Four years ago, Michelle Rodriguez was a stay-at-home mom making granola for her kids' lunches. This week, her company Long Island Crunch was featured on Good Morning America, and her products are now carried in over 500 Whole Foods locations nationwide.
It started when other parents at Farmingdale Elementary asked to buy bags of her homemade granola. "I made it for a PTA bake sale and sold out in an hour," Michelle recalled. "People were literally asking me to make more."
"I never planned to start a business. I just wanted to make something healthy that my picky eaters would actually eat." — Michelle Rodriguez, Founder
She began selling at local farmers markets in 2023, testing flavors and refining recipes. Her breakthrough came when a Whole Foods regional buyer tried her Honey Almond Crunch at a Northport market and placed an order on the spot.
Long Island Crunch now employs 15 people at its production facility in Farmingdale, including several other moms from Michelle's original PTA network. The company sources oats from upstate New York farms and honey from Long Island beekeepers.
The GMA appearance — part of their "Mom-preneurs" series — led to their website crashing from traffic. Michelle's team worked through the night to fulfill orders, with her teenage daughters helping pack boxes.
"Long Island will always be home base," Michelle said. "No matter how big we get, this is where it started, and this is where we'll stay."