Before Grandpa was Grandpa, or Opa as we call him now, he had a passion for giving. And for him, giving most often meant food. He never arrived anywhere empty handed. If you visited his home, you knew you’d be welcomed with something the moment you walked in, and you’d be sent home with a doggie bag whether you wanted it or not. Along the way, there were always surprises.
When he brought out his baklava, cream puffs, or whatever dessert he felt like making, there was no point in saying no. It didn’t matter if you were full, dieting, or just trying to be polite. “I don’t push it,” he’d say with a grin, but we all knew better. And if you told him you liked something, you could count on it showing up again soon. It might not be quite the same as last time, but it always carried the same love and care.
He was always happy when somebody asked him to make something, especially a cake. I’ll never forget the one he made for my tenth birthday: a soccer field with a soccer ball cake on top. Before that, there was a cake shaped like a present. Opa thrived on challenges, especially when it meant trying something new for someone he loved.
So when my wife showed him some of the snacks she liked, he set out to create his own versions. The first attempt was something to forget. But what was unforgettable, much like his positive attitude, was the journey it started. A few tries later it was something edible. After some more batches, it actually started tasting good, the texture was great, it was fresh, and it was wholesome. SUPERFOOD BITES, he declared one day as he dropped them off.
Could we get this into stores? Why not. There are plenty of things on the shelves that taste worse, and this was way healthier than all the stuff with added sugars, preservatives, ingredients we can’t pronounce, or whatever natural flavor or citric acid are supposed to be.
We didn’t know much about business or had much capital, but we figured: good product, people like, people buy. Then we make more. Simple and wholesome. We make foods we and others actually want to eat and share. For the people, by the people. What could go wrong?
If you were in the Delray Beach area back then, you might have seen Opa standing outside gyms or local grocery stores, behind a tiny folding table stacked with Superfood Bites, smiling as he offered free samples to anyone who came within earshot. Sometimes he’d be invited inside, more often he’d be told to leave. But his enthusiasm never faded. Maybe it was because, after decades of working for others, he felt he was finally building something of his own. Maybe it was because he was doing it with family. Or maybe it was just Opa being Opa, that optimism shining brighter with age.
Eventually, he convinced a couple of small places to carry his literally homemade bites. A licensed kitchen and commercial equipment came next, and the journey truly began. That’s when Zabees was born.
