Three Wishes

Three Wishes (also referred to as Three Wishes Cereal) is an American breakfast cereal brand launched in 2019 by husband-and-wife co-founders Ian and Margaret Wishingrad. Its cereals are made primarily from chickpea, tapioca and pea protein, are gluten-free and grain-free, and contain more protein and less sugar than most conventional cereals — typically 8g of protein, 3g of fiber and 3g of sugar per 35g serving, with an Unsweetened variety at zero grams of sugar. Products are certified non-GMO, vegan, kosher, and free from wheat, rice, corn, oats, dairy, soy and peanuts; sweetening comes from monk fruit extract and organic cane sugar rather than added dyes or artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

The initial lineup consisted of cinnamon, honey and unsweetened flavors, later expanded to include cocoa, vanilla frosted, fruity, strawberry, marshmallow and a Cotton Candy release, alongside adjacent products such as grain-free granola (including original, chocolate chip/chocolate almond and maple pecan variants) and chewy bars in flavors such as chocolate chip and s'mores. Cereal is sold in 8.6-ounce boxes as well as 6-packs and variety bundles. Packaging uses translucent plastic sack liners inside pastel cardboard boxes. The brand name refers to Ian, Margaret and their son, and also to the three product criteria the founders set: at least 8g of protein, no more than 3g of added sugar, and gluten-free status per serving.

Margaret Wishingrad serves as chief executive officer; Wikipedia describes Three Wishes as the first cereal company founded by a woman. Distribution has spanned natural and conventional grocery as well as e-commerce, and the brand's own site directs shoppers to both direct online purchase and a store locator.

Founding story

Margaret Wishingrad began seeking a cleaner cereal after her pediatrician recommended cereal as an introductory finger food for her first son, Ellis, and she found no product on the market she was comfortable feeding him or eating herself. She and her husband Ian, who had previously worked together at Ian's branding and advertising agency serving clients such as AT&T and Nestlé, saw a gap for a cereal combining childhood nostalgia with high protein, low sugar and gluten-free formulation. Development took roughly two to three years of testing with food scientists and manufacturers, tasting more than 100 recipes and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, with particular difficulty sourcing alternatives such as chickpea for protein and monk fruit for sweetness while avoiding a "cardboard" taste and retaining crunch. The couple initially self-financed the project before outside investors joined.

Business model

Three Wishes is a branded packaged-food (consumer packaged goods) business that develops recipes with food scientists and third-party manufacturers and sells finished cereal, granola and bar products through retail grocery chains, Amazon and its own direct-to-consumer online store.

Revenue comes from product sales of cereal, granola and chewy bars, sold in single 8.6-ounce boxes, 6-packs and variety bundles via retail partners, Amazon and direct e-commerce on the company's website.

Traction

Early retail placement included Sprouts Farmers Market, Wegmans, Whole Foods Market, about 150 natural and organic stores in New York, and Amazon, growing to roughly 600 stores by June 2020, with subsequent nationwide availability at retailers such as Target, Whole Foods and Amazon. The brand received third-party visibility including inclusion in Diane von Fürstenberg's Amazon International Women's Day collection in 2020 and a favorable 2019 Business Insider taste test.

Latest developments

The company's website promotes a Cotton Candy flavor launch and lists cereal and granola product lines, with a store locator for retail availability.