AU alumni entrepreneurs Samy Kobrosly, Lara Lozser, and Gabi Febres joined Professor Danielle Vogel to share how they're building sustainable, values-driven food businesses. From growing culturally rooted restaurants to scaling healthier CPG brands, these founders prove that sustainability and success go hand-in-hand.
Samy Kobrosly, an AU alum, is a former radio personality turned chef and entrepreneur. In 2015, while working in a Washington, DC, barbecue joint, he became obsessed with creating a meat-free pork rind after joking with a friend about his inability to enjoy the classic snack due to his Muslim upbringing. This passion led to the creation of SNACKLINS, a plant-based, crunchy snack that quickly gained popularity. In October 2019, Samy took SNACKLINS to ABC’s Shark Tank, where he secured a deal with Mark Cuban, helping to expand the brand’s reach in the healthy snack market.
Lara Lozser is a Kogod School of Business alumna and the co-founder of Hummus Goodness, a company dedicated to delivering fresh, gourmet hummus made with only real ingredients. Passionate about quality and authenticity, Lara ensures that Hummus Goodness is free from preservatives, hydrogenated oils, citric acid, potassium sorbate, and other additives, using only fresh, whole ingredients to create a truly wholesome product.
Gabi Febres is co-owner of Arepa Zone, "a gathering place where people can come together and enjoy Venezuelan culture and traditions." Her heritage is central to her identity, representing culture, family, warmth, happiness, music, and laughter. Despite moving to the States at 7 years old, Gabi has always stayed close to her roots, something she values and protects. Originally from Miami, she moved to Washington, DC, for her undergraduate education at American University, where she felt a strong connection to her Venezuelan upbringing.
