“By developing baked goods utilizing 100 percent plantain flour (with no fillers, starches, or gums), we can nourish ourselves with an easy-to-digest flour alternative,” offers Daniella Hunter, founder of The Real Coconut. “This development revolutionizes baking by disrupting an age-old industry, and my mission is to bring plantain flour and plantain flour products to the mainstream consumer while supporting and encouraging indigenous communities to grow plantains as a food source where they grow like weeds with little need for water, and no pesticides.”

Plantains are an abundant, easy-to-grow, and extremely sustainable source of gluten- and grain-free starch, and considered a gentle flour for the digestive system, as it acts as a prebiotic. Beginning in May, the plantain flour cookies will be available in single-serve packages (two cookies) in flavors like hemp raisin, ginger molasses and chocolate chip for $1.99 -$2.49 SRP.

Daniella's commitment to working with sustainable ingredients that promote digestive health by avoiding gluten, grains, dairy and refined sugar is further exemplified by her role as director of The Belize Sustainable Development Company, which directly works with the Belizean government on creating new farming economies.

Currently, The Real Coconut offers four varieties of their popular coconut flour tortilla chips - Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Beach Barbecue and Original - along with a 6-inch coconut flour wrap. Up next for the rapidly growing company are expansions to both the tortilla chip (Golden Curry flavor and single serve bags) and wraps (10 inch). The chips and tortillas launched only a year ago exclusively with Whole Foods Markets and can now be purchased nationwide in nearly 1,200 leading grocers across the country and online at www.therealcoconut.com and Thrive Market.