BY TOM GRACE
COOPERSTOWN NEWS BUREAU
After only about 15
months in business,
Lisa Zaccaglini and
Mike Shuster of Sharon
Springs have scored
a hit with their homemade
untoasted cereal,
Mu Mu Muesli.
The European-style
breakfast cereal was
recognized as one of
the five most ``scrumptious’’
cereals in the country in
the March issue of ``Vegetarian
Times,’’ a magazine dedicated
to vegetarian foods.
``It’s a pretty big honor, and
we were grouped with large,
international brands like
Kashi,’’ Shuster said
Thursday.
Shuster said he and
his wife, Zaccaglini,
began making cereal
because they were not
satisfied with what they
found on grocery store
shelves. The muesli
they have developed
begins with whole grain
rolled oats and contains
wheat flakes, organic dates,
coconut, almonds, raisins and
flax seed.
The recipe is similar to
that of many granola cereals,
but Mu Mu Muesli
is not granola because
its flavor is not boosted
by sugar, honey or other
added sweeteners or oils,
Shuster said.
``We’ve tried to make it
as healthy as possible,”
he said, “but the surprise
to many people is how
good it tastes.’’
After making several
batches of cereal and
realizing they had a winner,
Shuster and Zaccaglini
began to sell their
creation at local farmers’
markets.
``A lot of people would
tell you that you can’t start
up in this business — that
it’s a David-and-Goliath
situation — but the farmers’
markets are a great
way to begin,’’ he said.
People would sample
the cereal, want to buy
some, then would tell
their friends about it.
Less than a year and a
half after they started,
Mu Mu Muesli is available
at 35 stores, including
Green Earth in
Oneonta and Cooperstown
Natural Foods.
Emily Roberts of Green
Earth said the cereal
is hard to keep on the
shelves.
``It really is delicious,
and there’s a lot of it
going out the door,’’ she
said.
Ellen Poulette at Cooperstown
Natural Foods
said her customers also
have been enthusiastic.
``They like it because it
tastes good and also because
it’s made locally,’’
she said.
Shuster said he and
Zaccaglini are working
full time at making, bagging
and selling Mu Mu
Muesli.
IF YOU HAVE GOOD NEWS you’d
like to share, call Associate
Managing Editor Emily
Popek at 432-1000 or (800)
721-1000, ext. 217; fax her
at 432-5707; e-mail her at
epopek@thedailystar.com; or
write to her at P.O. Box 250,
Oneonta, NY 13820.
