Mother and daughter launch healthy snack company in Locust Point

Nancy Becker and Bridget Greaney are rewriting the recipe for healthy snacks from their kitchen in Locust Point.

The mother-daughter team recently launched 2Betties, a snack startup that offers mini-doughnut-shaped "rounds" without grains, dairy or added sugars. With three flavors, 2Betties is on a mission to provide a healthier alternative to other bars and snacks on the market.

"We didn't see in the marketplace the snacks that we wanted to be eating when we were on the go," Greaney said. "A lot of the snacks out there are kind of [disguised] as being healthy and aren't actually healthful. … You can't take a chocolate chip cookie and turn it gluten-free and dairy-free and call it healthy."

2Betties was born after Greaney graduated from college and Becker left her longtime job in publishing. Greaney, 24, spent time experimenting with healthy snack recipes during her college years. After receiving positive feedback from Becker, her colleagues and friends, they decided to take their recipe to the public.

"We just thought 'If it's good for us, it's got to be good for other people,'" Becker, 57, said.

The mother-daughter team worked with Baltimore chef Chris Amendola to hone their recipes, and they spent a year perfecting the baked goods before moving into Share Kitchen in Locust Point last October. They officially launched the brand in January.

2Betties' treats use a base of almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, honey and maple syrup with added flavors and spices.

But Greaney and Becker said they want to reach customers beyond those with gluten, grain and dairy sensitivities.

"It's really just us searching for the most healthful way to approach food and food choices," Greaney said. "To eat gluten-free, like it doesn't need to have that stigma."

The snack maker currently offers three flavors of rounds — chocolate chunk, maple cinnamon and vanilla bean — and plans to add more soon. Jeremy Bagley serves as the baker for 2Betties, and he said he's been experimenting with new flavors like mocha chocolate chip, banana and Old Bay.