A new zero-carb, high-protein pizza crust is reaching grocery store shelves across Central Indiana. ZeroCarb Lyfe is storming into the Indianapolis market with innovative products that appeal to consumers with food allergies or who are health conscious. 

Omar Atia, co-founder of ZeroCarb Lyfe, says it all started when his fellow co-founder Mohamed Aly invented new foods to accommodate his food allergies. Atia quickly got the idea to work with Aly to create the world’s first zero-carb, high-protein pizza crust. 

With a degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University, Atia worked quickly to develop a patented process that uses proteins from chicken breasts to create a flavorful pizza crust that mimics the real thing. He developed a process that keeps the texture of a regular pizza slice without adding anything to the chicken protein. 

Atia says his product stands out from other zero-carb options because ZeroCarb Lyfe makes their products (pizza crust, chips, taco shells) without adding a binder, which usually helps hold the crust together. But it is in that binder where additives introduce carbs to the food product.    

It took the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to get the pair to focus full-time efforts on developing and producing their unique product. 

After launching and finding shelf space to sell their pizza crust, Atia said his company was introduced to yet another hurdle when a bird flu epidemic wiped out chicken populations across the globe. “That obviously impacted our business quite a bit,” he says. But Atia revels in conquering those hurdles and relishes the chance to overcome business problems you don’t always see coming. 

When it came to landing the distribution deal in Central Indiana, ZeroCarb Lyfe found a partner in local Fresh Thyme grocery stores. Atia said the key to landing the coveted shelf space was keeping his distributors and retailers happy. 

He also says it’s important for business owners to remember how critical it is to scale your organization properly. Too much growth too soon could result in a business being unable to keep store shelves stocked, resulting in unhappy retailers. In retail, shelf space is valuable real estate, and space in the frozen food section is even more coveted.  

ZeroCarb Lyfe products can also be found in Sprouts Farmers Markets in the western half of the United States and Mariano’s grocery stores in the Chicago area. In addition, Atia says Fresh Thyme is reviewing ZeroCarb Lyfe products in preparation for distribution in all its stores nationwide.  

To learn more, visit https://zerocarblyfe.com.