The idea for Grandy Organics (formerly “Grandy Oats”) originated when two friends, Sara Carpenter and Penny Hood, sat around a campfire in Baxter State Park contemplating the future. They both cared deeply for the earth, dreamed of making a positive impact, and loved granola. Their small company was founded in 1979 on the firm belief that business should be more about having a positive impact than about making money. Much like their signature Classic Granola recipe itself (which was born when the company was founded and hasn’t changed since), their goals were deliciously simple and wholesome: “live life organically, love the path you travel, and keep it real.” Initially, Sara and Penny sold their granola to Maine co-ops and local natural food stores, crafting it in small-batches out of a bakery above a bookstore in Western Maine. By 1981, Grandy Oats was available in every Bread and Circus store (which came to be known as Whole Foods Market).
By 1997, the founders were ready to pass the company torch to a local cafe owner and fellow granola enthusiast, Nat Pierce. In 2000, Nat joined forces with his friend Aaron Anker and together they partnered to expand the bakery by moving it into a 1910 dairy barn in Brownfield that they had purchased at auction. They spent a year tearing out cattle stalls and installing new flooring to transform the space into the baking facility. Nat converted the other half of the building into a home for his family. In 2001, Grandy got into Hannafords, which was their first major retailer.
From the start, Grandy Organics made a commitment to the environment—that began with using only the highest quality ingredients from environmentally sustainable sources. In 2004, the company went all organic and got their products not only USDA certified organic, but also MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association) certified organic. This means no chemical fertilizers, no pesticides, and no genetically modified seeds. Organic farming has been shown to improve soil health, wildlife habitats and biodiversity; organically-sourced foods are better for your health and better for the planet and Grandy Organics has pledged never to stray from this standard of purity. This same year, the company also started selling products in bulk—from almonds to pumpkin seeds to their ever-popular granola.
Their oats—the foundation of most of their granola recipes—are grown on regenerative farms with minimal waste, all the way through the oat milling process. The farms they source from also use regenerative agriculture practices that help pull carbon from the air and store it in the soil.
Their organic cashew growers have three main goals: to support prosperous farmers and food systems, to participate in and grow thriving communities and to create healthy soils and eco-systems in support of our climate.
The farmers who supply Grandy Organics their organic dark chocolate share their quality and environmental standards and use solar energy and high efficiency motors in their warehouses.
Their organic coconut chip farmers not only use sustainable organic practices, but they are also engrained in their communities—supporting local schools and hospitals and donating coconut plants and fruits to those in need.
A second generation, family-owned and operated business that has been in operation in Northern California since the 1980s are the suppliers of Grandy Organics almonds. These are farmers who take great pride in sustainability when growing their tree nuts and are also deeply committed to the organic mission and community around them.
Taking the time to respect nature is a core tenement for the organic cranberry growers in Massachusetts who contribute this ingredient to the granolas and trail mixes. These farmers believe it is better to do things well than to do them fast and you can taste the difference with Grandy’s slow-grown cranberries.
In 2015, the team outgrew the dairy barn and moved the bakery to Hiram, ME, into an old schoolhouse on the Saco River. Grandy has always wanted to do right by the planet (which is why they have been so committed to sourcing organic and fair trade and restoring old buildings rather than buying new) and installed 288 solar panels in the fields behind the schoolhouse bakery that same year. The array powers the entire operation—the bakery’s ovens, lights, computers and heating and cooling systems and offsets over 145,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions a year, which is the equivalent of driving from Hiram, ME, to San Francisco, CA, 25 TIMES!
In 2022, Grandy Oats rebranded as Grandy Organics. Now distributed nationwide and sold in over 6,000 stores across the country, Grandy Organics is proud to stay true to their roots, while balancing a growing business. Their organic products are still made in small batches in Maine and, after 40 years in business, they’ve learned that the purest pleasures in life are found off the beaten path.
As a Maine company founded and powered by outdoor enthusiasts, Grandy goes above and beyond to protect Maine’s parks and trails, and also recognizes the importance of the outdoors. They are proud partners of The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and are working to preserve and protect all AMC trails, as well as the planet. The AMC is the oldest conservation club in America, and has been fostering protection, enjoyment and understanding of the outdoors since 1876. They envision a world where being outdoors is an integral part of people’s lives and where our natural resources are healthy, loved and protected. For these reasons, Grandy has committed to a year-long partnership with the AMC so that together they can work to make the most of the outdoors and make protecting our trails fun and inspiring. They will be donating a % of profits to AMC to support conservation efforts and expand outdoor spaces, providing 4000 youth outdoor experiences in underserved communities that experience barriers to outdoors recreation, and also donating free products to youth programs, trail cleanup events, guided tours and more.
Grandy Organics aims to delivers their customers real, organic goodness to fuel life’s adventures and are committed to making real change through their delicious and organic foods, and are doing everything they can to protect our planet so we can all live fully here.
The Blue Hill Co-op carries many Grandy Organics products in our Bulk department and pre-packaged in our Grocery department.
In Grocery, you can find 9oz pre-packaged bags of Original Coconola Grain-Free Granola, Peanut Butter Coconola Grain-Free Granola, Chocolate Chunk Coconola Grain-Free Granola, and 12oz bags of their Classic Granola.
In Bulk, we carry Organic Classic Granola (GF), Organic Classic Granola, Organic Original Coconola, OG Peanut Butter Coconola, Organic Turmeric Ginger Cashews, Organic Everything Bagel Cashews, OG High Antioxidant Trail Mix, OG Choc Almond Trail Mix, and Organic Swiss Muesli.
For delicious recipe ideas, visit Grandy Organics Recipe & Snack Hacks Page!
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