Ilona Kossoff has been interested in meaningful nutrition since her early twenties. An avid student of how nutrition can optimize health, Ilona is a certified yoga instructor and loves the bountiful nature of the vegetable world. A highly creative person, Ilona found after a decades-long search, an outlet for her creativity and a purposeful pursuit of nutrition in the kitchen. Inspired by early morning farmer’s markets, the Cornell University Healthy Living Program, and reading books by leaders in the field of nutrition, 18 Chestnuts was Ilona’s creative epiphany.
Woman owned, purpose driven 18 Chestnuts creates shelf stable, blended, plant-based soups in Asheville, NC. A “local first” brand, 18 Chestnuts works with local and regional farmers for many of their soup ingredients, keeping community and sustainability at the forefront. They support local Asheville charities such as the Asheville Poverty Initiative and Black Mountain Childrens Home, 100% of their packaging is recyclable and compostable, and they even compost all their production waste.
Ilona wants to share what she has learned and provide everyone with an opportunity to enjoy and love her soups as much as she does.