News
News
FoodFutureCo News
The Good Food Movement: What It Is and How We Can Make a Difference Now for the Future of Food
Watch Shen’s interview with David Meltzer.
Startup accelerator invests in program graduates
Seal the Seasons has raised $2.5 million in a bridge to Series B convertible debt round led by FoodFutureCo (FFC).
The investment marks FFC’s second leading investment this year, as the scale-up accelerator also invested in Harvest Returns’ first outside seed round in early 2022. Sept 27, 2022. Read the article.
Crowdfunding platform Harvest Returns lands $2.5M round led by food-focused accelerator
New York-based food- and beverage-focused accelerator FoodFutureCo announced that it led a $2.5 million investment in Fort Worth’s Harvest Returns, a crowdfunding investment platform focused on agricultural technology and innovative practices, earlier this year. September 30, 2022. Read the article
Curious about the theory of change? Watch Shen’s TEDx talk on the Food Movement.
Foodable TV's Paul Barron discusses the future of the Food Industry with Shen Tong at the 2017 Fancy Food show. Watch “Shen Tong, Founder of Food Future Co, Predicts That Food Will Be More Readily Available in 2050” here.
Michael Moss, Pulitzer Prize Winner and #1 New York Times Bestseller, gives the keynote talk at FoodFutureCo’s Capstone celebration for Cohort 2. You can also watch the video on YouTube.
Program Director, Gigi Lee Chang, is profiled by Forbes as one of eight women leading the future of food. March 20th, 2017. Read the article.
FoodFutureCo's Managing Director, Gigi Lee Chang, is named one of the Consumer Industry's Top Dealmakers and Influencers of 2016 by Forbes and CircleUp. December 15th, 2016. Read the article.
Last December 10th, FoodFutureCo Founder Shen Tong joined a panel discussion on Why the Food Revolution Matters.
Gigi Lee Chang speaks to FoodTank in preparation for their 2017 Food Waste Summit, emphasizing the "the power of the purse" as a source for change. Read the article.
FoodFutureCo is named one of five incubators innovating food systems in New York City. Read the article.
Gigi Lee Chang gives BevNet Podcast the low-down on how FoodFutureCo supports mission-driven food businesses to scale up. Listen here.
Elaine Watson, editor of Food Navigator-USA, covers the announcement of FoodFutureCo's 2nd cohort and dives into FoodFutureCo's selection process. March 3rd, 2017. Read the article.
FoodNavigator-USA's editor profiles FoodFutureCo, and what differentiates our accelerator from others out there. December 23rd, 2016. Read the article.
AgFunder News features FoodFutureCo's 2nd cohort in its industry briefing. March 3rd, 2017. Read the article.
Our managing partner, Shen Tong, discusses the genesis of FoodFutureCo and his outlook on the future of food in an interview with AgFunderNews' editor Louisa Burwood-Taylor. December 12th, 2016. Read the article.
The podcast Why Food? features Shen Tong in its seventh, suitably named episode, "A Serial Investor Rooted In Nature." Host Patrick Mc Andrew explores the trajectory of Shen Tong's career and what brought him to food in the first place. October 27th, 2016. Listen to the podcast.
FoodFutureCo accepting applications for accelerator program
NEW YORK — FoodFutureCo is looking for mission-driven food and agriculture companies to join its upcoming accelerator program. The investment platform is accepting applications for its Cohort10 program through Sept. 30.
Now in its sixth year, FFC is a scale-up accelerator focused on post-revenue, early-stage startups across the food supply chain. It helps businesses with proof of concept and established market traction scale-up to the next stage, said Shen Tong, founder and managing partner. August 29, 2022. Read the article
Scale-up accelerator seeks mission-driven startups
NEW YORK — FoodFutureCo (FFC) is looking for mission-driven food and agriculture companies to join its upcoming accelerator program. The investment platform is accepting applications for its Cohort10 program through Sept. 30.
Now in its sixth year, FFC is a scale-up accelerator focused on post-revenue, early-stage startups across the food supply chain. August 22, 2022. Read the article
Portfolio Company News
How to Fund Your Dream Ranch
Harvest Returns founder Chris Rawley shares how outside investors are making a positive impact on the ag industry. Read the article.
Harvest Returns Reaches Milestone in Agriculture Investments
Harvest Returns, a well-known agriculture investment platform, has achieved a significant milestone by raising $30 million in funding across 50 farming, ranching, and agribusiness investment opportunities. Read the article.
Peelon Takes Fresh Produce Packaging to the Next Level with Peelon-Fresh
Peelon, a leading provider of innovative solutions for the fresh produce industry, is proud to introduce the launch of its groundbreaking shelf-life-extending, biodegradable bag, Peelon-Fresh. Read the article
Hanimune Therapeutics raises $3.3M, sets sights on first food allergy treatment product
Hanimune, a company dedicated to mitigating or preventing food allergies in children, has raised $3.3 million in equity financing.
Meenal Lele, founder and CEO of Hanimune, stated that the 7-year-old company intends to employ the funds to expand into a new area: treating individuals who already suffer from food allergies. Read the article.
Sophie's Kitchen's Breaded Vegan Shrimp is a winner of plant-based alternative products for fish in the list of alternative meat products published by Goop’s science and research team.
“Sophie’s Kitchen vegan fish was a pleasant surprise. Our favorite were the breaded shrimp. The texture was uncannily similar to the real deal, and the seaweed powder gives them that essence of the sea without being heavy-handed and fishy. They’re also gluten-free, and the rice powder breading was super crisp when we cooked them.” Read the article.
Trends to Watch Include DTC Plant-Based Brands
Harvest Returns CEO Chris Rawley talked about Vertical Farming as one of the three noteworthy trends for food producers and grocery retailers to prioritize in the year ahead. September 13, 2022. Read the article
They started a New Haven-based vegan frozen food company. Now they’re expanding.
A New Haven-based frozen foods company is expanding its distribution footprint after reaching an agreement with a natural foods supermarket chain with locations in the Mid-Atlantic states.
Fire Ox Foods will now be available in MOM’s Organic Market locations, according to Zoe Geller, founder of the vegan, nut and gluten-free frozen food company. Maryland-based MOM’s Organic Market has 22 stores in five states and the District of Columbia. August 20, 2022. Read the article
Snack brand Hummii announces its latest snack innovation, POINTS! rainbow chocolate candies are now available at select retailers in Southern California, and will launch online in a limited-time “drop” in August. May 28, 2022. Read the article
Seal The Seasons Connects Local Farmers To Consumers Craving Fresh Produce
After seven years of growth, the startup now partners with local growers in six regions across the country—the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Midwest, Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest—to bring locally grown frozen products to customers in their own backyards. March 15, 2022. Read the article
Cohort 2 company, Seal the Seasons, is featured in an Edible Brooklyn article about how they’re connecting local farmers to major grocers, shaking up seasonal eating, and building regional food economies. May 1, 2018. Read the article.
ExitEvent profiles Seal The Seasons's sales growth success, its mission to improve the food system and the company's participation in Cohort 2 of FoodFutureCo's scale-up accelerator. March 17th, 2017. Read the article.
Episode 73 of Heritage Radio's show "Tech Bites" is aptly named Ham and Eggs. Host Jennifer Leuzzi talks heritage poultry with Austin Johnson, CEO of Cohort 1 company eFowl. September 29th, 2016. Listen to the episode.
Cohort 1 Company Sophie's Kitchen and CEO Eugene Wang are featured in a Bloomberg News article about "Big Food" and the place of vegan seafood alternatives. December 20th, 2016. Read the article.
Seal the Seasons announced that they have accepted the United Natural Foods, Inc. 2022 Supplier Award for Social Responsibility. They thanked the tour phenomenal operations team and the wonderful family farms who they partner with. (October 27, 2022)
Harvest Returns: Supporting Women In Agriculture
As a proud supporter of women in agriculture, Harvest Returns was privileged to sponsor the attendance of Sandrine Mutezinka, a WIA student scholarship recipient. Sandrine is a student in theMaster of Agribusiness program atTexas A&M Universityin the 11th annual Women in Agribusiness Summit held in Dallas, TX on September 26-28, 2022. The Summit, created by HighQuest Partners, boasted an attendance of over 800 women involved in agriculture. Read more here. (October 7, 2022)
Company Updates
Tyler Phillips, founder of Hummii Snacks, was one of the featured leaders who introduced the brand in Episode 73 of Elevator Talk. Watch here.
In its commitment to build and promote a resilient food system, Harvest Returns featured its sponsors that helped farmers stay in business through sustainable innovations. Capra Foods, Healthy Cow, Peat, and Precision Livestock Technology all share the same vision and have been growing in recent quarters.
Read more about them here.
Jar Goods has proudly shared the history of its Classic Red Tomato Sauce. The founder's father created the first tomato sauce recipe in their Jersey City restaurant, Jule's. People would line up to try the famous sauce, and Jar Goods is honored to carry on the legacy. Each jar has no added sugar and is non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free.
Farm Fare partnered and worked with Wallace Center at Winrock International in their Willful Wildflowers: Journeys and dreams from food systems leaders, a story book that tells about the journeys of food systems leaders across the country.
“Since 2018, the Wallace Center's Food Systems Leadership Network has connected and supported food systems leaders from across the country in their united mission to build more equitable and just food systems. This storybook highlights the journeys of some of these leaders that we have had the honor of building relationships with through this dynamic and growing network. Collected over the past several years, these interviews capture moments in time; they are snapshots of the challenges leaders face, and the moments of joy that propel them forward.” Read more here
Harvest Returns was recently featured in a MarketWatch article on farmland investing, explaining how the average investor can grow their wealth while using their dollars to help farmers and ranchers. Additionally, this month Harvest Returns welcomed Suzanne Harding as Staff Accountant. Sue brings the team extensive accounting and taxation experience gained at major firms, including Price Waterhouse and Deloitte. (April 2022)
Harvest Returns has partnered with Bear Hug Cattle Company to provide ranching opportunities to veterans. Together, the veteran-owned companies will give transitioning service members the resources, knowledge and funding necessary to be successful in the ranching industry. A Texas-based elderberry farm, Harvest Farmacy, recently completed a $585,000 capital raise on the Harvest Returns platform. Agrology, an early-stage precision agriculture company, recently raised $815,000 on the Harvest Returns agriculture crowdfunding platform. (October 2021)
Harvest Returns recently expanded their team to add two new employees. They welcomed Grandle Thompson as the Investor Relation Specialist, and Kate James as the Digital Media & Marketing Intern. Also, the company's Sustainable Agriculture Opportunity Zone Fundcelebrated the grand opening of its first investment, a vertical farm and restaurant in the Old Market district of Omaha, Nebraska. Old Market Greens produces fresh, local, and sustainable produce at Gather in Omaha. (September 2021)
Harvest Returns is frequently updating their platform with a variety of private agriculture investment opportunities.
Sign up to view investments with no obligation here. (August 2021)
Harvest Returns recently closed a second raise for Capra Foods, an industry leader in the lamb proteins market. Capra’s lamb is sold throughout the U.S., primarily through respected targeted retailers of high quality, health-oriented food products, including Whole Foods Market. To date, the company has raised $1.1M on the Harvest Returns platform. In addition, Harvest Returns' CEO, Chris Rawley, recently weighed in on equity crowdfunding in an article titled, "How to Invest in Local Small Businesses." Check it out here! (July 2021)
Harvest Returns has recently partnered with Agritecture, LLC, an urban farming consulting and digital services firm, to accelerate the urban farming and controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry across the country. The partnership will provide ag focused entrepreneurs a more accessible way to raise capital. (June 2021)
Harvest Returns has an open offering on the platform to invest in Capra Foods, an industry leader in the lamb proteins market. Capra's lamb is currently sold throughout the U.S., primarily through respected targeted retailers of high quality, health-oriented food products, including Whole Foods. (May 2021)
Harvest Returns' Co-Founder, Chris Rawley, was recently featured on an episode of The Real Estate Syndication Show with Whitney Sewell entitled "Diversifying Your Real Estate Portfolio Through Agriculture with Chris Rawley." You can listen to the full podcast here! (April 2021)
Harvest Return's Sustainable Agriculture Opportunity Zone Fund recently closed its first investment tranches into a vertical farm and restaurant in Omaha, Nebraska. The fund allows investors to defer and reduce capital gains while investing in sustainable agriculture businesses in disadvantaged communities. (Novemeber 2020)
Harvest Returns' CEO Chris Rawley was featured in an MSN article that named agriculture as one of the top 19 areas to invest in during a financial crisis. (September 2020)
Quo Agro Justo participated in the #Expoagrofuturo 2022 with the support of the Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá. They were in the #Agstar entrepreneurship pavilion, where entrepreneurs innovate and promote Colombian agriculture through technology.
Quo Agro partook in an event with over 300 companies in Bogota along with the Bogota Chamber of Commerce and was selected among the best 15 companies to have a Demo Day with local Angel Investors and VC funds on March 10th. They will complete one-on-one meetings following the event. (March 2022)
Quo Agro Justo was selected as one of the top 500 companies of the ninth edition of "Premios Verdes" an impactful event in Latin America that will take place April 20th-23rd, 2022 in Miami. "Premios Verdes" chooses the most inspiring, social, and environmental projects from more than 41 counties and 1,144 cities. (January 2022)
Hummii Snacks is working on reimagining a nostalgic candy classic: M&M’s! POINTS! will be a Low Sugar, Vegan alternative to M&M’s! Stay tuned for more updates from the Hummii brand about Points! and other Hummii products! (April 2022)
Tyler Phillips and the team at Hummii have been hard at work developing their very 1st NFT collection! The collection includes an NFT 101 Video for newcomers and you can check it out here! Tyler and Hummii were also featured in a recent article on the role of utility-oriented communities for the future of NFTs. Read it here! (February 2022)
Hummii Snacks has secured a well-renowned copacking partner with Shark Tank Food Entrepreneur, Dustin Finkel of Awakened Food Crafters. Finalization of the Mini Muffin formula is set to begin immediately, with production following shortly thereafter in April. Hummii will also begin their 2022 expansion into Web3 with an emphasis on building their community & highlighting the Mighty Plant-Powered Mascots! Ad Age has highlighted some of Hummi's previous creative strategies and the Hank Hummii OG Collection is set to launch February 11th with Rare Circles. (January 2022)
This month Hummii founder, Tyler Phillips, was featured in The Physical Product Movement Podcast by Fiddle.io! Tyler spoke about his brand story, the inspiration behind Hummi, and how he is growing his CPG brand and the future of CPG and NFTs in the world of Cryptocurrency and Web3. Check out the episode here! (December 2021)
Hummii Kickstarter Helps Launch A Healthy+Yummii Snack Universe! THANK YOU to all who helped pledge & spread the word for Hummii’s Mini Muffin Kickstarter campaign. This will help fund their first production run. They have been busy talking with local production facilities in Florida & long term partners nationwide while gearing up for the official launch…Know of any facilities that may be interested? Feel free to reach out & connect at tyler@hummii.com (November 2021)
Less than 2 weeks remain and the Hummii Universe could use all the help it can get with a PLEDGE and/or SHARE of their Kickstarter campaign. In other news...the Mini Muffin packaging has arrived! (October 2021)
Hummii's Kickstarter campaign has officially launched! Help them create a Chickpea-Powered Snack Universe (Vegan, GF, Allergen-Free, Zero Added Sugars, FlavorFULL & FUN) by supporting their campaign today! (September 2021)
The Hummii team began testing their Healthy + Yummii Chickpea-Powered Mini Muffins last month with the DMV community. Check out some of the initial reactions! In addition, be on the lookout for Hummii's Kickstarter campaignlaunching August 30th! (August 2021)
Click Chefs largest partner, PREP Atlanta, a multi-faceted culinary campus spanning 83,500 square feet, now has 6 of its members live on ClickChefs! (May 2022)
On April 10th, Jewels of the Forest was invited back to the International TED Talks 2022 in BC, Canada to have their product featured at refueling stations for all attendees. (April 2022)
Jewels of the Forest has been invited back to the International TED Talks 2022 in BC, Canada, to have their product featured at refueling stations for all attendees. Additionally, in line with their mission of sustainability, they will again be offering their amazing products in 100% compostable packaging. (January 2022)
Farm Fare was recently awarded two federal grants. The grants were awarded to Farm Fare in the areas of: Advancing Regional Food Systems through Standardized Data, Terminology, and Procedures: Exploring the Impact of a Food Hub Association and Scaling the Northwest Food Hub Network. (January 2022)
Farm Fare was awarded two federal grants via USDA AMS in partnership with collaborators: In partnership with Mission West and the NWFHN members, awarded just under $1 million ($999,184) to grow the Northwest Food Hub Network (NWFHN). (See more here under Montana). In partnership with Food Works Group and Kitchen Sync Strategies, awarded $170,440 to explore the development of a food hub trade association. (See more here under Ohio). (December 2021)
Cullen Naumoff and Anthony Coble of Farm Fare recently joined Amy McCann of Local Food Marketplace in their inaugural Food Systems Cliff Notes to discuss the importance of regional food system data standardization and identify existing efforts. You can watch a recording of the event here! (November 2021)
Today regional food systems largely operate in the dark; this lack of data has impacts that reach well past the walls of your food hub. To learn more, check out Farm Fare's latest blog post entitled "3 big ways collaborative market data would empower the food system." (October 2021)
Have you been contemplating how blockchain technology can be best used to support regional food systems? Check out what Farm Fare has to say in their latest post entitled "Why you don't need a database, you need a blockchain." (September 2021)
Have you been contemplating how blockchain technology can be best used to support regional food systems? Check out what Farm Fare has to say in their latest post here! (August 2021)
What's the future of the food supply chain? --> Nimble, Resilient and Just! Farm Fare Co-Founder, Cullen Naumoff, recently spoke with Forbes about the topic at the 2021 Forbes | Thrive Agrifood Future of Food Summit. (July 2021)
Farm Fare CEO, Cullen Naumoff, was recently featured on the Lay of the Land podcast. She discusses why local food is better food and how Farm Fare allows family farms to compete in a world built for economies of scale. You can listen to the podcast here! (May 2021) m
Farm Fare recently was selected as a new portfolio member of the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia University. As part of the prize, they were awarded $25,000 (June 2020)
Pizootz and Seal the Seasons will be attending Expo West which will take place in Anaheim, CA from March 8-12, 2022! You can find more information here! (February 2022)
Lobster Made Easy has been selected to participate in a new product pitch to executives at Sobeys, Canada’s second largest food retailer. Following a successful pitch which is part of a membership program facilitated by Food & Beverage Atlantic, the brand will be showcased in regional Sobeys stores, an exclusive opportunity that will help establish the Lobster Made Easy brand in the Canadian market.
“We are very excited about this opportunity, coming on the heels of our acceptance into the Food Future Co Accelerator program, it is exactly what we have been looking for” says Mark Lowe, Co-founder and CEO of Lobster Made Easy. (November 2021)
Mama Gaia recently launched the all-new Mama Gaia app.
The app offers information on their inventory system, resources for communication through a feedback chat feature, and coupon codes! Get it on the Apple or Android Stores today! (February 2022)
Mama Gaia's equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine is ending on October 25th. The Denver-based startup is building AI-powered, self-service Smart Fridges. These fridges are patent-pending, and built to be white-labelled for meal kit companies and other food vendors to buy or lease nationwide. In addition, their new app is coming out in October! See demo here. Lastly, Mama Gaia was recently featured in an article by Business Insider. Check it out here! (October 2021)
Mama Gaia's equity crowdfunding campaign on StartEngine is still open! The Denver-based startup is building AI-powered, self-service Smart Fridges. These fridges are patent-pending, and built to be white-labelled for meal kit companies and other food vendors to buy or lease nationwide. Become an early investor here! (September 2021)
Mama Gaia is equity crowdfunding on StartEngine. A Denver-based startup, Mama Gaia is building AI-powered, self-service Smart Fridges. These fridges are patent-pending, and built to be white-labelled for meal kit companies and other food vendors to buy or lease nationwide. Become an early investor here! In addition, Mama Gaia Co-founder, Sarah Lynch, recently sat down with FoodFutureCo to discuss the importance of AI in the food system. Check out the blog post here! (July 2021)
Mama Gaia’s automated smart-fridge software and technology will be ready for customers on October 1, 2020. This summer, they will start to have product demos! (June 2020)
Mama Gaia officially launched its first fridge on March 15, and its second fridge on April 1! News of the launch was featured in Built in Colorado. You can also check out Mama Gaia’s latest fridge for yourself by watching their new demo video! In addition, Mama Gaia announced this month that they are partnering withDenver Community Fridgeto donate their leftover food products, staying committed to their pledge of zero food waste (April 2021)
Pizootz recently attended the 2021 Natural Products Expo East in Philadelphia, PA to showcase their latest snack products, which include flavor infused pumpkin seeds, pecans and trail mixes. Order here! (October 2021)
Pizootz, the snack company well known for their flavor infused artisan peanuts, recently launched an all new line of pumpkin seeds, pecans and trail mixes! Now available online at the Pizootz website here! In addition, we recently sat down with Pizootz founder and CEO, Bo Perry as part of our Tech Founder Series. Check out the interview here! (September 2021)
Yoconut recently participated in Brinc accelerator's Spring '21 virtual demo day. Check out founder Bonnie Lau's virtual pitch here! (September 2021)
Yoconut Dairy Free coconut yogurt is raising 1M in pre-seed capital. Yoconut is low in sugar, has active cultures and tastes heavenly. Contact us here to set up a call and learn more! (June 2021)
Hire My Farmer is happy to announce that it's part of the UN Food Systems Game Changers Lab. (July 2021)
Hire My Farmer recently announced that they are partnering with ActiveOps, UK for cloud-based solutions. In addition, the company is pursuing several exciting initiatives with the Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Telangana state governments as well as the Indian School of Business. More details coming soon! (May 2021)
Harvest Return's recently hit a major milestone of $10 million raised in private placement agriculture offerings. Crowdfund Insider also reported, the company has distributed over $1.8 million in returns to investors since 2016. (January 2021)
Joy 4 Greens has reached an agreement with Native Fresh, a non-profit organization that has built more than 30 aquaponics farms in North America and around the world, to secure "Low Carbon Emission" products from now on, allowing to reach even more shelf spaces into the customers stores, and offering a reliable clean food solution to the consumers. (November 2020)
Shen Tong comments on the future of alternative meat in a Fortune article, diving into the historical volatility of seeking lower-cost food through extreme processing. “The problem is not whether we can mimic nature, it’s about unintended consequences.” (March 18, 2020)
Shen Tong sits with sparks&honey on their Special Edition: Food & Beauty Briefing to discuss cultural trends, radical transparency, and behavioral shifts. Watch the video here.
Congratulations to Quo Agro Justo! They were awarded 1st place in the American Chamber of Commerce "SCALE" program! This program gives companies membership to the chamber, business exposure and access to a virtual mission to the US. (January 2021)
Shen Tong snapped this photo in Zurich, Switzerland where he spoke at the Family Office Forum on a panel called “Food Agriculture Innovation Is the New Internet.” (November 14, 2018).
At the London WM Nexus 2019 Impact Investing event Shen Tong shares that recent exits from the innovative food accelerator stage parallel those from the high tech space. (October 13, 2019).
Watch Gigi Lee Chang speak about funding the food waste movement at the 2017 FoodTank "Focusing on Food Loss and Waste” Summit alongside EIR Justin Kamine, You can also watch the video on YouTube.
FoodFutureCo’s third cohort of innovative, mission-driven food companies celebrated their completion of the accelerator program at a capstone reception on May 18, 2018. Read the press release here.
CHECK OUT Lil Mixins FOUNDER MEENAL LELE'S NEW BOOK, "THE BABY AND THE BIOME". A revolutionary parenting book that draws on cutting-edge research to reveal the key to raising happy and healthy babies. Check it out here
You can also order here
Lobster Made Easy has launched a Pop-Up Shop in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, just in time for the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl. The shop showcases an array of Nova Scotian art and other lobster-inspired creations. Lobster Made Easy plans to turn it into its flagship store—in the brand's hometown.
EcoTiendas, a popular health food store in Bolivia, now sells Nutrimentos Maybo's natural juices. EcoTiendas promotes responsible and healthy consumption by bringing natural products from the hands of Bolivian producers and entrepreneurs. The store has also included in its catalog other Nutrimento Maybo products including the dehydrated fruits mix.
To Market participated as Gold Sponsor in Hispanic Top Chef 2022 located at the new CSU Spur Denver in October 2022. This is the Latin Fine Foods culinary event of the year! An expanded event with Wine, Mezcal and Tequila Tastings! Chefs from across the USA will compete! They will be serving Tapas/Appetizers from notable Latin restaurants and Chefs
Seal the Seasons recently celebrated a great accomplishment and had their best sales week yet at Whole Foods Market! (May 2022)
Seal the Seasons just launched a brand new website! The new site features online ordering so purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables have never been easier! Check it out here! (March 2022)
Seal the Seasons steamable bag-in-bag frozen vegetables are being carried at Giant Food Stores! Find Seal the Seasons at a store near you here! Additionally, Seal the Seasons was featured as one of Frozen & Refrigerated Buyer's Innovation Trends to watch! Read here! (February 2022)
Seal the Seasons has launched their new Smoothie Cups frozen innovation exclusively with Park Slope Food Coop, one of the top single-store grocers in the country. The Smoothie Cups are a value-added frozen innovation containing all the functional ingredients smoothie lovers need to blend the perfect morning meal or afternoon snack! (January 2022)
Frozen Refrigerated Buyer covered Seal the Seasons’ launch of new locally grown organic frozen fruit items in two West Coast UNFI warehouses. The locally grown organic combo is raising the bar to become the new standard for premium frozen fruit. (December 2021)
Demand for locally grown frozen fruit continues to grow. Seal the Seasons unit velocities have grown over 35% YoY in Whole Foods and grew 79% at Wegmans after launching Maine Wild Blueberries. Seal the Seasons has launched locally grown frozen vegetables in a multi-pack format in over 400 major grocery stores including Jewel Osco, Giant Foods, and Lowes Foods. (November 2021)
Seal the Seasons is thrilled to announce their new partnership with Presence Marketing as one of their brokers. Check out more details about the announcement here! (October 2021)
Seal the Seasons is honored to be recognized as part of the top 5 percent of Certified B Corporations worldwide! Check out the full listhere! Community impact is what drives Seal the Seasons every day and they are excited to be listed alongside other great organizations as "Best For the World." (August 2021)
At the 2021 UNC Sustainability Awards, the Center for Sustainable Enterprise recognized Seal the Seasons as the winner of the 2021 Distinguished Business in Sustainability award! In addition, Seal the Seasons recently partnered with Farmstead to make locally grown produce more accessible to North Carolinians via delivery! You can now find them on the Farmstead app! FoodFutureCo is excited to announce that we recently made a follow on investment in Seal the Seasons as part of their recent raise. (May 2021)
Seal the Seasons announced a new partnership with the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina to help provide families with fresh produce. Co-Founder & COO, Alex Piasecki, discussed the partnership on ABC11. (April 2021)
Seal the Seasons' CEO and Co-Founder, Patrick Mateer, was recently featured in an article by Forbes about food processing. Check it out here! Also, be sure to check out the latest episode of "Fresh to Frozen and Back," as Diane Henderiks incorporates Seal the Seasons locally grown blueberries into several delicious and nutritious recipes! (July 2021)
Seal the Seasons has launched 10 new locally grown frozen fruit and vegetable SKUs with statement retailer Good Eggs in the Bay Area. Seal the Seasons has also raised a multi-million dollar Series A-2 Financing in December 2020
Tom Healy, SVP of Sales from both Vitamin Water and Pirates Booty, has joined the Seal the Season's sales team. Seal the Seasons has expanded frozen fruit distribution and product placement with Safeway, Harris Teeter, Kroger, Lowes, Wegmans, and Food Lion. We have acquired new customers Giant Martins, Giant Landover, Oberweis Dairy, and Weis Markets. The company is launching in Gelson’s and Good Eggs in the month of October. Seal the Seasons is also expanding into frozen vegetables, launching full product lines with select Safeway divisions, Harris Teeter, Good Eggs, Whole Foods, and Lowes Foods. (October 2020)
CHECK OUT Lil Mixins FOUNDER MEENAL LELE'S NEW BOOK, "THE BABY AND THE BIOME". A revolutionary parenting book that draws on cutting-edge research to reveal the key to raising happy and healthy babies. Check it out here
You can also order here: here
Lil Mixins founder, Meenal Lele was featured in the Philadelphia Business Journal for her work in creating methods for caretakers to offer early introduction preventions. You can check it out here! (May 2022)
Lil Mixins founder Meenal Lele will be a speaker at the New Mama Summit, a FREE 4-day event for new mothers featuring expert advice and science-backed guidance happening February 23rd-26th! She will be speaking on food allergy prevention methods based on the latest research. (February 2022)
Lil Mixins have just launched their brand new Prenatal Probiotics! Going beyond prenatal vitamins, Lil Mixins prenatal probiotics help support the immune systems of moms everywhere while also helping them build their baby's gut. (January 2022)
Lil Mixins has revamped and upgraded their Daily Mix powders! They are 100% Organic made with peanuts, eggs, cashews, walnuts, almonds, sesame, and soy. Everything infants need for early introduction is now in one box! You can purchase them here! (December 2021)
Along with fourteen other leading food and agriculture startups, Lil Mixins will present at this year’s FoodBytes! Pitch virtual competition on November 10th. The finalists were chosen from 45 startups originally selected as participants in FoodBytes! Pitch 2021, Rabobank’s multi-week food and agriculture innovation program that drives collaboration between startups, corporate leaders and investors to develop solutions to food system challenges. (November 2021)
Lil Mixins' DAILY MIX has been revamped and upgraded.
Everything you need in ONE BOX. Tackle the 7 most critical food allergies with a super easy, guided monthly system. The Daily Mix is 100% Organic with Peanut, Egg, Cashew, Walnut, Almond, Sesame, and Soy. The proteins are separated to give parents total control and more safely introduce each food. Order here! Their early introduction Infant Powders are specifically designed for babies, meaning they're safe and easy to eat. (October 2021)
Lil Mixins was recently selected to participate in FoodBytes! by Rabobank's Pitch 2021 competition. Congratulations to founder Meenal Lele and the entire Lil Mixins' team on this great achievement! (September 2021)
Lil Mixins continues to be recommended by over 2,500 pediatricians. You can find their early introduction products at Amazon, Target, and Walmart! (July 2021)
Lil Mixins CEO, Meenal Lele, recently sat down with Jessica Abo of JaboTV to share Lil Mixins' mission and her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. You can check out the interview here as featured in Entrepreneur. (June 2021)
Lil Mixins CEO, Meenal Lele, was recently featured on ShandeeLand's podcast series. You can listen to the podcast here! (May 2021)
Learn more about Meenal Lele and how she founded of Lil Mixins. (December 2020)
Fire Ox Foods expands to Mom’s Organic market. Co-Founder Zoe Geller announced that all of their delicious veggie meals can now be found in the freezer aisle at MOM's Organic Markets across the Mid-Atlantic. (September 2, 2022)
Fire Ox just their products launched in Central Market. You can find them here! (May 2022)
Fire Ox is now on Fresh Direct! Find Fire Ox products here! (April 2022)
You can now try Fire Ox's veggie bowls for free! They are offering a 100% discount for the purchase of any veggie bowl at any location that sells them through the Sampoll app! Additionally, anyone who enters to get the discount will also be entered into a giveaway of $125! Get the discount here! (March 2022)
Fire Ox recently launched their frozen veggie bowls at the Park Slope Food Coop, one of the top single-store grocers in the country. (February 2022)
Fire Ox recently launched their products in the DeCicco & Sons chain and at various Westside Market locations. You can find their updated store map here! Fire Ox is also now Certified Plastic Neutral by rePurpose Global! You can learn more about the certification and thier impact here! (January 2022)
This year on Green Friday (November 26th) Fire Ox Foods deepened their commitment to the planet and offset their own carbon emissions by donating 33.1% of sales to the carbon offsetting project, One Tree Planted. (December 2021)
Fire Ox is now selling its delicious, plant-based meals to a private school in Connecticut and its veggie sliders to Yale Hospitality. After a number of supply chain delays, they are finally re-stocking their meals in all their retail accounts in Connecticut, NYC, and Massachusetts this week! They will be debuting their new website and launching with FreshDirect this fall. (October 2021)
After experiencing some supply chain delays, Fire Ox Foods is excited to produce their lineup of frozen veggie-centered meals this month, plus launch in a number of new accounts in the NYC region. Stay tuned for some exciting news! Fire Ox has also made some improvements to their meals, including more food in each meal, better recipes, and additional call-outs. (September 2021)
Fire Ox's delicious frozen meals are now available on Farm to People. Order here! (June 2021)
Fire Ox recently partnered with Field Goods to get their delicious veggie-based frozen meals delivered to your door! Order here! (May 2021)
Fire Ox's online store is now open! Anyone living in the Northeast and Mid-atlantic regions can order their delicious, veggie-based frozen meals to be delivered to their home. (January 2021)
Fire Ox has relaunched its line of plant-based frozen meals in stores in Connecticut and New York under its new brand, Fire Ox! Their mission is to make delicious, vegetable-based foods accessible to all. Their new and improved meals feature distinct cuisines from around the world, including Braised Ethiopian Greens, Provencal Ratatouille, and Mushroom Oat Risotto. Their delicious meals are vegan, gluten-free, contain no artificial ingredients, and most importantly, they put vegetables at the center of the plate. Read more about where you can buy their meals on their website, and follow them on Instagram at @fireoxfoods (July 2020)
As mentioned last month, Mama Gaia is now Sesame! Sesame is vending meets 2022. Sesame works to make cashier-less sales, harness predictive insights through artificial intelligence, and nurture a customer base through automated engagement. They are actively raising and you can find their new website here! (April 2022)
Jar Goods recently launched a corporate gifting platform! This gifting platform allows anyone to send a gourmet tomato sauce box set to anyone they wish! All users have to do is create an account through the Jar Goods website and then can start ordering! Create an account and start ordering here! Jar Goods is also currently offering a 15% discount on all orders for those that set up a corporate ordering account. Users just need to fill out the online form to register to get the discount. (April 2022)
Jar Goods' Classic Vodka is back in stock! They now offer 4 outrageous flavors: Classic Red, Classic Spicy, Classic Vodka & Vegan Vodka. Find it here! (January 2022)
Jar Goods has found not one... but two copackers! They've already had a successful run of their Classic Red, with Classic Spicy and Vegan Vodka next. They'll also see the return of our Classic Vodka in January! (December 2021)
Hemp Way Foods has recently launched the first Hemp food NFT! It is now available to the public and you can read more about the NFT and Hemp Way Foods' plans for the future here! Additionally, Hemp Way Foods and Founder, Carla Boyd were featured in an article by Food Business News. Read more here! Lastly, this month, Founder, Carla Boyd and Hemp Way Foods were awarded the Elevation award from the Northern Colorado Hemp Expo for their efforts and assistance in moving the hemp industry forward! (April 2022)
Hemp Way Foods will have a booth at the National Restaurant Association Expo in Chicago representing Colorado Hemp with the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Additionally, Hemp Way Foods will also have a booth with the Colorado Department of Agriculture at the Good Food Mercantile in Portland. They are excited to expand their reach by partnering with the Colorado Department of Agriculture representing hemp food in CO. (March 2022)
Earlier this month, Hemp Way Foods Founder, Carla Boyd, pitched Hemp Way Foods products at a new products expo for King Soopers, a Kroger parent company.
In addition, Hemp Way Foods is launching a Kickstarter campaign later this month! (December 2021)
Beginning in October 2021, Hemp Way Foods' plant-based burgers, crumbles and breakfast sausages will be available in the freezer section in Colorado Rocky Mountain Whole Foods locations. (September 2021)
Hemp Way Foods will be available by the end of the week in all stores in the Whole Foods Rocky Mountain region. In addition, they have been approved by Jimbo’s Naturally in San Diego, which is a leading grocer in the SoCal area setting clean eating standards since 1984. Founder Carla Boyd and the team will be in San Diego November 1st-6th supporting their new accounts and visiting with prospective buyers.
Plant-powered superfood company, Hemp Way Foods, is expanding to Southern California! (August 2021)
Nutrimentos MAYBO donated 3000 fortified jams with Iron, Calcium and Vitamin C based on fruits and vegetables for 3000 children in vulnerable situations in Bolivia. During the campaign called Nutrikits, the Nutrimentos team gave webinars about nutrition and nutrition advice to the donors. More details are available on the facebook page of World Vision Bolivia here. (November 2021)
Eat Nice is excited to announce that its delicious, plant-based ravioli will launch in over 60 stores in Whole Foods' Midwest region over the next month. Check out Eat Nice's store locator to find its products in a store near you! (July 2021)
Wegmans Food Markets is now carrying Eat Nice's Creamy Nada Ricotta Ravioli in addition to the Meaty Walnut Ravioli. Head to your local Wegmans to try these delicious ravioli out for yourself! (May 2021)
FoodFutureCo Partner K. Tom Stevens snapped this shot while attending Mintel’s Big Conversation Convention in Milan, Italy, where speakers questioned how food can bring people together in disconnected times. FoodFutureCo and Mintel have since announced their partnership! (September 2019.)
ToMarket recently announced that they will be partnering with Italco Food Products to bring new, exciting brands to their platform. (April 2021)
Shen Tong speaks at Brooklyn’s Food Loves Tech event on the "Next Gen Food Tech" panel on November 3, 2018.
Where do traditional food behemoths rank in the sustainable start-up world? In the wake of Beyond Meat’s record breaking IPO and Tyson Foods’ plant-based nugget release, Shen Tong sits down with Karma Impact to discuss the role of big business in the plant-based food space. June 14, 2019.
Shen Tong speaks with Michael Pellman Rowland about Sustainable Food at the ChangeNOW Summit in Paris. November 8, 2018.
Shen Tong speaks at Brooklyn’s Food Loves Tech event on the "Next Gen Food Tech" panel on November 3, 2018.
The podcast Tech Bites features Shen Tong and two members of Cohort 3: Co-founder of superfood beverage Metabrew, and Co-founder of mushroom products Shroom Snacks and Jewels of the Forest. Listen here. (May 24, 2018)
