Meet The Team 2019

Marianne Lacko

Marianne is the co-founder of Nature’s Plate.  Since the beginning, she has been focused on the baking aspect of the business.  She may be a little obsessed with creating healthier versions of baked goods that everyone can enjoy (those of us who work in our kitchen every day definitely enjoy them).

Marianne left her position as VP in Information Technology at Goldman Sachs to help run Nature’s Plate full time in March of 2016.  After 20+ years in the corporate world, it was a huge adjustment!  She and Annette have used their business experience to grow Nature’s Plate.

Marianne now splits her time between growing the business, managing the daily operations, developing new products, and marketing… she and Annette pretty much do anything and everything that needs to be done, but the team is growing and we’ve got more help every day!

Q&A

What drew you to Nature’s Plate?  Annette and I have been eating plant-based for about 20 years, and I’ve been excited about it throughout that time period.  As I’ve learned more, I have moved into plant-based whole food which currently makes up most of my diet. I love all of the aspects of eating this way – it’s cruelty-free, so much better for the planet, and has huge health benefits. And add to that, being able to share this with people on a daily basis through Nature’s Plate -- what’s not to love??

What is your personal food philosophy? I eat plant-based (vegan) all of the time, and I eat healthy, unprocessed food 90-95% of the time.  I love to run and work-out, and I want to be able to do that for the rest of my life. I also want to be active and healthy for as long as I can for my daughter – she’s only 9, and I’m turning 50 so I want to do everything I can to be a part of her life for as long as possible.

What is your favorite part of your job? I love hearing other people’s stories about how our food and/or plant-based eating in general has impacted them in a positive way. How they feel better or have been able to stop taking some medication or even just that their fitness has improved – it’s awesome!

What is your favorite dish/entrée at Nature’s Plate?  Right now, I’m kind of obsessed with the Untuna. I love it and there are so many ways to eat it! Salads, wraps, sandwiches – it’s so yummy!

What is your favorite dessert at Nature’s Plate? I love the chocolate-frosted peanut butter bars and the carrot cake cookies – for very different reasons. The bar is super decadent and the cookie is more like a snack – it’s free of added oil and is loaded with carrots.

What do you like to do in your spare time? Well, as I said before, I love to run and work out – so between that and spending time with my daughter, husband, and grown son, that’s pretty much it. I’m really lucky that my son’s fiancée, Heather, works with us so I get to see her all the time! I also truly love working with my sister, Annette. We have been best friends for most of our lives, so it’s so nice to get to do this together. She’s also the hardest working and most productive person I have ever met, and that’s pretty amazing to be around!