working to solve a problem she had: Getting super-hungry late at night due to what she said was eating insufficient amounts of high-nutrient foods.<\/p>\n \u201cAs I transitioned toward a more plant-based lifestyle for my health, energy and overall well-being, I realized how difficult it was to find snacks made with truly wholesome ingredients that were also free from common allergens and still satisfying,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Jacobo Garcia, co-owner of Vgan Corner, a plant-based market in Miami\u2019s Wynwood neighborhood that stocks NOSHY products, said vegans are often on the hunt for sources of protein since they don\u2019t eat meat or dairy.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are also looking for clean products, meaning just a few ingredients and no additives,\u201d he said. \u201cNOSHY is doing really well at the store. All the products are moving fast.\u201d<\/p>\n Besides Lot\u2019s A Matzah ($10 per package), Perez also has four varieties of \u201cprotein poppers,\u201d bite-sized peanut butter or sunflower butter balls with flavors such as key lime, cinnamon swirl and mocha ($8 for 18). She expects additional products to be released in the coming months.<\/p>\n Perez and her husband work on NOSHY alongside their other jobs. She is a recruiter for mental health care professions; he teaches radiology at Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology in Miami Gardens. She said they didn\u2019t have backgrounds in product launching and have had to learn to design websites, communicate with grocery stores and promote their snacks without professional assistance.<\/p>\n \u201cI created a list of contacts and just kept reaching out,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve had to wear so many hats. It\u2019s been a learning process.\u201d<\/p>\n