After a 15-year career shaping luxury hospitality experiences for brands like Mandarin Oriental and Ian Schrager, Kristin Charbo found herself ready for a new challenge—one that was delicious, nostalgic, and deeply personal. Along with her partner, Grover Light, her "healthy, yummy donut things" accidentally went viral, sparking the birth of glonuts.

Glonuts is a better-for-you donut brand that redefines indulgence with clean, raw vegan, and gluten-free ingredients, all while keeping sugar counts low. For Kristin, who manages PCOS, glonuts is more than a business; it's a way to celebrate food that tastes incredible without sacrificing how you feel. The brand meets a growing demand from a community hungry for clean-ingredient "glow ups" of their favorite treats.

Kristin now brings her high-touch experience and luxury brand mindset to the CPG world, creating products that prioritize both delight and functionality. She's building a brand that doesn't shame indulgence but celebrates it with products available in retailers across the US, including H-E-B, Erewhon, and Misfitsmarket.com.

Inside the Episode:

• How an idea for a coffee shop side-pairing quickly became the main product and focus of their business.

• Kristin's journey managing PCOS and how she turned a personal health need into a growing national brand.

• How glonuts built a brand around "guilt-free" indulgence, making treats approachable and accessible without food shame.

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This podcast episode was made possible by Hummingbirds

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