Inspiring Conversations with Jessica Hamel of PlantChi

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Hamel

Hi Jessica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in the “weird food” house, where food was never just fuel—it was connection, care, and a little bit of magic. My mom was making squash pasta before it was cool, and even though my friends pretended to be skeptical, they secretly loved it. When I was 11, a trip to visit my hippie aunt in Colorado flipped a switch, and I went vegetarian overnight.

In my 20s and 30s, I was all about endurance—ultra-running, backcountry skiing, racing sailboats. I loved pushing my limits, but eventually, my body started pushing back: low iron, B12 dips, and the constant protein hustle. It felt like I had to choose between my values and feeling my best. Then a doctor gave me the simplest advice: “Just sprinkle hemp seeds on everything.” Honestly, I kind of rolled my eyes at first—but it worked. That’s when it clicked. Seeds are like nature’s tiny cheat code—small but ridiculously powerful.

PlantChi grew out of that realization. It’s not some perfect wellness solution or a preachy health brand. It’s more like a love letter—to good food, to living in alignment with what matters to you, and to making nourishment feel easy, not like another thing on your to-do list. The brand has been live for a little over a month now and I’m excited to see where it’s going to go.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Fun fact: I actually had another food brand about 10 years ago—a coconut oil frosting company that was sold in places like Whole Foods and Erewhon. Sounds cool, right? But behind the scenes, it was just me, solo, scooping rock-hard coconut oil and hauling 25-pound bags of powdered sugar in a commercial kitchen. Not exactly the glamorous side of entrepreneurship.

The truth is, it just wasn’t the product I wanted to put out into the world. It was tasty, sure, but it wasn’t something I actually used in my own life. After that, I swore off the food business entirely. If you don’t know, food is a passion business—it’s hard work, and it’s vulnerable.

But with PlantChi, it’s different. It’s not just a product; it’s how I nourish myself every day. And I really believe in nourishing people—not just with food, but with something that feels good, supports their values, and makes life a little easier. I couldn’t not bring it to the world. It feels less like a business and more like sharing something I love with people who get it.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about PlantChi?
PlantChi is my middle finger to processed food, a love letter to nature, and an open invitation to embrace what’s real. What sets us apart? I’m not here to sell you some “miracle” product or convince you to change your whole life. It’s not a wellness hack, and you don’t need to overhaul your diet to make it work. PlantChi is for people who just want to feel good without making it a big deal.

Honestly, I’ve never been one to commit to a strict diet. There’s just too much good food to experience in life. And who needs the shame spiral when you don’t stick to some rigid plan? Not me. Plus, the crazy list of ingredients people are sneaking into food these days—I’m over it. I just want to eat real food.

Superseeds aren’t revolutionary. They’ve been around forever, doing their thing—tiny, nutrient-dense, packed with good stuff. PlantChi just makes it easy to get them into your life without overthinking it. What I’m most proud of is that PlantChi isn’t just a product—it’s a mindset. It’s about trusting that real food is enough, that nourishing yourself doesn’t have to be complicated, and that eating your values can feel easy and natural. That’s all I really want to share with people.

What makes you happy?
Honestly, good food shared with good people. It’s the ultimate nourishment. I have this supper club with friends that I swear is the best restaurant in Boulder. The skills my friends have in the kitchen? James Beard should give us an award. We get together, we laugh, we break bread—that’s what life is about, right?

Oh, and puppy snuggles with my dog, Jeronimo. He’s an angel disguised as a dog. Nothing beats that.

Pricing:

• Cheese Tease – 16.92
• The Nude Blend – 16.92
• Umami Wave – 16.92
• Sweet Ritual – 16.92

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.plantchi.life/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantchi.life
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/plantchi/