Do Squirrels Have It Right? Mighty Wild Uses Acorns As Main Ingredient

Most people think of acorns as a source of food for squirrels and other wildlife. While acorns can also be a nutritious ingredient, most people don't think of adding them to their own diet. Sisters Aline Copp and Mimi Brown are set to change that with their company Mighty Wild, which offers customers three varieties of gluten-free, vegan acorn crackers.

The concept for the company dates back to Aline's childhood when her teacher made acorn pancakes to accompany a novel the class was reading. As adults, the two sisters revisited the idea of using acorns as food, and Mighty Wild was born.

"Once a staple in Native American cuisine and a food source for centuries, acorns have become forgotten as an ingredient; which is a shame, because they are abundant, healthful, and sustainable," explained Copp.

Mighty Wild processes their acorns in cold water, to remove their innate bitterness, and then mills them into the flour used in the company's products. While the company is hoping to greatly increase the number of people that include acorn products in their diet, don't worry about the squirrels just yet! The company utilizes a "Forage Friendly" approach, which includes never collecting "more than 80 percent of the acorn crop in a given area" and only collecting acorns where there is a plentiful supply. Additionally, a portion of all sales are used to help plant trees in coordination with the Arbor Day Foundation.

Mighty Wild is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to purchase more efficient equipment, ingredients, and packaging.