About

Why "íto"?

-íto is the ending in Spanish that makes something small and cute.
What better name for these bite-sized morsels of wholesome goodness? :)

What's the story here?

íto is a passion project -> side hustle -> can this be a real thing?

Passion Project

It all started in 2023 when I was spending waaay too much money on Rx bars trying to fuel myself through business school and marathon training. I had downtime after graduating and started tinkering with making my own, healthier version ("natural ingredients" in Rx can be a host of things).

In 2024, I suddenly developed an unknown GI issue that led me to do a grueling Low FODMAP + Whole 30 elimination diet. Unfortunately it didn't provide answers, but it did make me extremely aware of everything I put in my body. I figured if a 100% natural and easy-to-digest diet was still problematic, why would I add fake ingredients and things that are hard to digest to my poorly functioning system? 

I've since banned products with words I can't pronounce from my shopping cart. It's crazy how many products contain xanthan gum and stevia leaf (I know the science debates this one, but since it's not conclusively ok, I don't want to risk it building up in my body)!!

With fewer options of on-the-go fuel, and one too many smushed bananas in my bags, I turned to my passion project in full force to help get me through life. 

Side Hustle

By 2025, I'd given my bars to enough friends and family who planted the seeds with phrases like "you could do something with this!"

Living in Denver, Colorado at this point meant I spent a lot of my free time running, biking, skiing... and making my bars. I found myself cutting them into smaller and smaller pieces. When I brought bite-sized samples to run club with the intent to get more feedback, I was blown away at the positive responses and reflections of "this would be perfect while on a trail run!"

So here we are, making íto in my kitchen at home, trying to build this website, going to local Denver-area run clubs, and seeing where this goes!

~ Since this is a scrappy startup, be prepared for things to randomly change, like shipping packaging or sticker sizes based on the best deals! High quality ingredients that I feel confident putting into my own body will never change. ~
~~ I would also love to hear your thoughts on changes. What's working better? What became a pain point? What do you want to see changed? Please drop me a note at hello@itokitchen.com ~~

Real Thing?

TBD what 2026 has in store! Please check back as hopefully this scales and justifies enough volume to introduce more flavors! And the website will get better... and social media might be a thing...