Claire Smith

Post-pitch story

Claire Smith's family has farmed in Addison, Michigan for seven generations — and in 2015, the Smith family farm started growing teff, a tiny ancient grain from Ethiopia, as an alternative crop. Claire founded Teffola in 2017 to turn that harvest into granola, and she pitched it on the show's "Granola Guy Approved" episode. What happened next is the quiet kind of success story: no venture rounds, no acquisition headlines — just steady, real business. Teffola is still selling today, with a lineup that's grown well beyond the original granola: Chocolate Charm, Berry Burst and Pumpkin Perfection flavors, a "Bites" snack line, a collaboration with the legendary Zingerman's Deli, and even a "Nature's Legacy" ancient-grain flour line. The granolas are stocked in Michigan retailers including Busch's Fresh Food Market, Westborn Market and Argus Farm Stop, plus sold online, and the company built its own dedicated gluten-free processing facility in 2020. Teffola is what a bootstrapped, farm-rooted food business looks like when it works: small, regional, and still here.