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Kelly’s Four Plus Granola was started in the Kellys’ kitchen in 2010 when this family of competitive athletes was looking for a healthy snack to fit their active lifestyles.  Cordy, her husband John, and their three boys Nate, Will, and Charlie were all involved in competitive rowing – all three boys were junior national champions, collegiate champions, and two had been selected for the U.S. Junior National Team and the Under-23 National Team – and their daughter Eleanor was active in both swimming and cross country running.  The Kellys knew that the common ingredients in most granolas had important nutritional benefits.  Unlike sweets and processed foods, the complex carbohydrates in whole grains and natural sugars are absorbed slowly and provide sustained energy.  Nuts provide healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals that are required for proper metabolism during a workout and for proper muscle recovery from exertion.  And granola is eaten in fairly small portions – usually a third of a cup – so it doesn’t leave you feeling too full yet is a very satisfying snack.

But the Kellys also knew that granola could be better than the brands that were sold in stores.  For all the healthy ingredients in granola, many brands are surprisingly high in sugar from added ingredients like brown sugar and evaporated cane juice.  And although these are matters of personal preference, most granolas are overdone with flavors, seeds, and candied fruits.  Granola is often too dry, too crunchy, and too sweet.  It’s somebody’s idea of what granola is supposed to be – part health food and part sweet snack.

Cordy decided that the best granola would be simple, lightly sweetened, taste fresh - less crunchy - and be made with just a few healthy, natural ingredients.  It took some experimenting to get the right result, but her first winning recipe was the product now sold as “Nutty” and then she made a batch without nuts, and that became the “Honey Maple” flavor that is made with just four healthy ingredients.

The family loved the freshly baked taste with just the right amount of sweetness from the natural clover honey and pure maple syrup, and the satisfying hearty crunch of almonds, walnuts, and pecans.  The boys started bringing bins of Cordy’s granola to rowing regattas to share with other athletes and their families.  

The athletes quickly fell in love with the granola and everyone started asking, “Where can I buy it?” 

The boys bagged some of the granola and brought it to the boathouse and immediately sold out.  Soon, the other rowers started bringing in orders from their families and friends.  The feedback kept telling the same story: Kelly’s Four Plus was a satisfying breakfast, a great energy food before working out, a delicious way to restore your muscles after exercise, a healthy addition to fruit or yogurt, and it was great as a snack anytime.      So Cordy and her two sons, Nate and Will, launched the business.

The Kellys settled on the name Four Plus because each flavor starts with just four healthy ingredients: 100% whole grain rolled oats, all natural canola oil, natural clover honey, and organic maple syrup. To that they add nuts and dried fruits, and natural flavors of cinnamon, vanilla or dark chocolate to create the six different flavors they offer today. No artificial flavors, no processed sugars, no preservatives, no trans fats, no cholesterol, and no sodium.

And an important part of what makes Four Plus different is that Cordy still makes the granola in small batches that are hand baked in their new commercial kitchen in South Norwalk, Connecticut.  The Kellys worked hard to grow their business while preserving the home made quality that Cordy first produced in her kitchen at home.

The Kellys believe that healthy eating should be part of anyone’s lifestyle and that’s why they are committed to making granola for anybody who wants a healthy snack.  And as they say on their packaging, “It’s granola the way you like it!”

About Kellys

Four Plus Granola is sold in 12 ounce bags and 2.5 ounce snack packs in grocery stores and supermarkets throughout Fairfield County in Connecticut, Westchester County in New York, and in New York City.  You can also buy it on line and the Kellys will ship anywhere in the United States at a cost that, including shipping, is about the same as buying it at retail in a local store.   You can visit their web site at www.kellysfourplus.com and follow them on Facebook, @KellysFourPlus on twitter and @KellysFourPlus on Instagram.