Goodbye to a beloved hummus brand

What’s happening: Roots has been winding down its business for months. Over the summer, the company began selling off its equipment and leasing its production facility, the Asheville Citizen-Times reported.

The sale stems from a judge’s order in June that Roots and its owner James Matthew Parris pay a creditor more than $2.6 million for uncollected loans, interest and other costs, per the Citizen-Times.

Why it matters: Roots was a small North Carolina business with humble beginnings that grew into a beloved brand with a cult-like following.

• Up until earlier this year, you’d find its products on grocery shelves all over the Charlotte region, including at Harris Teeters.
• The brand was known for its vegan, preservative-free hummus in flavors ranging from traditional to coconut Thai curry to mango sriracha.

Flashback: Parris founded Roots in the storage room of a small cafe in West Asheville in 2006, WLOS reported.

• From there, Parris launched a small takeout business. Eventually, as Asheville Watchdog wrote, he started focusing on hummus, and the business took off.
• The company began selling its hummus all over the Carolinas, from Ingles to Whole Foods stores. In 2018, Roots moved into a 27,000-square-foot space at the Highland Brewing property.

It’s unclear what’s next for Parris. He did not respond to a request for comment.