Back in 2017, I had the idea to start a community bike ride in Boulder, Colorado. The goal was to raise funds for various charitable causes each month, with each participant contributing $20.00. Unfortunately, the initial turnout was less than stellar, with only a dozen riders for the first ride and just one for the next.

Being new to the area and not knowing many people certainly didn't help. I realized that I needed something unique and appealing to boost attendance. After all, the aim was to collect hundreds of dollars each month, not just a single $20.00 note.

Drawing on my past experiences as a professional cyclist, I contemplated on what could entice local club riders to join our event.

"How about offering Liège wafels along with our pre-ride coffee?" I thought.

The Belgian cycling tradition is quite strong, and their Spring Classics are akin to the charitable rides I was trying to organize. I remembered how these wafels were a delightful change from the usual energy bars during my cycling days.

Liège wafels seemed like the perfect choice. They were a novelty in the States, had a strong connection to cycling, and provided a tasty source of natural energy.

My roommate and I decided to make our first batch of Liège wafels for the upcoming ride. We tweaked the 18th-century recipe a bit and with each subsequent ride, we saw an increase in participation and donations to local charities. By the fifth month, we had over 60 riders joining us for what we now called the "Supertraining ride", where we served our Liège wafels at every event.

Our wafels were such a hit that some riders even asked if they could purchase them. We decided to offer the wafels on a pay-what-you-want basis, continually refining the recipe, and delivering them freshly wrapped in parchment paper around town.

Curious about how our plant-based versions would be received, we conducted blind tests with our handmade "A" and "B" batches. To our surprise, customers either couldn't tell the difference or actually preferred the vegan versions made with flaxseed instead of eggs. Gluten free has different ingredients see individual product ingredient list.

Thus, the Original Liège Vafels recipe was born. Unlike the traditional Liège wafel, these Vafels had 40% less fat, ensuring they could be easily digested and would not leave you feeling sluggish. The goal was for Vafels to energize you, not make you feel lethargic.

After some persuasion, local coffee shops and outdoor gear stores agreed to stock our vegan Liège Vafels. By 2018, we were ready to move out of our home kitchen and began producing larger batches of 250 Vafels, compared to the initial small home batches of just 25 at a time.