Here's a confession you don't hear often from a chef: Gerick Manalo used to avoid his own vegetables. That honest struggle eventually led him to start EarthLab & Co., a Filipino wellness brand built around a simple question: why is eating healthy so hard, even when we know what's good for us?
Knowing versus doing
"As a chef, I could tell you exactly what a balanced plate should look like," Manalo says. "But when it came to my own plate, I was the one avoiding them."
When his schedule got busy, vegetables were the first to go. He tried blending greens at home, but it didn't last. "It tasted terrible," he says, laughing. "I was drinking it because I knew I needed it, but eventually, I gave up."
That experience taught him something many of us know too well. "Knowing what's healthy is easy. Making it a habit is the hard part," he says.
Taste comes first
As a chef, Manalo approached the problem through flavor. People rarely stick with something they don't enjoy, no matter how healthy it is.
"I think the biggest misconception is that eating well means forcing yourself to eat things you don't enjoy," he says.
He's also clear that convenience isn't a replacement for real food. "We're not here to replace a healthy diet," he says. "We're here to make getting more greens easier in real life."
Two years in the making
EarthLab's first product, the 21 Greens + Antioxidants Power Blend, took more than two years of formulation, sourcing, tasting and production work. It combines greens, fruits, antioxidant-rich ingredients and probiotics.
Manalo treated the formula like a dish, balancing ingredients, texture and flavor. His test for success was simple: would someone happily drink it again the next day?
"For me, taste was non-negotiable," he says.
Small steps over big changes
What I like about his story is how realistic it is. There's no pressure to overhaul your life or eat perfectly.
"You don't have to completely change your life to start taking better care of yourself," Manalo says.
Even his own relationship with vegetables is a work in progress. "Vegetables and I are in a much better relationship now," he jokes. "We're not best friends yet, but we're definitely talking."
Still a chef at heart
Moving from the kitchen to running a business has broadened his role, but Manalo still sees himself the same way. "I'm still Chef Gerick," he says. "I just have a much bigger kitchen now."
If you've ever bought a bag of spinach with good intentions only to watch it wilt in the fridge, his story will feel very familiar.
Post a Comment
0Comments