BYU student and CrossFitter Sterling Jones has launched JOJO’s, a Paleo-friendly, gluten-free dark chocolate bark company that promises to help curb sugar cravings.
The Jones family was inspired by a body builder who shed 50 pounds on the Paleo diet endorsed by CrossFit. He claimed cutting processed sugars out of his diet and indulging only in dark chocolate completely satisfied his sugar cravings.
Sterling Jones is the founder of JOJO’s, but both the name and the dark chocolate product originate with his mother, Jodie Jones. As a mother of four in Mesa, Ariz., she created a customized recipe of 70 percent cocoa dark chocolate bark that includes almonds, pistachios, cranberries and whey protein.
Her main motivation was to create a healthy snack to cure her cravings as she endured chemotherapy to treat her breast cancer.
“It has given us something to work on together and keep us close,” Sterling Jones said. “She is a champion.”
Jodie Jones makes the chocolate bark in her kitchen in Arizona and sends it to Sterling Jones, who sells it at five CrossFit gyms, a women’s studio called Karve and on Jodie Jones’ website. Sterling Jones plans to partner with bigger gyms such as Gold’s Gym in the the near future.
Jodie Jones still has lymphoma in her arm, but she doesn’t let it slow her down. In fact, a few weeks ago she underwent surgery on a Tuesday; the day before that she made 100 servings of JOJO’s, and by Thursday she made 200 more servings of the chocolate bark.
“It helps keep her mind off of things,” Sterling Jones said.
The Jones family is passionate about helping CrossFitters, body builders, healthy eaters and chocolate lovers find balance in diet and reach fitness goals.
“After six months on the Paleo diet I never felt satisfied after a meal; I always wanted something else to satisfy my craving, but there were no yummy healthy options,” Sterling Jones said. “This bark had everything I was looking for in a healthy, great-tasting snack.”
A trial for the Jones family inspired JOJO’s, but it has now offered hundreds of people a healthy dessert alternative.
Reviews have been positive. “How can something so delicious be good for you?” a reviewer wrote for healthandmed.com.
“The coolest part is that the dark chocolate, cranberries and nuts have anti-cancer properties,” Sterling Jones said. “So JoJo herself is curing the craving while trying to fight cancer.”
The Jones’ family company blog is at jojoschocolate.com.
