Alumni Spotlight: Charlie Mayeaux '17

Ragin’ Cajuns Graduate Starts Own Peanut Butter Business

Charlie Mayeux ‘17 has taken his love of peanut butter to the next level. This young entrepreneur is the current owner and operator of Charlie and The Peanut Butter Factory, a health food business that sells his unique creation: Power Poppers. This protein-rich, peanut butter based snack is a cross between a protein bar and an energy snack. Each Power Popper is handmade and contains 14 superfoods in every serving. With only 2 grams of sugar and 10 grams of protein, these snacks are perfect for eliminating hunger between meals and give you plenty of energy throughout the day. Not to mention, there are over 15 decadent flavors ranging from birthday cake to snickerdoodle to satisfy any sweet tooth. Charlie is currently paving his way to be the king of peanut butter, but a year ago he would’ve never dreamed this is where his journey would take him.

Charlie graduated from UL Lafayette in 2017 with a degree in athletic training. As an undergraduate trainer, he got the opportunity to work with several UL Lafayette sports teams including football and basketball. “I learned about working hard and staying dedicated,” said Charlie. Because of his busy schedule, Charlie started making these peanut butter treats just for himself. Peanut butter was one of his favorite foods, and he wanted to find a way to turn it into a healthy and nutritious snack for when he was on the go.  Slowly, his friends and family began to ask if he could make these tasty treats for them as well and the Power Popper was born.

After graduation, Charlie initially had plans to attend physical therapy school in Austin, Texas. However, his peanut butter business was picking up. He decided to take some advice from the owners of Planet Nutrition, a local health store where he worked during college. They advised him to use the summer before he would begin physical therapy school to try selling his Power Poppers at the Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market. He could then make a decision about whether he wanted to pursue this business further. After a summer filled with lots of hard work, he made the decision to decline his offer to physical therapy school and pursue selling his Power Poppers full time.

Now that his company is on its feet, Charlie definitely sees the business growing. “I would love to go onto a show such as Shark Tank or possibly move into stores like Whole Foods,” said Charlie. He even has ideas for expanding his product line to savory flavors of Power Poppers and ice cream! His biggest piece of advice for future and current students is to know that plans can change. “I never thought I would own a business,” said Charlie. Charlie is a true testament that with hard work, Ragin’ Cajun spirit, and a little bit of peanut butter, anything is possible.

Photo: (Left) Mayeaux shows off his Birthday Cake flavored Power Popper. (Right) Charlie Mayeaux '17, owner and operator of Charlie and The Peanut Butter Factory