Ohio Entrepreneur Brings Healthy Breakfast Cereal to Customers Nationwide
After struggling with chronic fatigue for over a decade, Cleveland mom and digital marketing expert Veronica Blue finally found relief by switching to a low-carb, gluten-free diet. But she missed her favorite comfort foods — especially hot cereals like farina. Unable to find low-carb substitutes, she experimented with ingredients like almonds and flax seeds until she came up with a recipe that satisfied her cravings and dietary needs. Eager to share her protein-packed porridge with others, Veronica launched Phenomenal Foods Co in 2021.
The cereal quickly caught on. Drawing on her expertise in digital marketing, Veronica started by selling on Amazon, using data-powered digital ads to connect with customers looking for low-carb products. Within three months, she was generating $10,000 a month in revenue. Today, she offers three varieties of her Creamy Keto Hot Cereal in stores nationwide — including major regional grocers like Heinen’s and Giant Eagle — and continues to expand into new outlets. She also continues to sell online through Amazon, Walmart.com, wholesale platform Faire.com, and her own website.
Digital tools have been essential to Phenomenal Food Co’s success. Online marketplaces help Veronica reach customers across the country; Amazon accounts for 85% of the company’s sales. She also uses AI to help manage the business’s finances, and digital ads to connect with customers interested in her healthy products. “Digital tools are how I compete,” she says. “They’ve helped me grow without a big team or budget.”
With past experience advising companies on data privacy, Veronica knows how tech policies can affect small businesses like hers — and worries that poorly crafted regulations could unintentionally harm them. “When people talk about regulating big companies like Google or Amazon, they don’t always consider people like me — the small-business owners using those platforms to grow and thrive,” she says.
