Mooala
Mooala Brands, LLC, or simply Mooala, is an American beverage company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Primarily known for their "bananamilk" product, the company manufactures various dairy substitute products that are organic and plant-based. History Jeff Richards founded Mooala Brands, LLC on November 30, 2012, in Dallas, Texas. After being diagnosed as lactose intolerant in 2012, Richards began experimenting with different recipes to find a dairy-alternative milk. Due to his mild nut allergy, Richards began with bananas because, as he noted, they "are free of the top eight allergens." Richards then "took the recipe to the University of Minnesota to make sure it was something that could be commercially produced." He and the university were able to "achieve a rich, creamy flavor" using a batching and cooking process including bananas, sunflower seed butter, cinnamon, and sea salt. The resulting flavor is akin to banana nut bread. Mooala products were first introduced at local Royal Blue Grocery stores in Dallas, in August 2016. The company's catalog initially included just beverages, notably their "bananamilk" line, but also almond milk and oat milk variants. In February 2018, Mooala announced the company raised $5 million in equity capital in order to facilitate expansion. Fast Company