An entrepreneur, author and innovator, Bryn Mawr’s Charlie Szoradi has spent a lifetime exploring the connections between how we live, what we eat and the way we impact the world. OnlyKale sprouted when he noticed a market gap for the quick and convenient consumption of one of nature’s most nutrient-dense leafy greens. As CEO and cofounder, Szoradi has simplified access to his line of organic freeze-dried products with a powder for active lifestyles, making it an easy addition to any protein shake. What was the inspiration for the OnlyKale line? I’ve personally grown some 60 heads of kale a year for home use for years. I grew tired of taking fresh bags on weekends when I’d travel. Single-serve sticks make it fast and easy. Why kale? It has more benefits in it than what pharmaceutical industry could produce with a trillion dollars—and Mother Earth has given it to us. You’ll feel more energized and recover sooner. With kale as an antioxidant, you may not get as sick—or sick at all. We can also make a useful case for weight loss, since there’s only five calories in an average box. If you have three vegetable servings a day and one of them is only five calories, that’s ridiculously small. What are the advantages of freeze-dying and powderizing it? The vast majority of kale in the U.S. is grown in California, so it often travels multiple days to its destination in a grocery store or market. The days of transit under refrigerated conditions reduce the nutrients by as much as 30%. We freeze-dry the kale right at the farms to retain over 95% of the nutrients. By powderizing it, we reduce the shipping weight by 90%. It’s also shelf-stable—and maybe the most sustainable and increasingly popular future food solution on the planet. How do you typically consume the powder? Mixed with water, sometimes with a little bit of lemon—or mixing it with morning smoothies. For kids who hate vegetables, you can sneak it into food, a salad or lasagna. Some are also putting it in cocktails, so there’s a social side. What does the future hold for your company? Expansion into grocery stores, lifestyle venue stores and health-food locations beyond the e-commerce that’s already out there. I want to build a network of influencers who aren’t necessarily on Instagram—authentic users of the product who are also advocates and can build awareness among other legit active users within their networks. It’s a grassroots play from the ground up, you might say. Kale Facts Scientific name: Brassica oleracea var. sabellica. Family: Brassicaceae. High in: Vitamins A, C and K, antioxidants, potassium, calcium, and iron. When it grows: A cool-season vegetable that thrives in the fall and winter months. Varieties: Curly kale (with ruffled leaves), Lacinato kale (aka dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale, with long, dark-green leaves), Red Russian kale (with flat, fringed leaves and purplish-red veins). Great for: Salads, stir-fries, smoothies and soups. It can be sautéed, roasted or baked.