[ All photos courtesy of Nasha Lending ]
“From selling crack to selling cakes”
Chancey Lindsey-Peak began one of Greenville’s most notable culinary startups – Banana Manna – in 2008. And the aromas from her banana breads continue to lure in customers on Saturday mornings at the downtown market.
But her road to success was full of downward spirals and lost faith.
In 1994, Lindsey-Peak retired as a surgical nurse from St. Francis Hospital. She then divorced her husband and lost her house. Lindsey-Peak soon began using and selling crack cocaine in 1996. It landed her in jail, and she was released in 1998.
“It (jail) led me to a personal relationship with God. I understand now that unless you go through the fire, God can’t use you,” she said. “I was told so many times that I wouldn’t last on the outside. But I was determined to prove them wrong.”
In 1999, Lindsey-Peak began working for her brother. Then she became a nanny for a Greenville family in 2001. It was a steady job. In 2008, Lindsey-Peak was told to make banana bread for the family. It was the beginning of a business.
“The bread turned out good. But I knew I could make it better,” Lindsey-Peak said.
She experimented with recipes and concocted her own banana bread. Lindsey-Peak then started feeding it to the family and their neighbors. It was a hit, and she decided to start her own business. Lindsey-Peak named it “Banana Manna” as a Biblical reference to the edible substance (manna) God provided to the Israelites after their escape from Egypt.
Lindsey-Peak then applied for and was awarded a Dream Catcher grant through Greenville’s Young Women’s Christian Association in 2009. The grant allowed her to buy equipment, ingredients and rent a DHEC-certified kitchen on South Academy St.
After months of selling her breads at the Simpsonville and Pickens farmers markets, Lindsey-Peak was contacted by BI-LO. The grocery store wanted her banana breads.
However, didn’t have nutritional information or pricing labels for her breads. So she reached out to Nasha Lending, a Greenville-based program that issues microloans to under resourced entrepneuers. In 2010, she received a loan of $1,800 and used it to purchase pricing labels and nutritional information from Clemson University.
Lindsey-Peak was then informed that BI-LO was relocating its headquarters to Florida, causing the deal to fall through. But despite her struggles, Lindsey-Peak continued to be successful. In 2011, she was awarded a space at the TD Saturday Market.
“The market led to an explosion of business. But I owe it all to God, because he redirected my life. I went from selling crack to selling cakes,” Lindsey-Peak said.
In 2013, Lindsey-Peak had earned enough profits to open her own kitchen just off Wade Hampton Boulevard. It led to increased orders and more products. Now, Lindsey-Peak sells 15 varieties of banana bread and also makes custom cakes and cupcakes.
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As her selection of baked goods continued to grow, Lindsey-Peak realized she needed another outlet for sales. She opened an online store in 2014. It only brought more success. National Geographic Traveling Magazine and Southern Living Magazine highlighted Banana Manna in 2015. And now, Lindsey-Peak wants to expand.
“I’m not sure when it’s going to happen, but I’m talking to Whole Foods right now. I really think my breads could do well in organic stores. So that’s the direction I’m heading. But for now, you can find my breads at Swamp Rabbit Café,” she said.
For more information: http://www.bananamanna.com
