It’s Tasty. It’s Convenient. It’s High in Protein.
Baking a Family Business
The Story Behind The Original Protein Muffin
Before The Original Chocolate 20g Protein Muffin
There was a vision to make health and convenience accessible to everyone.
That vision took shape in 2004, thanks to Valerie Locke, a competitive athlete and science major with expertise in amino acid and protein chemistry, and her husband, Richard Locke, a veteran in health and fitness retail.
Together, they created Moo’s Juice and Moo’s Healthy Food Fast, a unique Juice Bar concept that combined healthy gourmet food on the go with speed and efficacy. From simple rice bowls like Feta Chicken & Veggies to our iconic Pina-COW-lada 20g protein shakes. It became a go to destination for busy, health-conscious individuals.
📈Expanding the Moo’s Vision
As the concept gained momentum, Moo’s began to grow in exciting new directions. In 2008, franchise owners Ralphie and Ron Mendita joined the Moo’s family, They brought on their parents, siblings, family members, and close family friends into the business operations and worked together as a team as they opened new locations.
In just 11 years, Moo’s grew from a single juice bar into 24 locations and 40 employees across Edmonton and Leduc. From juice bars and concessions to the first Moo’s Lounge.
Our locations included YMCA branches like Jamie Platz, Castle Downs, and William Lutsky, World Health Clubs, LA Fitness gyms, and City of Edmonton Rec Centers.
😥We Started Parting Ways with Our Locations, One by One
In 2019, we decided to not renew our contracts and sold off our equipment. As we wanted to narrow down our focus on one single location with high traffic in Leduc Recreation Center and focus on a new project behind the scene (more on that later).
We were operating a Concession that caters to the entrance walk in traffic and the pool entry, a Juice Bar to cater to the gym goers and a Moo's Lounge, a sit down restaurant style. That over looked the curling rink, catering to the Curling Club, Hockey Events and members and guests of the facility. Luckily, that was the right decision at the right time.
As we would of been stuck with 24 locations and would of had a greater loss due to the tragic shift in the world.
🌎When The World Paused, We Got Baking
In 2020, when the world changed, so did we. We shut down our last standing location and struggled to make it work. We just stocked up on inventory the day before the announcement was made.
We were getting ready for the Provincial Women's Hockey Tournament where we were expecting thousands in attendance, only ending up being stuck with over $20,000 in food and drinks.
With a new challenge to overcome, the brother-and-sister duo, Rose and Ron Mendita took the reigns and led Moo’s into a new chapter.
We needed a way to pivot.
We looked at all the data, and it told us a story.
One product stood out from the rest
Moo's 20g Protein Muffins
🥇The Muffin That Changed Everything
Initially designed as a quick, high-performance snack for athletes, our protein muffins became our home-run. With 20g of protein packed into every muffin, they delivered energy, curbed cravings, and kept people feeling full for hours. Athletes loved them, but so did parents, professionals, and even kids who are picky eaters.
As the demand for our protein muffins surged with just only 3 flavours (Chocolate, Blueberry and Oat Bran), we knew we had to step up our game. We started out only offering protein muffins at the 104st Downtown Farmers Markets and 124st Farmers Markets.
With amazing support and feedback from our customers we introduced new flavours every week, creating over 30+ flavours in rotation. To keep up with the demand, we implemented a website for online purchases and moved into our own commercial kitchen for a better and more efficient production line.
💪We saw a significant shift in how people approached food and wellness.
As baking at home became a rising trend during the lockdown, we realized this was our opportunity to innovate and offer something that met the demand for healthy, convenient snacks during the lockdowns.
That’s when we introduced our at-home protein muffin baking mixes. This wasn’t just about staying connected with our community, it was about offering a new way for people to enjoy the same high-protein snacks they loved from Moo’s, all while baking from the comfort of their homes.
🤯This move was a game-changer for us,
In 2021, It allowed us to create our first official Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) product that we can offer to retail locations, marking a significant milestone in our entrepreneurial journey.
The success of our protein muffin mix opened doors we never expected. It led us to forge exciting new partnerships with major retailers like Safeway, Sobeys, Freson Bros, Blush Lane, and Independent Grocer. We were also proud to work with local retailers such as Toast Culture, Uproot Food Collection, and Confetti Sweets Collective, who shared our values of quality and local community.
📦 From Our Oven To Your Doorstep
At Moo’s, We’ve made it our priority to bring our fresh, high protein muffins straight to your doorstep. As a small business, we understand the power of adaptability, and that’s why we made the move to go all in on e-commerce. We saw the opportunity to connect with even more customers who needed convenient, high-protein snacks, and we took it. It’s all about being there when you need us most, whether you're in Edmonton or anywhere across Canada.
We know that having an online presence is critical for a small business to thrive, and we’ve leveraged that to deliver not only our signature product but also a seamless shopping experience. With just a few clicks, you can have the best protein muffins delivered straight to your door.
This shift to e-commerce has been a turning point in our journey.
As we expanded, our focus became clearer: To fuel your protein goals with convenient, tasty and satisfying protein muffins that keep you going.
🤝With the momentum of these new partnerships,
we took both our ready-to-eat pre-made 20g protein muffins and protein muffin baking mixes and scaled them to 55 retail locations across Alberta.
Our products were also found at popular spots like Petro Canada Gas Stations, Royal Glenora Club, Movati Athletics, and Evolve Gym locations, making it easier than ever for you to grab a high protein snack on the go.
We noticed being a small business, with the excitement to grow in the retail space, we were faced with cash flow challenges and didn't see it sustainable. So we decided to pivot once again to build a stronger foundation, then tackle the retail space when we feel its time.
🚀Our shift to e-commerce and CPG was driven by one goal:
Making it easier than ever to bring our muffins to you directly from us. By adapting to the times, we’ve expanded our reach and can now deliver straight to your door, no matter where you are in the city.
And this is just the beginning.
With Moo’s Protein Muffins, you’re not just enjoying a snack, you’re joining a movement. A movement that fuels your goals, keeps you satisfied longer, and helps you thrive, no matter what challenges come your way.
Together, we’re shaping the future of Moo’s.
📍Where to Find Us Today
2025 marked an exciting new chapter for Moo’s. We chose to prioritize building a closer connection with our amazing customers. You can now find us every weekend at Bountiful Farmers Market, from Friday to Sunday, and we’re there to share our muffins, hear your stories, and just have meaningful conversions face-to-face.
By moving away from traditional retail, we’ve doubled down on farmers’ markets and e-commerce to bring you the highest-quality protein muffins in the most personal way possible.
(More Summer Markets Coming Soon)
Thank you for taking the time to read our story. It's been an incredible journey and we can't wait for what the future has in store for us.
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Over 30+ Flavours in Rotation
✅20g of Protein per Muffin
Helps you increase your daily protein intake to fuel your active & busy lifestyle.
✅Supports Muscle Growth & Recovery
Providing the essential amino acids your body needs to build and repair muscle tissue effectively.
✅Keeps You Full Longer
Reduces carb and sugar cravings, helps prevent overeating, and supports your weight management goals.
✅Convenient, On The Go Snack
Perfect for busy schedules. Individually Packed, no meal prep required.
✅Better Ingredients, Better Snacking
Real, wholesome components like whey protein isolate, egg whites, pure cocoa, real fruits and natural spices.
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