Snacks for the Heart from the Heart
Written by Jan Jaben-Eilon Wednesday, August 10 2011
Snapshot: Ramona Cappello, CEO, Corazonas Foods
Ramona Cappello is founder and CEO of Corazonas Foods, a one-of-kind line of snacks made with natural plant sterols, which are clinically proven to help lower LDL cholesterol. She launched the company in 2005 after being inspired by her father’s losing battle with heart disease. She saw the mental and emotional toll switching to a low cholesterol diet had on her father and decided to create a line of snacks that people with high cholesterol would love eating and which would help lower their bad cholesterol.
She started the company with three flavors of tortilla chips sold at a few retailers, and under her leadership the company has grown to include a line of oatmeal squares, potato chips, and whole grain tortilla chips, which are sold at retailers as well as online.
Prior to creating Corazonas Foods, Cappello held key management positions at Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Co., Kendall Jackson Wine Estates, Celestial Seasonings, and Nestle Ltd. Under her leadership, Kendall Jackson Wine Estates enjoyed one of the largest one-year sales increases in the history of the wine industry. She also helped reverse a five-year market share decline while increasing profitability and sales at Celestial Seasonings.
She was the valedictorian at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business Administration. Among her many honors, she was recently honored with the 2011 Trailblazer Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles chapter.
Womenetics: You created Corazonas Foods after seeing your father struggle with a low cholesterol diet because of his heart disease. Why was it so difficult for him?
Ramona Cappello: My father was not unlike many people who struggle with high cholesterol; he loved all types of different snacks and also had a bit of a sweet tooth. Back then, people living with high cholesterol were told they had to give up their favorite foods to combat high cholesterol. That meant no chips, desserts, or other delicious foods we all enjoy. I knew there had to be a way to create heart healthy alternatives for our favorite foods.
Womenetics: Heart disease can be genetic. Both your grandfathers and your father died of this disease. Do you worry about this for yourself?
Cappello: Yes, I do. That’s one of the main reasons I created Corazonas, and it continues to fuel my passion to keep doing what I’m doing. All three of my brothers have been diagnosed with high cholesterol, and I have mine checked regularly. Since creating Corazonas, my entire family has begun eating them. Since I first learned of plant sterols I’ve been integrating them into my diet, but now I just have an oatmeal square every day. My doctor continues to be surprised because my LDL cholesterol levels are lower every time I go back.
Womenetics: Some people are concerned with food altering. Is this a problem infusing plant sterols into foods?
Cappello: Food altering is an interesting term. At Corazonas we infuse our snacks with higher levels of naturally occurring plant compounds, much as others may add fiber or vitamins. The food itself is not modified; we simply add beneficial levels of ingredients that have a proven cholesterol-lowering benefit. The plant sterols we use are all natural, and one would actually have to eat 13 pounds of fruits and vegetables to equal the amount of plant sterols provided by just one Corazonas Oatmeal Square.
Womenetics: So many of us struggle with special diets because of health issues. Are you going to create snacks for those with diabetes, cancer, or other illnesses?
Cappello: Inherently we’re focused on heart health, but we recognize that there is some overlap between the dietary needs of those with diabetes and those with heart disease. We strive to make all of our snacks nutritionally dense so they provide a benefit to all, including those with diabetes and other diseases. Our tortilla chips have 18 grams of whole grain and three grams of fiber per serving, and our oatmeal squares have 13 to 16 grams of whole grain, five grams of fiber, and six grams of protein per square.
Womenetics: You have a background in the food industry, but how did you make the leap to creating a new product and new business? How difficult was that?
Cappello: It was a huge jump going from the support structure that exists in a sizable corporation to starting a new company from the ground up. But I always felt like an entrepreneur. Even early on in my career I was looking for ways to innovate and create something revolutionary. While the transition to creating Corazonas Foods Inc. wasn’t always easy, I truly believed in myself and what we were trying to accomplish. The inspiration of helping those who are struggling like my father did fueled my drive to keep pushing Corazonas to the next level.
Womenetics: How did you turn around Celestial Seasonings and Kendall Jackson Wine Estates? What is your secret?
Cappello: The secret to any business is to truly understand the relationship each brand has with its consumers and honoring that bond to create lasting relationships.
Womenetics: How did you come up with the name of your company?
Cappello: It was pretty easy actually. I wanted a name that immediately resonated with matters of the heart. “Corazon” means “heart” in Spanish, so we took a little poetic license with the spelling, and Corazonas was born.
Womenetics: Do you plan to expand your products beyond the cholesterol-beating snacks?
Cappello: Our mantra is “freedom to snack,” and snacking is a huge space to operate in. We’re always looking to expand and grow, but snacks are where our heart is and likely where we’ll stay.
Womenetics: How did you get into the food business to begin with? Was food an important focus for you as you were growing up?
Cappello: My father was a farmer so I grew up around food, and the industry has always been a part of my life. When I graduated from USC, Carnation Co. had a wonderful training program, which was my first corporate food job. I’ve remained inspired by the industry ever since.
Womenetics: What are your favorite hobbies?
Cappello: I love to travel and explore new cultures and cuisines. I also enjoy dancing, cooking, and spending time with my family.
Jan Jaben-Eilon was a founding staff writer of the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Since then, she has been the international editor of Advertising Age magazine and has written for such publications as The New York Times, International Herald Tribune, Washington Journalism Review, and Consumer Reports. She is the author of soon-to-be-published (There is) Life After Cancer. Jan and her husband have homes in Atlanta and Jerusalem.
