Launched in 2021, Otherworld is the brainchild of co-founders Jennifer Ballen and Joe Magliano, who first met in college and bonded over a shared love of food and nutrition. Both founders were picky eaters who grew up eating pancakes and waffles for breakfast every weekend, but as they learned more about health and sustainability, they stopped eating their favorite foods because they couldn’t find options that were nutritious, tasty, and environmentally-conscious at the same time. Fueled by a mutual desire to create a better version, they decided to team up and get to work.

Months of experimentation, thousands of recipe iterations, and endless product testing went into developing Otherworld’s novel pancake and waffle mixes. Jen and Joe spoke with 80 co-manufacturers, 30 packaging suppliers and hundreds of ingredient suppliers before deciding on the perfect partners. They partnered with acclaimed chefs (such as Dan Giusti, former Head Chef at Noma and Brooke Siem, former Chopped champion) as well as a registered dietician to perfect their just-add-water products. Staying true to their eco-friendly values, they made sure to source upcycled ingredients, such as the misfit fruits and vegetables that never make it to the grocery store. The duo then launched a successful Kickstarter campaign with a goal of raising $10,000, ultimately raising 300% of that goal. With their locally-sourced, upcycled ingredients and sustainable packaging, Otherworld’s mixes came to life. Today, the Otherworld team is proud to offer their good for you, good for the planet version of everyone's favorite childhood breakfast and desserts: pancakes, waffles, and brownies.