Behind the Brand: Patch Organics' Pumpkin Seed Milk Is an Environmentally-Friendly Dairy Alternative
Patch Organics is a line of tasty plant-based pumpkin seed milks that are a nutrient-rich and environmentally-friendly alternative to dairy.
Patricia Trongone’s beverage business began several years ago in a local commercial kitchen in Westchester, New York. She was making green juice cleanses for a detox program that was administered by an integrative medicine doctor at SunRaven (a healing and wellness center in Bedford, New York), before eventually branching out to include whole food snacks, soups, salads, and other juices to help people wanting to clean up their diet after a detox.
“As a small business, it was difficult to build but then I was given the advice to focus on one product and do multiple flavors,” Trongone says. “My business partner, Gil Kernan, was formally a customer and loved the mission so much that he came onboard full-time to commercialize the business. We had an opportunity to create a sustainable milk alternative for a NYC coffee roaster because they were concerned about the sustainability of almonds. This is how pumpkin seed milk was born.”
After a successful proof of concept, Trongone and Kernan were forced to take a quantum leap to become scalable. They recently completed their second production run in two flavors: (original and chocolate) and are shipping nationwide. Patch Organics (formerly FKA Jnana Organics) offers a line of healthy pumpkin seed milks that are an environmentally-friendly and delicious dairy alternative—great for those with food sensitivities as well as those that want to be more health-conscious.
“Taste is king and we think we’ve cracked the code on taste,” Trongone adds. “Lightly sweetened with only dates and coconut sugar that is low glycemic and contains trace minerals. Our pumpkin seed milk is also nutrient-rich with 5.75 g of protein in a single serving, as well as vitamin D and electrolytes. It’s top 8 allergen-friendly, gluten-free, and organic.”
We chatted with Trongone, who shared the inspiration behind the line, what’s next for the brand, and more.
When was Patch Organics founded and what’s the meaning behind the name?
The meaning behind Patch is that our ingredients are 100% plant-based “from the ground up” as opposed to being created in a lab or fortified. We were FKA Jnana Organics, but changed the name for obvious reasons in 2019 when we were accepted into the Big Ideas Ventures Accelerator Program prior to the pandemic.
Patricia Trongone.
Tell us more about your products and what makes them special.
We set out to create a great tasting plant milk that would be uber sustainable with a great taste and texture with lattes in mind. Back in 2016, a NYC coffee roaster and cafe with several locations proposed that we create a more sustainable option in a milk alternative than what was currently on the market (prior to the popularity of oat milk).
After presenting a few options, the baristas were more than pleased with our Pumpkin Seed Milk that they quoted “steams like a dream.” From there, we created four additional flavors and it served as a springboard into the natural, specialty, and grocery channels. We were so well received that we quickly outgrew our commercial kitchen and had the wonderful problem of having to scale.
Last year, we received a 200K VC investment from Big Idea Ventures Accelerator Program. We rebranded under the name Patch for obvious reasons and reworked our packaging. The Tetra Pak packaging solves the problem of enabling us to have a 365+ extended shelf life without preservatives. Also, we are out of the cold chain, which cuts down on carbon emissions. Launching during a pandemic had drastically delayed our production; however, we feel we have a nutrient-rich staple item that stays fresh without refrigeration.
Do you have a favorite product from your line?
Pumpkin Seed Milks are our hero product for so many reasons. Many of the plant-based milks are lacking in protein, are not sustainably sourced or produced, or may not be allergen-friendly. We are Top 8 allergen-friendly, gluten, lactose and cholesterol-free.
Pumpkin Seeds have many health benefits with 5.75 grams of protein in a 243ml. Plus, pumpkin seed milk provides a good source of electrolytes for hydration, and 100% plant-based vitamin D that comes from powdered button mushrooms from the ground up ( as opposed to being fortified). It also uses less water to produce. Pumpkin Seeds are readily available and grown in many regions of the U.S., Europe, and China as opposed to almonds, of which 98% come from a drought-stricken California.
Where are your products sold?
We recently on-boarded with Amazon Prime and launched with QVC. Our products are also sold on our website and we ship nationwide.
Patch Organics also has a chocolate version of its popular pumpkin seed milk ($39.36/12-pack).
What's next for the brand?
We are launching our Pumpkin Spice Pumpkin Seed Milk for Fall 2021, and by early 2022 we are launching cold brew coffee and the Barista 1 liter.
For more information, visit patchmilk.com and follow on Instagram: @patchorganics
[Photos by Patch Organics]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk