Nick and Lezlie Saltarelli saw a gap in the chocolate market back in 2018 and decided to create their own functional, protein-rich chocolate bar in their condo kitchen.
Based in Montreal, Mid-Day Squares is changing up the afternoon snack game, one chocolate square at a time.
Nick and Lezlie have successfully raised $21 million to date, and sold over one million chocolate bars in just under 20 months.
“Twenty thousand dollars was our launchpad to get us from idea to finished product—not revenue, just a finished product we [could] bring to the market and actually start selling,” Nick says.
One of Mid-Day Squares’ co-founders, Nick Saltarelli, with smiley face stickers on his face.
Mid-Day Squares co-founder albania mobile database Nick Saltarelli.Mid-Day Squares
Growing the business from their own kitchen to a full-sized production facility was no small feat.
“We [eventually] had to build a manufacturing plant. There was nobody that could do it [for us],” Nick says. “We had never even been in the food business before, so now we [had] to work back, what are the momentum triggers and markers that you have to hit in order to build momentum to convince other people [to] bet on you?”
Peanut Butta (with chocolate) is one of Mid-Day Squares protein-packed chocolate bars.
Peanut Butta (with chocolate) is designed to stop hunger and cravings in between meals.Mid-Day Squares
Nick handles the financial and marketing strategies, brand partnerships, and all negotiations with investors.
He realized early on that it was going to take more than an incredible product to run a successful business, so he turned to his community.