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1Own brand (Once Again — organic nut & seed butters)
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Democratic employee ownership: 1 person = 1 vote, 7:1 pay ratio
Once Again runs as a hybrid co-op/ESOP with strong democratic governance. Each employee-owner gets one vote on shareholder issues regardless of shares held. At least three employee-owners sit on the Board; monthly company meetings cover policy, operations, and finances. The company caps the compensation ratio at 7:1 (highest to lowest paid). Employees join the ESOP after one year and are fully vested after six years. A formal Decision Making System gives workers a say in dozens of company decisions.
Once Again is a Certified B Corporation and produces organic and natural nut and seed butters (peanut, almond, sunflower, cashew, tahini) with USDA Organic, Kosher, and Non-GMO certifications. The company's "Honest In Trade" program emphasizes fair and transparent sourcing. Products are sold at major retailers including Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.
NEXTY Award finalist for Chocolate & Peanut Butter Graham Sandwiches
Once Again was named a NEXTY Award finalist in the Sweet Snacks & Desserts category for its Chocolate & Peanut Butter Graham Sandwiches, chosen from nearly 1,000 submissions. The product is handcrafted in small batches with 5g plant protein and fiber per serving.
Mindful Awards Nut Butter Product of the Year; gluten-free graham launch
Once Again won the Mindful Awards Nut Butter Product of the Year, recognized for transparent, ethical, and sustainable practices. In September 2024 the company launched certified organic, gluten-free graham crackers in cinnamon, honey, and chocolate varieties, expanding beyond nut butters into snacks.
California Proposition 65 notice: acrylamide in nut butters
The Center for Food Safety sent Once Again a 60-day notice of violation of California's Proposition 65, alleging that four products—Creamy Roasted Almond Butter, Sunflower Seed Butter, Crunchy No-Stir Butter, and Crunchy Roasted Almond Butter—exposed consumers to acrylamide (listed by California as causing cancer and reproductive toxicity) without the required warnings. The notice stated intent to file a citizen enforcement action unless the company reformulated, paid civil penalties, or provided warnings to eligible California purchasers. Acrylamide can form in roasted nuts and other foods during high-heat processing.
Good Housekeeping Healthy Snack Award for Sunflower Seed Butter Grahams
Once Again's Sunflower Seed Butter Graham Cracker Sandwiches won Good Housekeeping's Healthy Snack Award, recognizing the product in the better-for-you snack category.
Jubilee House partnership: community support in Nicaragua
Once Again has supported Jubilee House, a charity outside Managua, Nicaragua, since the 1980s, helping fund educational, social, and medical programs. The company's fair-trade and Honest In Trade approach includes working with co-ops in developing countries and supporting small domestic farms so growers receive fair wages.
Once Again's success as a long-standing employee-owned company was cited when Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced federal legislation in 2018 to support and expand employee ownership. The company's democratic ESOP model has been held up as an example in policy discussions on worker ownership.
Once Again opened a $13 million, 37,000-square-foot dedicated peanut butter production plant in Nunda, adjacent to its existing facility. The expansion created 15 new jobs and retained 67 employees; the original plant refocused on cashews, almonds, honey, and other products. That year Once Again was ranked the #1 selling organic nut butter brand by SPINS. The company also does co-manufacturing for other brands.
Employee-owners vote to build dedicated peanut facility
The decision to build a dedicated peanut-processing plant required a company-wide vote of employee-owners. Workers approved the investment, which led to the 2016 opening of the $13 million, 37,000 sq ft facility. Major capital decisions are made democratically by the worker-owners.
Once Again Nut Butter became fully employee-owned through its ESOP. The transition completed a path that had begun with the founders' commitment to worker ownership; the company's structure later helped inspire federal legislation supporting employee ownership (2018).
Once Again moved from an 800-square-foot basement in the Rochester area to its current location in Nunda, New York. The move supported growth as the company expanded from peanut butter into almond, cashew, sunflower, and tahini products and built its identity as an employee-owned organic nut butter maker.
Jeremy Thaler and Constance Potter found Once Again
Jeremy Thaler and Constance Potter (Jeremy and Connie) met at a co-op in Madison, Wisconsin, and founded Once Again in 1976. They used a barrel roaster—originally for granola at their whole-grain bakery in Rochester, NY—to make old-fashioned peanut butter. The name came from friends saying they were "at it once again." The business started in an 800-square-foot basement with a focus on organic and natural nut butters without preservatives or artificial flavors. The company has been employee-owned from early on and grew into nationwide distribution.
