Ice cream lovers know Jeni Britton as the 2002 founder of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, now a nationwide retail desserts processor and scoop-shop operator. Britton also became more widely known in 2011 when she wrote Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home, a national best-selling cookbook and James Beard Award winner. Without a doubt, here’s the story of a woman whose passion became a profession.
Today finds this entrepreneur following her interests in new directions—and this time it’s personal. Back in 2020 or so, Britton shifted her focus from desserts to diets, and in particular, America’s fiber gut health. She said she was concerned about her own health and included herself among the estimated 95% of Americans who don’t get enough fiber. Britton cites general recommended daily fiber intakes of 25g for women and 38g for men.
In a 2024 message to potential Kickstarter investors, Britton wrote, “I’m not a health guru—far from it. I’m an ice cream maker and entrepreneur who loves pleasure and life. Four years ago, my body was completely out of whack from inflammation, which showed in my physical appearance and energy levels. My anxiety and adrenaline were off the charts.
“I did two simple things that changed everything: I started eating as much fiber as possible and walking in the forest every day. I still eat ice cream nearly daily! But with those minor shifts, it wasn’t long before my skin began to glow again, and I felt re-energized. I’m 50 years old and feel younger than I did 10 years ago.”
Britton says “a lightbulb went off” while she read about prebiotic fiber—including fiber from fresh watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, mango, and pineapple rind.
“I remembered the summer days spent in Jeni’s kitchen, making melon sorbet and tossing the cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon trimmings into the compost,” she recalls. “Can these trimmings be used to create a product that would benefit the microbiome and the environment? I called some friends, and Floura was born.”
Those friends included start-ups mentor and investor Mark Edwards (Floura’s co-founder and president). The team researched ways to “upcycle” the waste from fresh-cut produce and then use process steps (including fermentation) to create flours from the nutrient-laden fruit rinds of fresh cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, pineapple and watermelon.
A Deep Dive into the Future of Food & Beverage
Britton, a Columbus, Ohio, resident and former Ohio State University student, also turned to Ohio State University’s Food Science Department for primary microbiome research. She notes that each Floura Fruit Crush bar is crafted with 12 whole fruit ingredients for a diverse bioavailable fiber profile that satisfies 40% of the weekly recommendation for plant variety, a key factor in gut health.
Floura literally found its biggest strategic partner in F&S Fresh Foods, a fresh produce processing giant with a 600,000sq-ft operation in Vineland, N.J. Not only does F&S provide a daily stream of produce trimmings but Floura is literally there to use them. It occupies a 4,000-square-foot section within the New Jersey facility. Floura and F&S officials also co-developed a proprietary apple core-based paste from real fruit sourced from nearby farms. Britton says this replaces imported date paste commonly used in many other bars.
Last year saw Floura create its first 1.8oz (50g) bars delivering 13g of prebiotic fiber from red apple paste, a Floura “Superfiber Flour” made from fresh cantaloupe, honeydew, mango, and pineapple rinds, fermented watermelon rind flour and a red apple flour. The company says its other ingredients include chia, sunflower, rose water, chicory inulin, dried fruits, tapioca, apple cider vinegar, toasted nuts and crunchy quinoa.
Speaking of the environment, Floura estimates that 80 million tons of food is wasted annually in the United States. By upcycling F&S produce trimmings, Floura hopes to annually divert as much as 100 million pounds of fresh produce from landfills (where it also would contribute to methane emissions).
“At Floura, we believe fiber should be as delicious as it is beneficial,” said Britton in a January 2025 press release. “With the launch of our first product, the Fruit Crush Bar, we’re not just creating a snack, we’re redefining what’s possible in gut health and sustainability. By transforming overlooked plant parts into craveable, nutrient-dense bars, Floura makes it easy for people to prioritize their wellbeing while contributing to a healthier planet.”
Floura’s national debut last January included Fruit Crush Bars in five flavors including Brambleberry Lavender, Blueberry Matcha, Mango Cardamom, Raspberry Rose and Vanilla Rooibos. They launched at Floura.com and in-store at Pop-Up Grocer. Sales since have expanded to include Amazon and select retail stores nationwide.
