To say that advertising executive Tom Bannister likes granola is a massive understatement. What began as a casual appreciation for the breakfast cereal became a “true love” (his words!) over the years. Whenever he traveled with his wife Eva Chen, they’d always make a point to sample the local granola. “I’ve had granola from Tokyo to Detroit and everywhere in between,” Bannister said. Chen, the director of fashion partnerships at Instagram and a fashion influencer in her own right, would film ironic TED Talk-style Instagram stories of him critiquing granola.
Unable to find the perfect granola (and with extra time on his hands because of a global pandemic), Bannister began to make his own with the “help” of his three kids and Tom’s Perfect 10 was born. When he first launched the subscription-based Flavor of the Month granola club, it had a waitlist of more than 17,000 people and became known as the “Birkin of Granolas.” Beyond launching a new flavor every month, the brand is unique in that it includes a scorecard for customers to rate the granola out of 10 across six categories which include taste and creativity. Once monthly flavors are sold out, they’re gone forever, but exceptional flavors that earn a perfect 10 rating become permanent and will always be available for purchase. “I’ve been overwhelmed by the responses, advice and general encouragement I’ve gotten from followers on IG on this granola-making journey,” Bannister said. Since the brand first launched in October 2020, more than 50,000 orders have been fulfilled—which is about 15 tons of granola.
A bowl of Tom’s Perfect 10 Classic granola.
Credit: Tom’s Perfect 10
To date there have been 20 flavors of Tom’s Perfect 10 granola, the newest of which is Island Acai. Only three flavors have achieved a perfect 10 rating: Ginger Zing, Classic and Golden Apple Cider, though Bannister notes that Black and White Matcha came very close. Other past flavors include Blueberry Lemon, Chocolate Peppermint (his wife’s favorite), Horchata Fig, Blackberry Chai, Flaming Chocolate, Piña Colada, Mangonada, Last Tango (a tangy mix of strawberry, kiwi and balsamic vinegar), Salted Caramel, Black Forest, Smoky Chocolate, Tea My Dear (bergamot, dried lemon and yogurt) and Chai Colada.
“I find inspiration everywhere,” Bannister said. “Tea My Dear was inspired by Sting’s song Englishman in New York, walking around New York and perusing local tea shops. I try to make my flavors seasonal; this July’s flavor was Chai Colada and last July we did Mangonada. I like to use unique ingredients and spices and try to surprise my audience with unusual pairings and flavor combinations. Sometimes it works, and other times it’s a little too experimental for people’s taste.”
I had the opportunity to connect with Bannister and chat about all things granola and Tom’s Perfect 10. I’ll let him take it away from here.
Abigail Abesamis Demarest: Talk to me about the brand name, and your obsession with “perfect” granola flavors.
Tom Bannister: We felt the name Tom’s Perfect 10 captured the story behind the brand. It’s a nod to the granola TOMtalks I used to do, which would always end with a score. My wife and I are both storytellers. Eva is a children’s book writer and former fashion editor and I am a producer. We have spent most of our careers in the creative arts so we very much see brands, products and the world through the prism of stories. I believe there is a perfect granola out there for everybody!
The heart of the brand is the story of my journey to discovering that perfect granola and inviting people along for the ride. But I also think the brand is about being imperfect. I am not a great cook. I learned to do this in public out of my comfort zone, so in many ways Tom’s Perfect 10 is about being okay with being imperfect. It has taken me a long time to learn to be comfortable with being imperfect and unmanicured on the very public forum of Instagram.
Bags of Classic and Ginger Zing, two granola flavors that have received perfect ratings from … [+]
Credit: Tom’s Perfect 10
Demarest: What is the R&D process like? How far ahead do flavors need to be finalized?
Bannister: Sometimes it’s easy and I nail the recipe the first time around (Piña Colada was an example of one). Other times I might find myself making the recipe 20 times until I get it right (like Baby Blue, a flavor I made in honor of my son River’s birth). There are also other factors at play, such as availability of ingredients in bulk and preparation time. My wife and I once personally zested 300 lemons—never again! My wife Eva always tells me not to overthink things. Sometimes you can get attached to an idea. For example, I’ve always wanted to make a granola inspired by a Dark ‘n’ Stormy but I just can’t quite get the flavors of that cocktail to work as a granola. I’ll also be totally honest—I’ve also had one or two flops. I did a Smoky Chocolate flavor that was polarizing (some people love a savory chocolate, others don’t love a smoky vibe) and a recipe I did last summer called Last Tango with strawberries and balsamic vinegar wasn’t as popular. The nature of the feedback loop and scorecard process has allowed me to improve my granola-making skills way faster.
At any given point I’m refining two or three different flavors. It’s the end of July now and we’re mapped through September. As we continue the process I imagine I’ll work further out!
Demarest: To you, what makes a perfect granola?
Bannister: My “perfect” granola is less about a flavor profile and more about the texture and joy of each bite. Every bite should feel and taste unique. No one bite should be the same—almost like a little mini adventure for the tastebuds. I’ve tried to capture that feeling in the marketing and storytelling around our ‘Classic’ flavor. I view Classic as almost an all-American road trip of taste and close to what most would consider “perfect.” It’s wholesome but still slightly adventurous with chocolate, cherries and golden raisins. There’s also a touch of cinnamon, which lends a dash of mystique.
Demarest: What’s your favorite way to enjoy granola?
Bannister: I’m a granola purist and tend to eat it on its own, by the handful. I can’t lie, our apartment has a fine dusting of granola crumbs on the floor at any given point but I chalk that up to testing the product frequently.
Demarest: What’s next for Tom’s Perfect 10?
Bannister: I’m not a world domination kind of guy—I just love creating things that people enjoy. We’re beginning to think about retail partnerships but in a similarly organic fashion to how we launched. We want to start small and make decisions based on what feels right for the heart of the brand. We have some fun collaborations with similarly minded brands coming in the fall as well. And we have our first holiday launch coming up! This journey has been so unexpected for us and truly so fun and rewarding. I never thought I’d be flexing my granola obsession into an actual product that thousands of people are enjoying.
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VICTORIA — Premier David Eby has pushed the pause button on a contentious bill that would have allowed the province to recover health care and other costs attributed to the marketing of risky products in B.C.
Two dozen business and industry groups had called for the New Democrats to put the bill on hold, claiming it was so broadly drafted that it could be used to go after producers, distributors and retailers of every kind.
“It is safe to say that we got the attention of these major multinational companies,” the premier told reporters on Tuesday, citing the deal with Meta, Snapchat, TikTok and X, the major players in the field.
“They understand our concern and the urgency with which we’re approaching this issue. They also understand the bill is still there.”
The New Democrats maintain that the legislation was never intended to capture the many B.C. companies and associations that complained about it.
Rather it was targeted at Facebook owner Meta and other social media companies and the online harm done to young people. A prime example was the suicide of a Prince George youth who was trapped by an online predator.
Still, there was nothing in the wording of Bill 12, the Public Health Accountability and Cost Recovery Act, to indicate its application would be confined to social media companies or their impact on young people.
Some critics wondered if the bill’s broad-based concept of harms and risks could be used to prosecute the liquor board or the dispensers of safer-supply drugs, products with proven harms greater than any sugary drink.
Perhaps thinking along those lines, the government specifically exempted itself from prosecution under the Act.
This week’s announcement came as a surprise. As recently as Monday, Attorney General Niki Sharma told reporters the government had no intention of putting the bill on hold.
Tuesday, she justified her evasion by saying the talks with the social media companies were intense and confidential.
She said the pause was conditional on Meta and the other companies delivering a quick response to government concerns.
“British Columbians expect us to take action on online safety,” she told reporters. “What I’ll be looking for at this table is quick and immediate action to get to that better, safety online.”
A prime goal is addressing online harassment and “the online mental health and anxiety that’s rising in young people,” she said
“I want to sit down with these companies look at them face to face and see what they can do immediately to improve the outcomes for British Columbians.”
Meta has already committed to rectifying Eby’s concern that it should relay urgent news about wildfires, flood and other disasters in B.C. Last year, those were blocked, collateral damage in the company’s hardball dispute with the federal government over linking to news stories from Canadian media companies.
Eby says he was very skeptical about the initial contact from the companies. Now he sees Meta’s willingness to deliver emergency information as a “major step” and he’s prepared to give talks the benefit of the doubt.
Not long ago he was scoring political points off the social media companies in the harshest terms.
“The billionaires who run them resist accountability, resist any suggestion that they have responsibility for the harms that they are causing,” said the premier on March 14, the day Bill 12 was introduced.
Given those characterizations, perhaps the big, faceless billionaires will simply direct their negotiating team to play for time until the legislation adjourns as scheduled on May 16.
“The legislation is not being pulled and we’re not backtracking,” said Sharma. “We can always come back and bring legislation back.”
The government could schedule a quick makeup session of the legislature in late May or June or even in early September, before the house is dissolved for the four-week campaign leading up to the scheduled election day, Oct. 19.
More likely, if the New Democrats feel doublecrossed, they could go back to war with the faceless billionaires with a view to re-enacting Bill 12 after a hoped-for election victory.
Even if the New Democrats get some satisfaction from the social media companies in the short term, they have also framed Bill 12 as a way to force the marketers of risky products to help cover the cost of health care and other services.
B.C.’s attorney general says the province can bring the online harms legislation back but it will first seek remedies through negotiations with social media companies.Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
The British Columbia government has agreed to shelve proposed legislation that would have allowed it to sue social-media companies for online harms after Meta, TikTok and others agreed to work with the province to put voluntary protections in place.
The social-media companies have not agreed to anything other than talks, but Attorney-General Niki Sharma credited the proposed legislation with bringing the key players to the province’s door.
“Our bill was able to get the attention of some pretty big companies out there and get them to the table with us, and I’m pleased with that,” she told reporters Tuesday.
The government can bring the bill back, she said, but it will first seek remedies through negotiations. “We could be locked in litigation for years, but at this stage it’s my obligation to see if we can come to some kind of improvements,” Ms. Sharma said.
Premier David Eby said the agreement was hammered out after Meta reached out to the province. A spokesperson for the company could not immediately be reached for comment.
Danielle Morgan, a spokesperson for TikTok, said her company is committed to developing new safeguards. “We look forward to joining Premier Eby and working with industry counterparts … to discuss best practices towards our shared goal of keeping young people safe online.”
The province introduced Bill 12, the Public Health Accountability and Cost Recovery Act, in March with the promise that it would allow government to recover costs associated with the promotion, marketing and distribution of products that are harmful to adults and children in the province.
But while the bill received the support of researchers who study the impact of some platforms on mental well-being, particularly in teenagers, the broad scope of the legislation alarmed business leaders who warned it could be used to target companies well beyond social-media platforms.
“The net spread so widely, it could capture just about anything you could imagine,” said Bridgitte Anderson, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade. She said the provincial government heard the concerns of many different sectors when it withdrew the bill from this spring’s legislative agenda. “We’re delighted the government is going to hit pause on this.”
The B.C. bill was tabled just weeks after Ottawa introduced Bill C-63 to create a new Online Harms Act, which is meant to hold tech platforms accountable for the content they host.
Kaitlynn Mendes, a professor of sociology at Ontario’s Western University, is an expert on the impact of online harms on youth, including sexual exploitation, self-harm, anxiety and anti-social behaviour.
She said the B.C. government is being optimistic in thinking it can bring social-media giants into line without a legal cudgel.
“I think that is wishful thinking. Industries don’t want to be governed. They’d rather have codes of conduct but that relies on them being good faith actors – ultimately, they are going to act in their best interests. I’d be skeptical that it’s going to change anything,” she said in an interview.
“I really hope the Canadian government doesn’t try to rely on deals. We need to have structures in place to hold these companies accountable.”
Mr. Eby issued a joint statement on Tuesday with representatives from Meta, TikTok, Snap and X, saying they have reached an agreement to work to help young people stay safe online through the new BC Online Safety Action Table.
“Digital platforms are powerful tools, which can connect family members and loved ones and are places where we find like-minded people. Places where community is built and sustained. But the internet is also a place where criminals and scammers are constantly seeking new ways to find and extort potential victims,” the joint statement said.
Mr. Eby championed the pursuit of tackling social-media harms after meeting with the grieving parents of Carson Cleland, a 12-year-old who killed himself last October after being sexually victimized online.
“Carson was deceived by an online predator, tormented and sexually extorted. He took his own life before his parents were aware of what was happening,” the statement continued. “Premier Eby made a promise to Carson’s parents that his government would find ways to make sure Carson left behind a legacy that will help protect other young people.”
The province will place Bill 12 on hold while the parties meet to discuss how to protect youth from online harms before they happen.
Ms. Sharma said there are three areas B.C. wants addressed: sexual exploitation of youth online; rising mental-health issues and anxiety among young people; and online harassment and bullying.
B.C.’s bill was modelled on its efforts to seek damages from major tobacco companies over tobacco-related health costs. The province was the first Canadian jurisdiction to launch such a lawsuit, in 1998, but that case is not yet resolved – underscoring the lengthy process involved in reaching a resolution.
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night’s highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now.
Opening arguments began in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial on Monday, with much of the news media coverage homing in on as many details as possible about the proceedings.
Jon Stewart called the trial a “test of the fairness of the American legal system, but it’s also a test of the media’s ability to cover Donald Trump in a responsible way.”
Jimmy Kimmel’s sidekick, Guillermo Rodriguez, took the stage with Madonna in Mexico City over the weekend.
The economist Stephanie Kelton will chat with Jordan Klepper and Ronny Chieng, the guest co-hosts, on Tuesday’s “Daily Show.”
In “Under the Bridge,” Hulu’s chilling new series, Riley Keough and Lily Gladstone investigate the murder of a teenager.
Remnants of bird flu virus found in pasteurized milk, FDA says
Mayor's youth advisory council seeks submissions for art gala – SooToday
"Hi, It's Me": NASA's Voyager 1 Phones Home From 15 Billion Miles Away – NDTV
Made Right Here: Woodworking art – CTV News Kitchener
Some Canadians will be digging out of 25+ cm of snow by Friday – The Weather Network
Caution about Canada's private real estate sector abounds as valuations slow to adjust – The Globe and Mail
Auston Matthews turns it up with three-point night as Maple Leafs slay Bruins in Game 2 – Toronto Sun
Jon Stewart Slams the Media for Coverage of Trump Trial – The New York Times
