Values-based brands are thriving. In a competitive industry, authenticity is key. Companies that strive to build an emotional connection with their consumers and foster a purposeful team culture will set themselves apart in the crowded natural food sector where new brands are continually emerging.
Read on as we explore five mission-driven natural food startups who are disrupting the industry with their innovative ideas and dedication to creating positive change.
1. The Soulfull Project
Originally founded as a startup within The Campbell Soup Company, The Soulfull Project has since become independent and has grand expansion plans. Co-founded by Megan Shea and Chip Heim, the growing breakfast brand is on a mission to deliver nourishing and wholesome food for all Americans while increasing awareness and individual engagement to build healthier communities amongst the underserved across the U.S. The Soulfull Project takes a localized approach to giving back so that consumers can make a direct impact on their communities. For every serving of their Hot Cereal sold, they donate a serving of their 4 Grain hot cereal to a food bank in the region where it’s purchased. ‘Buy one, give one’ is their motto.
2. Full Harvest
‘Ugly produce’ is in. The sustainable movement to put an end to food waste is gaining popularity among brands rooted in activism. Full Harvest, which helps farms capture oddly-shaped and surplus produce that would otherwise go to waste and sell them, was born from a passionate desire to fundamentally change the food system for the better. Full Harvest is on a mission to empower sustainability at the root level with the marketplace for surplus and imperfect produce.
3. PLANETARIANS
Co-founded by Anastasia Tkacheva and food scientist Aleh Manchulianstau, PLANETARIANS is tackling the challenge of feeding the world’s rapidly expanding population by producing a plant-based protein from up-cycled defatted sunflower seeds. Their mission is to redirect 100 percent of the sunflower defatted seeds into food production by 2030. They pride themselves on offering a unique product unlike anything available on the market. Their sunflower chips have three times more protein, two times more fiber, and three times less fat per serving than average potato chips.
4. Ocean Hugger Foods
Overfishing is a problem that’s long been on the radar of environmentalists and those who witness first-hand the enormity of today’s seafood production. According to a study published in the journal Nature, 90 percent of all large predatory fish like tuna are already gone. Ocean Hugger Foods was created by one of America’s top chefs, Certified Master Chef James Corwell, who witnessed the massive fish market in Tokyo and was inspired to make a positive change in the world’s oceans. Ocean Hugger Foods offers healthy, delicious and sustainable plant-based alternatives to your favorite seafood dishes. Their mission is to create delicious, sustainable plant-based alternatives to popular seafood that delight even the most discerning of palates.
5. The Jackfruit Company
Founder Annie Ryu discovered jackfruit on a trip to India as a pre-med student. As stated on the company’s website, the mission of The Jackfruit Company is “to transform healthy eating, farmers’ livelihoods, and humanity’s eco-footprint for the better.” The company works to produce the highest quality jackfruit foods, sourced ethically and sustainably, and aims to be the global leader in jackfruit supply chains, direct from farms.
Interested in working at a mission-driven food company? Explore our FoodForce division.
