hen Maple Grove alumnus Ben Zaver graduated from college during the pandemic shutdown, he didn’t know it would give him plenty of time to pursue a business dream opportunity.
Born and raised in Plymouth, he attended elementary and middle school in Maple Grove and then went on to graduate from Maple Grove Senior High School.
In May 2020, Zaver graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a degree in mechanical engineering. “I was at a job interview in Arizona during spring break when COVID hit and I finished college online back home in Plymouth,” he said.
The pandemic forced him to stay at home, but this allowed Zaver to start his own protein company. His company, SEEQ, started with a basic idea.
“I always hated the taste and texture of the typical thick and milky protein shakes and thought there had to be a better option,” he said.
Zaver did some research and found a manufacturer that invented an ingredient that was able to make the consistency of protein shakes more like a juice. “This allowed us to make refreshing fruity flavors like strawberry and mango pineapple possible,” he said. “[The] fruity flavors are a lot more refreshing after a workout and don’t leave you feeling bloated. We like to think we make protein shakes that people actually look forward to drinking.”
During the pandemic quarantine, Zaver said he had a lot of time on his hands and spent a lot of it doing research and networking as well as learning some programming, website development, packaging and all kinds of other things that go into starting a product.
“After we found the right [manufacturer], I subjected my friends and family to hundreds of taste tests until we got the flavors and consistency just right,” he said. “There was a lot of trial and error. That just led me to do a lot more of that type of things on my own.”
His parents Steve and Kate said COVID changed everyone’s plans. “That’s what I call a silver lining,” Kate Zaver said. “So many nights of family walks, movie nights and home projects were great, but I knew Ben would get bored after graduating from college. He had been thinking of this protein idea and once he shared his vision, it was on.”
They said it was hard to watch him struggle during setbacks, but Zaver’s optimism and kept him forging ahead.