> Mario Esparza, a Texas native who moved to Denver in 2010 to work at Snooze restaurant, transformed homemade nut butter into a Colorado business while funding his University of Colorado Boulder education. 'Part of our food philosophy is to find food that's closer to you. I have something to say, and food is my medium of saying it,' Esparza explains. Co-founded with fellow Snooze employee Andy Mason, PB Love Co. prioritizes Colorado sourcing: peanuts from Colorado Nut Co. and Jerry's Nut House, honey from Björn's Colorado Honey, and coconut oil and sugar from Golden Organics. Esparza hand-produces 200-250 jars weekly from their RiNo headquarters, combining roasted nuts with Vietnamese cinnamon, coconut sugar, molasses, and sea salt for a 'smunchy' texture—between smooth and crunchy. The founders operate as the sole employees with a 'real-food-is-good-food message.'