While organic and gourmet baby food aren’t new, they’ve mostly been limited to jarred varieties. Start-ups in two categories are widening the options for parents who want to feed their infants something fresh, but don’t have the time or talent to prepare their own gourmet purées. They also provide inspiring examples for entrepreneurs interested in catering to this niche.
Fresh
First, there’s the refrigerated, prepared foods section. Following the lead of fresh convenience foods for adults, companies like Swedish Gapa are focused on creating fresh, healthy and tasty foods for tiny people. Gapa, which is Swedish for open your mouth, is conservative-free and sold in cheerful containers in Sweden’s second largest supermarket, as well as in four trendy restaurants, a smart move for reaching parents who enjoy taking their babies out for dinner.
In the United States, several entrepreneurs have developed similar concepts. Californian Homemade Baby’s certified organic and kosher food for infants and toddlers is freshly made each day. Stressing an important selling point of gourmet baby foods, Homemade Baby claims that “when babies learn what real food tastes like and how good it makes their little tummies feel, they are on their way to making good food choices for life.”
Californian tots can also dine on fresh organic baby foods from Bohemian Baby, available for those aged 6–15 months. Bohemian Baby offers home delivery within LA. A USD 45 start kit contains a special cooler and four jars of food. On the East Coast, Evie’s Organic Edibles delivers freshly made foods within Manhattan. Parents can select dishes from menus that vary weekly and are designed to help stimulate developing taste buds.
Websites: www.gapa.se - www.homemadebaby.com - www.bohemian-baby.com - www.eviesorganicedibles.com
Contact: info@gapa.se - info@homemadebaby.com - info@bo-baby.com
Frozen
Gourmet, ready-made baby food also extends to the frozen food aisle, where inspiration can be found from Mom Made, Plum Organics, Happy Baby and NummyNums, all offering food that’s organic and flash-frozen, locking in flavour and nutrients.
Most of these brands are relatively small and regional start-ups, founded by parents who couldn’t find foods they wanted to feed their babies and toddlers. We haven’t spotted any of the major manufacturers venturing into fresh or frozen baby food, so now’s the time to start your own line of delectable and healthy dinners for wee ones (by the time you're up and running, they'll be ready to buy you! ;-). As Happy Baby puts it, "think outside the jar."
How to make your brand stand out? Beautiful and informative packaging will obviously help win shelf space at upmarket supermarkets, and Gapa’s idea of selling to restaurants is clever. As are Happy Baby’s combined packs, containing two flavours each, and all of the convenient frozen portion concepts that can go straight from freezer to microwave. Last but not least, home delivery is a good way to get this type of business up and running. So get cooking! ;-)
Websites: www.mommadefoods.com - www.plumorganics.com - www.happybabyfood.com - www.nummynums.com
Contact: info@mommadefoods.com - info@plumorganics.com - info@happybabyfood.com - info@nummynums.com
Spotted by: Okee Williams
Related: Halal baby food
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Nice touch... "Gapa" translates approximately to "open your mouth" in swedish,!
Has anyone thought about the issue that microwaving vegetables dimishes the nutirients that the babies will be getting in their meals? While the quick lifestyle (freezer to your microwave) certainly is a necessity in today's fast paced society, perhaps we should be concerned about the affect this will have on youth that need these nutrients to develop. Just a thought...
Similar ...
Maddy's Organic Meals / Chicago, IL
4909 N Tripp
Chicago, IL 60630
(773) 308 4874
"organic baby food in form of frozen chunks that
are to be heated and served preserving their natural goodness"
packaging and website design concept by
Eric Kass / Funnel (funnel.tv) See Here... http://funnel-erickass.blogspot.com/
Peas of Mind is actually for the post-baby, my 16 month year old loves their meals! i think they ship: www.peasofmind.com
Babylicious has been producing frozen additive-free food for babies and kids in the UK for a few years now.
My 2 year old loves Peas of Mind, and these frozen meals make life a LOT easier for me!
Microwaving isn't the only option and there isn't much science behind nutrients diminishing if you choose to go this route. Having tried Maddy's Organic Meals, it went above and beyond my expectations. I like that local produce is used, organic, seasonal and that I can support a local food artisian all at the same time. They are based in Chicago. Check out their web site at maddysorganicmeals.com.
Maddy's Organic Meals is awesome... highly recommended and it's the first local certified organic baby food in the midwest.
My baby loved it.... www.maddysorganicmeals.com
- Mary (Chicago)
My daughter can't tolerate gluten in her diet. She's 4, and we feed her Puffets by Peas of Mind. They came to our store in Portland, OR a few months ago. I kept reading about this company and was excited to try their food. Since neither my husband nor I enjoy cooking, we are lucky to have Puffets out there!
GaGa Gourmet All Natural Baby Foods are awesome and also based in the Chicago, IL area. The food is delivered directly to your door and there is no messing around with "cubes" The foods are already pre-portioned in "on the go containers." Ready to eat or microwave. Check them out. gagagourmet.com
We've been using bobobaby in Cananda for our little one. Now we live in the US and it's great because in the US you can get it shipped directly to your home! All the food is organic, kosher and free of the top allergens which is a great bonus. Website is www.bobobaby.com
Why not make your own and freeze your own. It's far cheaper! We used premade frozen (plum organics) for a bit but it was cheaper tomake my own! Try http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com for free recipes to DIY!
I have found a good one in Kent, uk called Baby Pureo, all fresh organic locally grown produce, my baby loves it and so do I as its all home made and saves me time as I am a working Mum, but I know its the best thing for her! Its great! Mail me for more info, Michelle@mm24.wanadoo.co.uk, I can pass on details.
I love it when I see packaging that has more that just a simple role of carrying a product, its great when it adds so much more value.
I've been putting together the business plan for a frozen local organic babyfood for home delivery and foodservice for a few months now. In Toronto there are a few options on the retail side, but I haven't seen anything from a personal chef or foodservice angle. This article gives me more confidence in my idea!
Thanks for the overview! I'm thinking... What about a niche, baby version of the dinner assembly stores that are popping up everywhere? You wrote about them here: http://www.springwise.com/food_beverage/family_dinners_24_at_a_time_up/
Groups of mothers or fathers could get together to prepare food for their young children. Set up a play section in a corner (at a safe distance from knives and hot skillets), and you'd have playdates with a purpose. Could be an add-on service for existing meal assembly stores.
Sarah-Jane Reynolds | April 17, 2007 5:29 PM