Ernie Pang, Simply Eight: Less is More

Ernie PangConcept

  • Making great tasting cookies and granola bars that consist of eight or fewer simple all-natural ingredients.
  • No artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, genetically modified organisms or high fructose corn syrups present in any products. 
  • Challenging the status quo of processed foods industry with the belief that great tasting breakfast and snack foods can be made simpler without complicated inventions of modern food science.
  •  Four products already developed and being sold in select grocery stores, including Spartan Stores, Meijer, Kroger, Family Fare and D&W Fresh Markets.
  • Motivation behind founding company is not strictly profits, but to make the world a better place.

Entrepreneur

The founder of Simply Eight, Ernie Pang, brought more than 20 years of business experience with him as he has created a brand that makes tasty food using a simple approach. After working for different companies during the two-decade span, a trip to the grocery store with his son caused him to think about processed food. Pang picked up a frozen dinner and began reading the long list of complex ingredients that were listed on the box. This was the moment that sparked the creation of a brand that Pang believes can change the world for the better. Simply Eight has four products on the market and plans to have more in the near future.

Along with the creation of Simply Eight, Pang is also an active Founding Partner at ITEAS Group LLC, a consulting firm specializing in growth creation for companies. He is active in the community as well. Simply Eight has sponsored numerous local events, including Girls on the Run, Fort Custer Stampede and Borgess Run for the Health of It. In an industry that is saturated with highly processed packaged foods, Pang is challenging the status quo with his minimally processed alternatives. He hopes to make a difference by satisfying the wants of consumers who are looking for simple yet healthy and great tasting products. The expertise that he possesses in product innovation, combined with his character and work ethic, enables Pang to be a model entrepreneur. 

Pang spoke at Western Michigan University's Haworth College of Business as part of the monthly Entrepreneurship Forum. View this presentation.