MEET OUR FOUNDER

Hi there! I'm Melissa Normoyle, the founder of Merlin's Unrefined. 

I’ve always been fascinated by how food is manufactured and the impact it has on our health. This interest led me to studying Food Science at Cornell University and my current work as an independent product developer in the food industry.

But here's the thing: the more I learned about processed and packaged foods, the more I realized just how much 'stuff' goes into just about everything we eat. However, I knew that there were so many ways to make food last and taste great without having to resort to using preservatives, additives, or cheap ultra-processed ingredients.

So I focused on eating whole, unprocessed ingredients by thoroughly researching the manufacturing process for every ingredient I came across. Using my background in food science and development to help me through this research, I became aware of so many marketing claims we blindly believe to be good for us, ingredients that are disguised under so many different names, and processes we never think that our food is undergoing when we just look at the package. This knowledge ultimately became central to the development of my minimally processed line of products. 

I wanted a truly satisfying snack that didn’t require me to compromise the quality of my nutrition – and I was tired of eating boring, single ingredient snacks in order to keep eating in a minimally processed way. Sure, I would find the occasional snack made with coconut sugar instead of refined sugar, but they would usually still be loaded with refined oils or flavors. Finding convenient, healthy options that aligned with my holistic view of ingredients wasn’t always easy and I knew I couldn’t be the only one who felt the same way!

That's why I created Merlin's Unrefined. We're all about making it simple to enjoy delicious treats without all the junk. Our products are made with only minimally processed ingredients and absolutely no refined ingredients. Because everyone deserves to feel their best, and it all starts with what we eat!Think of it this way: You wouldn't put low-quality fuel in your car, right? So why would you put anything less than the best into your body?