The story of GoMacro begins not in a factory, but in a home kitchen on a family farm in Viola, Wisconsin. Co-founder Amelia Kirchoff developed the first MacroBar recipe in 2003 while adopting a macrobiotic diet during her battle with cancer, with her daughter Jola Sonkin joining her on the journey. The success of these homemade, nutrient-dense snacks paved the way for a company dedicated to producing clean, plant-based foods with an unwavering commitment to quality and sustainability. The result is a simple, yet meticulous, cold-pressed process that sets GoMacro bars apart from many of their competitors.
The GoMacro Manufacturing Process
The creation of each MacroBar is a carefully managed process that prioritizes ingredient integrity and product purity, all within their Wisconsin facility.
Ingredient Sourcing and Vetting
The process begins long before any ingredients are mixed. GoMacro is highly selective, partnering with suppliers who share their high standards for quality and environmental stewardship.
- Certified Organic and Plant-Based: Every single ingredient is Certified Organic, ensuring it's grown without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. They focus on 100% plant-based ingredients, which is the foundation of their macrobiotic philosophy.
- Supplier Vetting: Before a new ingredient can be used, it goes through a rigorous vetting process. GoMacro's quality assurance team tests samples and compares them to previous lots to ensure consistency and compliance with all certifications. This dedication even leads them to seek out regional suppliers, like sourcing organic gluten-free oats from a nearby Wisconsin farm.
The Cold-Press Production Method
Unlike many conventional snack bars that are baked at high temperatures, GoMacro bars are made using a cold-press method. This low-heat process is crucial for preserving the bars' nutritional integrity and creating their signature dense, chewy texture.
- Mixing: The dry ingredients, such as sprouted brown rice protein, puffed brown rice, and specific nuts or cacao, are combined with the wet ingredients, primarily organic brown rice syrup and nut or seed butter.
- Cold-Pressing: The mixture is pressed into a large, dense slab, with no baking required. This ensures the enzymes and vitamins in the raw ingredients remain intact.
- Cutting: Precision cutters then slice the slab into individual bar sizes.
- Packaging: The freshly cut bars are immediately placed into eco-friendly, post-consumer recycled material packaging to maintain freshness.
Rigorous Quality Assurance
GoMacro maintains its own in-house food lab in Wisconsin, where a dedicated team performs daily tests on every batch. This allows them to keep the highest level of control over quality and safety.
- Ongoing Testing: The quality team conducts daily tests for foodborne pathogens, yeast, molds, pH, and moisture levels.
- Sensory Evaluation: During production, a bar from every hour is pulled and taste-tested to ensure consistency in flavor, texture, smell, and appearance.
- Annual Audits: Maintaining their numerous certifications requires ongoing, annual audits by third-party bodies.
GoMacro's Sustainable and Ethical Commitments
Beyond the product itself, GoMacro is committed to making a positive impact on the environment and community.
- 100% Renewable Energy: Their production facility is powered entirely by solar and wind energy. They even subsidize the purchase of renewable energy credits for their entire hometown of Viola, WI.
- Waste Reduction: All food scraps are donated to local farmers, and imperfect, unsellable bars are donated to food pantries.
- Eco-Friendly Packaging: All packaging is recyclable or compostable, with bar wrappers sent to TerraCycle for recycling.
GoMacro (Cold-Pressed) vs. Traditional Baked Bars: A Comparison
| Feature | GoMacro (Cold-Pressed) | Traditional Baked Bars |
|---|---|---|
| Heat Exposure | Minimal heat applied, preserving nutrients. | Baked at high temperatures, which can degrade vitamins and enzymes. |
| Nutrient Integrity | Higher retention of heat-sensitive vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants. | Potential loss of some nutritional value during baking. |
| Texture | Dense, chewy, and naturally soft. | Often drier, crunchier, or more cake-like. |
| Ingredient Type | Whole, minimally processed ingredients like nuts, seeds, and syrups. | Can contain a wider range of ingredients, potentially including refined sugars or artificial additives. |
Conclusion: The Final Product
For GoMacro, making a bar is about more than just combining ingredients; it's about adhering to a set of deeply held values. The cold-pressed method ensures the wholesome, organic, and plant-based ingredients retain their nutritional punch. From vetting suppliers for ethical practices to powering their facility with renewable energy, every step reflects the company's commitment to creating a product that is not only good for consumers but also for the planet. This holistic approach, born from a family's personal health journey, is precisely how are GoMacro bars made with integrity and purpose. For more on their mission, see GoMacro's 'The GoMacro Way' page at https://gomacro.com/pages/the-gomacro-way.
