Early in its life, neat foods, maker of meat and egg substitutes, turned down an opportunity to go on the show Shark Tank, opting instead to focus on growing the grassroots way. Indeed, it has. At Natural Products Expo East, co-founder Phil Lapp told us the products are in some 2,500 retail stores. And earlier this month, the company announced it had been bought by Atlantic Natural Foods after the co-founders took it as far as they thought they could.

In this video, Lapp explains how the company spread the word about its products. “When you combine these ingredients of a really strong brand, a niche product emerging at the right time and a socially responsible mission, […] you begin to connect with a consumer beyond just a purchase,” he says.