When Catherine and JJ Jaxon of Buckhead were faced with finding solutions to help their young daughter live with nut allergies, they turned to an expert. After years of research and trials, together with the world-renowned pediatric allergist, Dr. Gideon Lack they launched a new product, Proactive Peanut Puffs. Dr. Lack's landmark research was the first proof that early peanut introduction could prevent peanut allergies and served as the basis for the new medical guidelines.
“We're on a mission to help end the food allergy epidemic by making it easy and enjoyable for parents to follow the new guidelines,” says Catherine. The USDA released their 2020 Dietary Guidelines, which (for the first time) addresses infant health and recommend peanut introduction in the first year of life to help prevent peanut allergies. This is big news, and adds to the growing number of organizations (including the American Academy of Pediatrics and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) that now recommend peanut introduction in infancy to prevent peanut allergies. This study only comes out every five years and dictates what much of the country eats, serving as the cornerstone for federal nutrition programs and policies. However, despite the massive change in guidelines, there are still very few options for consumers who want to incorporate these recommendations in their children's diets to help prevent food allergies. We sat down with Catherine,
BHL: When did you move to Buckhead and why is it a good place for you to base your business?
CJ: We moved to Buckhead in 2012, after spending nearly 15 years in New York City. I grew up in Buckhead and JJ is also from the South, so we were eager to return and raise our children closer to family. The best part about starting a business here has been the strong community of entrepreneurs, willing to share ideas and advice, and there are also so many great organizations dedicated to supporting start-ups, like Plywood People, Switchyards and Atlanta Tech Village.
BHL: Family is number one for you and JJ. What are your family's favorite spots for carryout dining, picnicking in the park around Buckhead?
CJ: We’ve been doing lots of takeout during quarantine - Superica and Crispina are two of our favorites. We also love Antico Pizza and Pero's. I especially love that Pero's has been a part of Buckhead for so many years. I used to eat there with my family when I was little and nothing has changed (except the name, which used to be Gigi's). We like to take the kids on picnics and walk the trails around Westminster and they have a ball splashing in Nancy Creek!
BHL: What’s next for Mission MightyMe?
In April we launched our first product, Proactive Peanut Puffs, available on our site and Amazon. The response from parents and kids has been great! Our next product is a tree nut puff that includes all the nuts. And we have more products in the works! Our oldest daughter has food allergies, so we are passionate about helping other families avoid them. Our mission is to help end the growing food allergy epidemic that impacts 1 in 13 children today.