When first researching the market for fresh baby food, Foraker was surprised to find out that at the time there were over 18,000 refrigerators in grocery stores for pet food, but not a single one for fresh baby food. The company raised over $52 million last year in a funding round led by CAVU Venture Partners, along with existing investors S2G Ventures, Cambridge, and Beechwood. What followed next was a major rebrand and a national rollout in 2018. In 2017, Garner took over the helm of the San Diego-based startup along with former Annie’s president John Foraker, Ari Raz, and Cassandra Curtis. The women met with Foraker and had over a “three-hour conversation” about the fledgling company, which eventually led to Foraker and Garner joining as co-founders. They noticed that John Foraker, the long-time CEO of organic food company Annie’s, was an angel investor in the tiny startup. As a young mother, Garner recalled trying to feed her children baby food made from scratch, which she called “ a complete nightmare.” She and her assistant began researching companies that sold fresh foods for babies, and stumbled upon Once Upon a Farm. “You just think, ‘Eww, that’s baby food’, which is crazy that we would talk and think that way when it’s actually what we’re feeding our babies,” said Garner at a panel at The Upfront Summit. It’s a problem that led acclaimed actress and Save the Children ambassador Jennifer Garner to Once Upon a Farm, an organic line of fresh baby meals that need to be refrigerated.

The baby food aisle of any major grocery store is filled with jars of pre-processed fruit and vegetable purees, all with a long shelf life.

When it comes to baby food, fresh and organic options are scant.

Wic approved stores