NEW YORK — A former beauty industry executive has created a collection of plant-based baking mixes that are free from the top nine allergens and formulated with sustainably produced ingredients.  

Following a nearly two-decade career in marketing and product development at some of the largest skincare and cosmetics brands, Kimberle Lau founded Bake Me Healthy to provide more options in the marketplace for consumers with food allergies. She previously had developed intolerances to dairy and eggs during pregnancy, and she was advised to eliminate soy from her diet on the heels of a health scare.

“I’ve always had this passion for baking, and I wanted baking to be inclusive,” Ms. Lau said. “It’s not fair to those who have intolerances and allergies. It’s not like we asked for it.”

She debuted the products online earlier this year. The lineup has since rolled out to Pop Up Grocer and several specialty shops throughout New York. Bake Me Healthy mixes are sweetened with organic coconut sugar and contain a blend of sweet rice flour, millet flour and tapioca flour.

The dark chocolate fudgy brownie mix features coffee cherry flour, made from the husk of the coffee bean that is typically discarded. The banana bread and muffin mix incorporates surplus or irregular bananas that were dehydrated, ground and milled into a powder. The oatmeal pancake and waffle mix includes sunflower protein flour, made from the leftover protein-rich pulp of sunflower oil production, plus organic whole oat flour.

All three products are Upcycled Certified by the Upcycled Foods Association.

“I’ve always loved ingredients, always been on the hunt for the fountain of youth and finding cool new innovative ingredients that have been used around the world, as well as natural, clean ingredients that are efficacious,” she said. “That fascination with ingredients has permeated from beauty to baking.”

Ms. Lau finalized the recipes in partnership with Drexel Food Lab at Drexel University in Philadelphia, overcoming various taste and texture challenges along the way. Sustainability is central to the mission of the brand. The mixes are packaged in pouches made with post-consumer resin, and a percentage of sales are donated to 1% for the Planet, Ms. Lau said.

“The long-term goal is to be the healthy, sustainable Betty Crocker,” Ms. Lau said. “That’s on my vision board.”

She noted several specialty brands such as Simple Mills and Pamela’s market gluten-free mixes but use ingredients such as almond flour, milk or soy, adding, “I didn’t see anyone who was truly going after top nine allergen-free.”

Beyond baking mixes, the brand may expand into additional categories such as packaged cookies and muffins, she said, adding, “Innovation is my love language. If I could create products all day, I would.”

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