Longtime Northeast Mesa resident, wife, mother of two and entrepreneur Audrey Martinez launched Audrey’s Chia Cookies to help others enjoy the incredible benefits of chia she discovered while training for her first marathon at the age of 50.
“I was inspired by what chia did for me and I thought, ‘This is a great way to get people to eat chia,’” Audrey said. “Sometimes people don’t know what to do with chia or how to incorporate it into their diet, and the cookies are a delicious and easy way to do so.”
For Audrey, the most fulfilling part of the business is knowing that she’s helping more people enjoy the positive effects of chia, which include improved heart health, balanced blood sugar, sustainable energy and stronger bones — to name a few.
“I love knowing that people, and even kids, are getting the nutrients from chia without even knowing their eating something healthy,” said Audrey.
People of all ages are enjoying the cookies, including an avid customer living in a nursing home who Audrey shared would always ask his family members to bring the cookies to him to enjoy. “They say chia is a brain food, and this older gentleman would always crave the cookies,” said Audrey. “It was great to know he was getting those helpful nutrients.”
One of the cookies’ lesser known benefits is its ability to help boost energy.
“It’s such a small seed, people don’t realize how many nutrients are in it,” said Audrey. “That little bit of chia gives you a lot of sustainable energy. People can be working all day long and not realize how chia is keeping them going because it’s not like a coffee rush, it’s a sustainable energy.”
The cookies, which were co-developed with a local chef, come in four flavors — peanut butter, chocolate chip, almond and lemon — and were inspired by Audrey’s own love of crispy, crunchy cookies, especially the peanut butter and chocolate chip.
After less than two years on the market, the cookies are available nationwide in select AJ’s Fine Foods, Fry’s, Sprouts and local grocers, as well as Amazon, with more stores being added all the time.
“The first time I saw the cookies on the shelves at AJ’s I thought I’d cry,” said Audrey. “It’s hard to explain, but it’s overwhelming to see your product there on the shelf with the price tag on it.”
To learn more about Audrey’s Chia Cookies and where to order, visit audreyschia.com.