What started as a simple idea for a functional snack has quickly grown into a full-blown business for Rachel Littell, founder of Ziggy Bars and proud Cal State Fullerton Entrepreneurship graduate and Startup Incubator alumna. Her journey from testing recipes in a home kitchen to becoming a staple at local farmers markets shows just how fast a great idea—paired with grit—can take off.

“Ziggy Bars has taken off in a way I never expected,” Rachel says.

After launching at farmers markets, she started receiving referrals from doctors, dietitians, and occupational therapists whose patients were looking for real-food solutions. That word-of-mouth growth turned into an intense workweek—seven days a week, twelve hours a day, managing five markets (and counting). Demand is so high that new markets are reaching out, but scaling production and finding reliable help have proven to be the next big hurdles.

“I’m still getting stood up for interviews like it’s a rite of passage,” Rachel jokes.

Early on, she struggled with customer skepticism. Some people assumed the bars either wouldn’t taste good or wouldn’t actually help with digestive issues. But Rachel found her rhythm. Armed with a few go-to lines that address these concerns head-on, she now closes about 90% of the time—an astonishing number for any direct-to-consumer business. And her return customer rate is just as strong, with some fans tracking her down at other markets when they run out early.

“One customer even called me a godsend—which cracked me up, but hey, I’ll take it,” she laughs.

As Ziggy Bars continues to grow, Rachel is now focused on the next big challenge: translating that in-person magic to online sales. With orders coming in steadily through her website, she knows the time is right to start advertising—but only once production is ready to scale. She’s recently hired a small kitchen team and is working on automating key parts of the process to meet demand without sacrificing quality.

Rachel’s story is the kind of real-world success that CSUF Entrepreneurship is proud to support. From early classroom ideas to a fast-growing business fueled by passion and persistence, she’s building something special—one Ziggy Bar at a time.

Stay tuned for more updates from Rachel as Ziggy Bars enters its next exciting phase of growth!