Background
The Instead Company is a design-driven food venture that began as a passion project for founder and owner, Gamal Prather.
Visually, The Instead Company is guided by modernist design principles highlighted by streamlined, bold graphic elements which emphasize and reinforce the transparency with which we operate. After formalizing the brand ethos and its visual identity, The Instead Company swiftly evolved into a sought-after premium brand of wellness-oriented food products.
Philosophically, our nose is toward the most-future-forward and we endeavor daily to create value for humanity and the planet by way of our business practices. As such, a goal we have set for The Instead Company is to become a certified B Corporation. If you want to learn more about B Corporations and the wonderful work they do, check out this short video.
VISION
A world where all humans are plant-based.
MISSION
To use Design to facilitate engaging, compelling discussions about our relationship to food.
The Food\Design Academy (Coming soon!)
Our children are a precious resource that is often nurtured and educated with antiquated methods. To help change this, The Food\Design Academy is a hands-on program for youngsters intended to inspire kids to become makers, creators, problem-solvers, and entrepreneurs by exposing them to their inner-tinkerer, -designer, -engineer, -musician, -scientist...
Regardless of what these youngsters pursue later in life, The Instead Company believes that any pursuit can be made more vibrant, rewarding and meaningful by approaching it as a maker.
By teaching the value of goal-setting, planning, diligent practice, frequent iteration - and ultimately the value of creating a balanced posture of self-determination - we can experientially demonstrate to young people that they are capable beings who are innately well-suited to collaborating toward a common goal.
FOUNDER
Responsible for all of this is Gamal Prather, a plant-based mechanical engineer, industrial designer and concept artist residing in Los Angeles. Gamal is indebted to his mother, Phyllis, who encouraged him to help decorate holiday cookies as a boy and taught him the basics of baking throughout his childhood.
He proudly carries the sweet potato pie-making torch given to him by his late grandmother, Rosa Crew, who was definitely not vegan. As Gamal transitioned to living a plant-based lifestyle, he adapted her recipe to accommodate the needs of other vegans as well as the gluten-free community.
Gamal can be found walking his terrier hybrid L.E.O. around Santa Monica, playing ping pong against anyone bold enough to palm a paddle or performing free-written poetry at open mics around Los Angeles.
FUTURE
More than a cookie company or a purveyor of baked goods, The Instead Company is a food company, which means we're actively developing other types of tasty vittles, both savory and sweet.
If you're like us, eating something healthy and delicious can seriously make your day better.
Eventually, we'd love for The Instead Company to become part of your everyday - dare we say, your "forever-ever".