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Harvard Alum Creates New Healthy Snack

Once frustrated with the selection of food in Harvard dining halls, Thong Q. Le '98 has found the solution for his Harvard brethren and a legacy for himself: Frugi.

As president of his new company MiniMeals, Le created this new take on fruit pies. He touts the Frugi as a snack with "less fat, less sugar, more real fruit, a great source of protein, and most importantly, they're ready-to-eat!"

Le was first driven to his creation of Frugi (pronounced "froo-jee") as a senior tinkering in the Adams House kitchen. After poring over several flavors of fruit pie and seeking advice from Michael Miller, executive chef at Harvard Dining Services, Le unveiled his product.

When it came time to name the product, all it took was a trip to the dictionary, according to Palmer Douglas Bailey, CEO of MiniMeals and a director of Capital Management Consulting.

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"A 'frugivor' is a person who eats fruit," said Bailey. "We never heard the word, but after shortening and test-marketing it with over 75 other names, we knew that when you hear 'Frugi' you think 'fruity.'"

Frugi has 3.5 grams of fat, 10 grams of protein, and 220 calories.

The Harvard Coop Cafe is currently the exclusive carrier of Frugi. It's already a success with customers there, according to Duarte Vieira, systems manager for the Harvard Coop.

"We sell a good percentage of the product and this is already with little name recognition," Vieira said.

Customers at the Harvard Coop are eating up Le's idea for a nutritious treat in flavors like apple and cherry.

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