Financing and Accounting Strategies for Food Startup Success

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Financing and Accounting Strategies for Food Startup Success

The success of a food startup depends on having enough capital and spending it efficiently to support operations and sustain them as they grow. Financial statements are key. Not only do they enable you to capture and track the value you're generating at a specific moment in time, but they also provide you with the information you need to craft a compelling story and engage investors around it. Read on to discover some of the best financing and accounting strategies to propel your business forward.

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Experience Sunrise on the Inside: Waku, a Modern Twist on an Ancient Tea

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Experience Sunrise on the Inside: Waku, a Modern Twist on an Ancient Tea

This week we’re delighted to speak with Juan Giraldo and Nico Estrella, founders of WAKU plant-based tonics, whose mission is to revive the body and spirit through the time-tested knowledge and homegrown flavors of Ecuador. Learn more about their successful pivot to a direct-to-consumer model in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as some of the strategies they leveraged to succeed in this unprecedented environment.

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Exploring The World of Food Pricing with Food Business Expert Jim Verzino

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Exploring The World of Food Pricing with Food Business Expert Jim Verzino

Properly pricing CPG products early on sets entrepreneurs on the path to success but most of the pricing models available are based on mass-produced foods and focus solely on costs. Drawing from the Innovation Adoption Lifecycle methodology, food business expert Jim Verzino demonstrates the importance of taking into account the target market and volume when costing products.

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Delving into Brand Strategy with Expert Steve Redmond from Rival Brands

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Delving into Brand Strategy with Expert Steve Redmond from Rival Brands

With major turning points and important disruptions happening to the food and beverage industry, branding has become a key strategy startups have to implement in order to differentiate themselves in the market, and ensure cohesion and consistency between their products, story, and consumer. Supporting entrepreneurs in their journey of growth, Branchfood hosted its very first Ask an Expert session on Thursday 03/11/2021. Our guest speaker, Steve Redmond, was prepared to answer attendees’ questions about brand strategy: branding, naming, messaging, positioning, voice, and tone.

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Expanding your Food Business to the US? First Stop, New England!

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Expanding your Food Business to the US? First Stop, New England!

New England is becoming a leading region for food business launch and expansion. In partnership with Canadian Flavors Food Festival and the Consulate General of Canada in Boston, Branchfood hosted “Expanding your Food Business to the U.S.? First Stop, New England.” The event brought together leaders in the food industry to discuss viable paths to market, what it takes to get products into retail and foodservice sales channels, and how emerging businesses can succeed in an omni-channel environment.

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How We’re Finding the Good In 2020: Connection, Innovation, and Resilience

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How We’re Finding the Good In 2020: Connection, Innovation, and Resilience

We made it to the end of 2020 and at Branchfood, we’ve been reflecting on everything that made this year unlike any other. The COVID-19 pandemic has permanently changed our lives, and the food industry faced unprecedented challenges: supply chain disruptions, rising food insecurity, and restrictions on restaurants, just to name a few. But one thing stood out to us amidst this chaotic year: the food industry's extraordinary resilience in the face of uncertainty. We’ve found new ways to connect and collaborate, despite remaining physically separate. Entrepreneurs pivoted their businesses in record time to meet their customers and communities’ ever-changing needs. First-time founders launched start-ups not just in spite of, but in response to this year’s challenges. Our community forged into this uncharted territory with a spirit of connectivity, innovation, and resilience. To all the food entrepreneurs out there: thank you.

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Diving into Food Investment with Lisa Sebesta

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Diving into Food Investment with Lisa Sebesta

In our last Member Monday highlight of 2020, we’re thrilled to feature Branchfood member Lisa Sebesta, founder of Sitari Capital! At Sitari, Lisa works with investors who are interested in food and agriculture investing to achieve their financial and impact goals. Their mission is to help investors support these impactful businesses utilizing financing solutions that work for both the investor and the company.

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Navigating Subscriptions and Brand Building with Curds&co.'s Jenn Mason

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Navigating Subscriptions and Brand Building with Curds&co.'s Jenn Mason

Branchfood was thrilled to have Jenn Mason, Founder of Curds&Co. and Curdbox, at our latest Ask an Entrepreneur session this week! Jenn has been a regular at our monthly Community Table for over four years, and we’re so glad she could join us to share more about her journey growing an artisanal cheese shop, launching a cheese subscription box, and starting a novel eatery in the middle of a pandemic.

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Creating a Resource Network for Food Businesses with The Kitchen Network

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Creating a Resource Network for Food Businesses with The Kitchen Network

Branchfood member Ian Pasquarelli has always had a passion for supporting, educating, and empowering the communities he lives and works in. Coming from a small town in Aroostook County, Maine, he developed a strong work ethic and sense of community that’s driven him to where he is today. As the founder and owner of The Kitchen Network, a Boston-based food business consultancy, Ian knows that there is no greater way to connect than through food.

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Fostering a Local Food Community with Fork Food Lab's Bill Seretta

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Fostering a Local Food Community with Fork Food Lab's Bill Seretta

A longtime supporter of food entrepreneurs, Bill Seretta got his start working in the restaurant industry before moving on to for-profit and non-profit businesses in human services, environmental education, food service, retail computer sales, Internet services, higher education and business consulting. Now primarily focused on food, Bill dedicates his time to supporting the local food system by creating the Maine Food System Innovation Challenge and taking a role as Executive Director at Fork Food Lab.

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How one Branchfood Member is Introducing Sparkling Wine to the Masses

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How one Branchfood Member is Introducing Sparkling Wine to the Masses

When Branchfood member Matthew Demma left his native Boston in 2013 to pursue a career in food, he quickly realized his love of wine watching the sommelier at the joint butcher shop-restaurant he worked at. Seven years later, Matthew is a sommelier himself studying for his Champagne Master Level certification through the Wine Scholars Guild.

After returning to Boston last year, Matthew saw an opportunity to launch a business built on this passion. He founded Perlage Sparkling Wine Club in July 2020, offering members the opportunity to experience a sommelier-curated selection of sparkling wines, a total of 18 bottles during the twelve-month subscription, along with a cookbook in each shipment. Perlage’s mission is to teach members how to integrate sparkling wine into their everyday lives, enjoyed outside of just special occasions.

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Improving your Digital Presence and Content Marketing with Nature & Nurture

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Improving your Digital Presence and Content Marketing with Nature & Nurture

Member Monday returns with a spotlight on Elise Yost, Account & Marketing Strategist at Nature and Nurture Creative. Elise’s background is in marketing with an emphasis on the food industry and small businesses. She and the team at Nature & Nurture help clients succeed in the food and beverage space through dedicated partnerships. Read on to learn Elise’s top tips for working remotely, long-lasting marketing trends that arose from COVID-19, and what makes marketing in the food world unique!

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Don’t Miss Out! Food Edge Digital 2020

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Don’t Miss Out! Food Edge Digital 2020

Food Edge is Branchfood’s annual summit that fosters connection and collaboration between industry stakeholders across the food value chain. The Summit seeks to support industry networking, raise awareness about new innovations and products launching in market, and inspire us all to support a better future for food. Branchfood believes that together, we will lead the future of the industry, and we’re particularly excited to see New England based innovators take a leadership role in this change.

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Navigating the Food Industry with Kalahari Snacks

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Navigating the Food Industry with Kalahari Snacks

Tyler Noyes, Branchfood Mentor in Residence, is the Co-Founder of Kalahari Snacks, a packaged food brand that brings South African inspired biltong and crisps— air-dried beef snacks—to America.

To continue Branchfood’s support of the food & beverage community, we recently had the pleasure of hosting ‘Ask an Entrepreneur’ with Tyler, where he shared insights on his company’s launch, the R&D process, how to expand your distribution market, and more. Check out our upcoming events designed to help you achieve your goals, and continue reading for Q&A highlights.

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Branchfood's Food Trends to Watch

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Branchfood's Food Trends to Watch

Originally a Meetup group for those in the food community to connect and share resources, Branchfood has evolved into New England’s largest community of food entrepreneurs and innovators. Through our active network, industry expertise, and curated resources, we connect industry leaders with innovative entrepreneurs, supporting the collective effort to build a better, healthier, more environmentally friendly and equitable future for food.

As leaders in the food innovation space, the Branchfood team weighed in on one of the biggest and pertinent questions in the food industry: what is one food trend that you’re excited about?

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Launching Allergen-Friendly Consumer Products with Freed Foodies

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Launching Allergen-Friendly Consumer Products with Freed Foodies

Freed Foodies founder Daniel Brassloff was dissatisfied with gluten-free pizza and other baked good options on the market. After being diagnosed with tree-nut allergies in 2000 and Celiac in 2006, he has tried his best to support brands making great products for those who follow a gluten-free diet. After starting his gluten-free microwave-made mug cake business, MuggedCake, with a few of his peers at Babson College and spending a semester abroad in college studying Gastronomy at CETT university, he set out to experiment with flour blends and come up with a formulation he knew he could stand behind.

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Using Video to Elevate Food Brand Marketing and Awareness

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Using Video to Elevate Food Brand Marketing and Awareness

Driven by passion for innovation and humanity’s growth, Tom Dodge and the team at NewView.Media guides brands through pre-production, filming and video editing to craft creative content that engages, educates and encourages action. In 2019, the company produced 413 videos across 85 marketing, event, and fundraising campaigns! All of Tom and his team’s dedication and hard work has paid off — NewView.Media earned “Best Business Video Marketing Agency - Greater Boston” from Corporate Vision Magazine’s Media Innovator Awards.

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Balancing Family, Nutrition, and a Successful CPG Business with Little Pickins

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Balancing Family, Nutrition, and a Successful CPG Business with Little Pickins

Providing nutritious, delicious food for her family was always important to Branchfood member Jenn Bingham, but with a busy work schedule, it wasn’t always easy — she is a working mom, Physician Assistant, and certified natural foods chef after all! When Jenn couldn’t find a healthy frozen food option that her young daughter would love, she decided to take matters into her own hands. After meeting Co-Founder Kelly Wannier, the two launched Little Pickins, which offers nutritious, gummable, frozen finger food for ages 10 months plus.

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Bringing Mindfulness to the Local Food Movement with Fork on a Road

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Bringing Mindfulness to the Local Food Movement with Fork on a Road

Inspired by a lifetime of vegetarianism and the diversity of flavors sourced from around the world, Branchfood member Suman Shah set out to launch Fork on a Road. Suman founded this food-centric business on the belief that cooking is an opportunity to be present and connect with loved ones. She is using her 20+ years of experience in marketing, strategy and collaboration to grow Fork on a Road and provide vegan and vegetarian meal kits, specialty spices, recipes, cooking classes, and chronicles that nourish life.

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