CPG startup Amia makes snacks that are free of major migraine triggers, including dairy, oats, and artificial sweeteners.
Jennifer Morrison, known for her roles in This Is Us, Once Upon a Time and House, is currently co-founder and chief brand officer of Amir, a company that makes snacks without ingredients that cause migraines.
According to the National Institutes of Health, about 10 percent of the world’s population suffers from migraines — more than the estimated number of people who suffer from diabetes or celiac disease.
Morrison’s decision to join Amir was prompted by her personal experience with migraines.
“I’ve suffered from ocular migraines for nearly 15 years,” Morrison told Athletics Tech News, “and when I tried the bar, I couldn’t believe how delicious it was while still containing almost no common triggers. I had to get involved.”
As someone who leads a particularly busy life, Morrison was tired of the ingredients in many packaged foods, and there are very few brands dedicated to creating products that are free of ingredients that cause migraines.
“A lot of the foods on the market today, especially on-the-go foods, are loaded with preservatives and artificial additives, which can be terrible for people with migraines,” Morrison says. “That’s where Amia comes in. The bar doesn’t have a ton of additives, yet it still tastes great and you don’t have to worry about eating anything that’s going to trigger a migraine.”
Credit: Amia
“Our brand’s mission is to make it easy and convenient for the 40 million Americans who suffer from migraines to find clean, nutritious and trigger-free foods they can trust,” she added.
Amia currently sells oat and seed bars in flavors like cinnamon, coconut, and original. The bars contain gluten-free oats, pepita seeds, ground flax, hemp hearts, and chia seeds. They have small amounts of added sweeteners like brown rice syrup and agave syrup. Artificial sweeteners, chocolate, oats, and dairy products are also known to trigger migraines.
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Credit: Amia
Founded in Austin, Texas in 2023 by Jon Katz, the company is looking to expand beyond bars.
“Longer term, we want to expand our product offering beyond just bars to cater to all lifestyles,” Morrison says.
The company’s goal is to one day have trigger-free sections in grocery stores across the United States.
“I was really intrigued by the fact that Amir was just starting to do something special – a brand that is building a new category and product that supports a healthy lifestyle for people with migraines,” Morrison adds. “I like the idea of being part of something from the ground up, especially when I can help spread the word and be part of the solution.”
