Hungry Monkey Baking brings its beloved banana bread to Jewel Food Stores

Lake Forest-based bakery Hungry Monkey Baking has partnered with Jewel Food Stores to bring its beloved banana bread to all of Chicagoland. Beginning in late October, shoppers can find Hungry Monkey’s mouth-watering banana bread on their local Jewel’s shelves.

Founded in 2010 by former CTA executive and avid home baker Cindy Kienzle, Hungry Monkey Baking has brought joy to Chicago-area residents with its delectable baked goods for over a decade. It all started when a friend suggested Kienzle sell her chocolate chip banana bread at a local charity event for special needs children.

Before long, Kienzle’s banana bread business was booming, and the baker-turned-entrepreneur was able to expand to local markets and grocery stores. “We started in farmers markets,” Kienzel reflects, “and three months later, we were in Sunset Foods.” 

The company now operates a factory bakeshop in the Kinzie industrial corridor and uses as many as 10,000 bananas per batch. As Hungry Monkey has expanded, so has its selection of delicious baked treats. The current lineup includes Hungry Monkey’s best-selling chocolate chip and original banana bread, a cinnamon apple streusel cake, a lemon tea cake, and a seasonal chocolate chip pumpkin bread.

According to the founder herself, Hungry Monkey’s banana breads are baked from scratch in small batches with all-natural ingredients. Kienzel notes that consumers can feel good about purchasing a Hungry Monkey treat knowing the baked goods don’t contain added preservatives or anything they can’t find in their kitchen.

As for Kienzel’s secret to the perfect banana bread? Avoiding dark, overripe bananas. “My big tip is if you’re gonna bake at home, try using spotted bananas,” says Kienzel.

Hungry Monkey banana bread will soon be available in all 188 Jewel Stores across Chicagoland. Additionally, shoppers can find Hungry Monkey treats at their local Sunset Foods store or The Grand Food Centers in Glencoe and Winnetka. Hungry Monkey goods are also available for delivery throughout Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin via Fresh Picks.

Although the bakery has branched out considerably, Hungry Monkey’s mission remains close to its roots. What started at a fundraiser for special needs children continues to be driven by the cause. 

According to Kienzel, her own daughter’s experiences as a special needs child are a motivating force behind her work with Hungry Monkey, encouraging her to continue investing in the business and bringing smiles to children across Chicagoland. “She’s not giving up, and neither am I,” says Kienzel.