Manhasset resident George Kessaris said employment opportunities for young adults with autism are few and far between.
Luv Michael Granola, a gluten-free, organic and nut-free granola production company, aims to fight the problem and provide jobs for autistic young adults, Kessaris said.
“We’re creating opportunities for the students on the autism spectrum, which are not there at this point,” he said. “The job opportunities that are available to these students are maybe peeling potatoes or dusting shelves, but we want to create a meaningful job where they can utilize what they do well.”
Luv Michael Granola was founded in October 2015 by Port Washington residents Dr. Lisa Liberatore, Dr. Dimitri Kessaris and applied behavior specialist Jason Lantier. Kessaris’ 18-year-old son, Michael, has autism.
George Kessaris, who is Michael’s uncle and Director of Sales and Distribution for the company, said the idea originated after Michael unsuccessfully applied to attend culinary school.
Cooking is Michael’s “passion,” George Kessaris said, but culinary schools were hesitant to accept him because he had autism.
Instead of continuing to seek enrollment for Michael in a culinary school, Kessaris said, the family chose to create their own business.
“We decided in the home kitchen to make a granola recipe,” he said. “It’s a great snack, in general, but we kind of tweaked the recipe and rented a shared kitchen in an incubator in Long Island City.”
Luv Michael Granola has found almost immediate success since then, Kessaris said.
Fresh and Co., a New York City-based restaurant chain that uses local and organic ingredients, sells Luv Michael Granola at 15 of its New York City locations, and as of last week, Starbucks began offering the product at some of its locations throughout Queens and Nassau County.
Luv Michael Granola currently employs three “students in the autism spectrum” twice a week in the Entrepreneur Space, the Long Island City “food-and-business” incubator run by the Queens Economic Development Corporation where the company operates.
“The whole idea is to employ the kids in the autism spectrum, as well as prepare them for how to handle life down the road,” he said. “We want them to take those skills and use it with us or take that and go to another restaurant or another food facility where they will actually be employed.”
While the product has had success so far, Kessaris said, they want the company to grow into something larger than just a production company.
He said they were in the process of filing paperwork to operate their own kitchen facility and expand into a training facility for autistic students looking to develop culinary skills in the Village of Thomaston in Great Neck.
“A lot of the students on the autism spectrum really haven’t been given a chance at employment. Nobody gives them a chance,” Kessaris said. “So one of our goals, besides the granola recipe, is to develop a curriculum and have a licensed one-hour class.”
He added that the company has already hired an architect, who also has an autistic child, to “draw up” plans for the facility it wants.
Kessaris said Luv Michael Granola has begun to make its way into the limelight, with the company featured on both CBS and NY1 News.
The company also worked with the National Basketball Association last month for Autism Awareness Month, he said.
Luv Michael Granola can also be purchased online at the company’s website, luvmichael.com.
Kessaris said they were currently offering a special online deal where shoppers can purchase 10 two-ounce bags of the product for $40 per month with a 12-month subscription.
“This will go a long way in supporting our mission, covering our expenses and carrying us for the time being,” he said. “We’ve gotten great reviews. Obviously, granola is a great snack and it’s a very good product.”
