Interview: Prime Time Finalist - Alison Elliott - Boston, USA
The Founders Live Prime Time 2022 pitch competitions highlight 20 founders from our global ecosystem who have achieved various levels of success in previous Founders Live city pitch events.
We bring you additional coverage of these finalists through a series of posts in which we ask about their entrepreneurial journey, as well as what they are building and why.
Please introduce yourself with a short bio
Alison Elliott is the founder and CEO of The Farmer Foodie LLC, a for-profit social enterprise. Ali created The Farmer Foodie (thefarmerfoodie.com) as her plant-forward food blog in January 2020. It now boasts over 180 sustainable recipes and a social media network of over 6,000 individuals. Ali is a passionate recipe and product developer. The Farmer Foodie recently expanded its reach, selling delicious clean label grated cashew cheese alternatives. The Farmer Foodie makes dairy free living attainable by providing delicious, nutritious, and sustainable alternatives to traditional cheese.
Since May 2022, The Farmer Foodie has successfully piloted its first product launch “Everything Cheeze,” a delicious grated cashew Parmesan alternative. It’s a highly differentiated multi-use product that can be used in lieu of Parmesan on foods like pizza, pasta, or popcorn, or simply hydrated with boiling water and blended into a creamy Queso, Ricotta, or Mac & Cheese sauce in 30 seconds. Everything Cheeze is inherently sustainable, shelf stable, and made with fair trade organic cashews that are carbon negative when harvested.
Everything Cheeze has received extremely positive sales traction and consumer response, fueling The Farmer Foodie's decision to refresh its brand and expand its product line. Over the last seven months, Ali has had conversations with hundreds of consumers at seven Massachusetts farmers markets. Everything Cheeze is also sold at six retail locations, two food service locations, and online (eateverythingcheeze.com). Beginning in 2023, The Farmer Foodie is launching two SKUs through Amazon: a grated Parmesan alternative and a grated Cheddar alternative.
How did you discover Founders Live?
Newsletter
Why do you feel others will benefit from Founders Live?
The Farmer Foodie has felt welcomed by the Founders Live community since winning first place in the Boston Founders Live pitch competition on May 18, 2022. The first place prize consisted of a $10,000 credit to web hosting on Amazon Web Services, a DIY PR package through Zebra Public Relations, and networking opportunities with industry leaders like Alex Resnick from Evolve Leadership. The Farmer Foodie has benefitted from the Founders Live community through learning new skills and broadening its network. All entrepreneurs have a place in the Founders Live community. There are constant opportunities, activities, and events to attend and learn from.
As an entrepreneur, why did you choose this path of creating your own company?
I minored in Sustainability Studies at Muhlenberg College (2012-2016). I became extremely aware of my actions and choices and their associated environmental impacts, all of which prompted a lifestyle shift. For example, I’ve been using reusable napkins and dish towels for years rather than paper towels or napkins, I drive a hybrid car, and I compost and recycle.
I WWOOFed (World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms) in Alaska for three months after graduation. While working on three homesteads during my tenure, I learned how to grow sustainable healthy organic food, how to sell that food through small distribution channels like independent CSA programs (Community Supported Agriculture), and food preservation techniques. This experience led me to accept a role as the Education Director at McEnroe Organic Farm in Hudson Valley, New York (2017-2020). I wore many hats during my four years there; I managed a 1 acre garden with 14 egg laying hens and 2 goats, and I taught visitors about the farm's sustainable organic food production and preservation efforts. In 2020, while working on the farm, I also became a sustainable recipe developer. I’ve published over 180 plant-forward recipes as The Farmer Foodie.
Continuing my keen interest in developing a business focused on sustainable lifestyle and positive social impact, I chose to attend The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University where I earned an MBA in Social Impact and MA in Sustainable International Development (2020-May 2022).
Since May 2022, The Farmer Foodie has been piloting its first product launch, Everything Cheeze. It’s a delicious grated cashew Parmesan alternative free from dairy, gluten, and soy. Everything Cheeze is a highly differentiated multi-use product that can be used in lieu of Parmesan on foods like pizza, pasta, or popcorn, or simply hydrated with boiling water and blended into a creamy Queso, Ricotta, or Mac & Cheese sauce in 30 seconds.
Now, The Farmer Foodie is gearing up to launch a line of grated cheese alternatives. Beginning in 2023, The Farmer Foodie will launch a grated Parmesan alternative and a grated Cheddar alternative via Amazon and other e-tailers, utilizing an e-commerce go to market strategy. The Farmer Foodie’s goal is to be an industry leader, setting the standard for transparent, sustainable, healthy, and delicious dairy free cheese products that are healthy for you and the planet.
You've made it to Founders Live Prime Time! What do you want to get out of this experience?
Pitch competitions are incredible opportunities for founders to refine their business presentations, pitches, and external communication. Entrepreneurship is an endless journey of plans, performances, reevaluations and hard work. Startups are constantly changing, iterating, and shifting. These opportunities are a great way to hone in on the business model and perception.
Events like Founders Live Prime Time also create an organic space for founders to network and lift each other up. Learning from other founders, listening to their business concepts, pitch style, and entrepreneurial journey is inspiring. Being a founder can seem isolating and lonely. Events such as this one are encouraging and help boost confidence.
Please describe the company or project are you currently building? Why are you building it?
The demand for plant-based foods has never been stronger. In 2021, the total U.S. plant-based market was valued at $7.4 billion dollars. This number increased by 54% over three years. From 2018 to 2021, the U.S. plant-based cheese market grew by $131 million dollars, which is a 68% increase over a three year period. Our target audience has contributed to this massive spike in consumer demand. Over half of the U.S. population identifies with a flexitarian diet, eating more plant-based foods. Over a third of the U.S. population are lactose intolerant and a third identify with a special diet like vegan, gluten free, or soy free. Consumers are eating more plant-based foods because of ethical, environmental, and dietary concerns.
The Farmer Foodie is filling the gap in the rapidly growing plant-based market, offering tasty vegan cheese products that outcompete. Compared to current alternatives, The Farmer Foodie cheese products are extremely flavorful, made with nutritious clean ingredients and no preservatives, have a smooth and creamy texture, and a year long shelf life.
What is your vision? Go out 5 years, what does the world look like with your product or service in it?
Everything Cheeze has received extremely positive sales traction and consumer response, fueling The Farmer Foodie's decision to refresh its brand and expand its product line. Over the last seven months, Ali has had conversations with hundreds of consumers at seven Massachusetts farmers markets. Everything Cheeze is also sold at six retail locations, two food service locations, and online (eateverythingcheeze.com). Beginning in 2023, The Farmer Foodie is launching two SKUs through Amazon: a grated Parmesan alternative and a grated Cheddar alternative.
The Farmer Foodie values the triple bottom line: people, planet, product, and puts sustainability at the forefront of all business decisions. Consistent with its mission, Farmer Foodie products will be packaged in plastic neutral shaker containers, mitigating plastic pollution in high risk waste regions and supporting economic development. Its new packaging also makes it easy for consumers to sprinkle Farmer Foodie cheese on their favorite dishes. The brand is currently filing for product certifications. The Farmer Foodie plans to conduct product life cycle assessments to become carbon neutral certified as soon as possible.
There has been minimal innovation in the shelf stable cheese category in decades. It's one of the last categories untouched by plant-based (dairy free and vegan) alternatives. In 2023, The Farmer Foodie is launching on a larger scale with a targeted sales approach via the e-commerce channel. The Farmer Foodie's go to market strategy includes launching on Amazon and other online marketplaces. In the future, The Farmer Foodie plans to enter retail, starting with the natural channel.
Ali is a passionate, solo, social entrepreneur, following her dreams one product at a time. Ali plans to scale The Farmer Foodie, creating nationwide access to delicious, nutritious, sustainable, and clean label cheese alternatives. The Farmer Foodie is pioneering a new era of dairy free cheese with products that are healthy for you and the planet!
What ONE thing do you need help with the most, and what do you want to ask from the Founders Live community?
I have learned, and continue to learn, so much about the CPG industry since launching Everything Cheeze in May 2022. I have developed a deep network of supportive advisers and experienced professionals.
The inherent nature of forming and operating a startup demands my labor seven days a week. While seemingly being pulled in multiple directions by the hour, my skills and experience have grown as I meet the opportunities and challenges ahead.
I believe that The Farmer Foodie is pioneering a new era of dairy free cheese. I am founder and CEO and I am on a journey. I am confident that I have found my true calling. Despite my early progress and success, I recognize that I can’t scale The Farmer Foodie alone. Hiring a team to help with all aspects of the business would dramatically increase our capacity to expand and commercialize our products.
With support from the Founders Live community, The Farmer Foodie will grow into a national brand, representing an attainable and sustainable dairy free lifestyle that positively impacts consumer health and the environment. The opportunity to pitch in the Founders Live Prime Time competition will help generate organic brand awareness, increasing consumer demand and disseminating The Farmer Foodie mission.
Identify 3 qualities that when combined make a great founder. Expand a few descriptive sentences on each.
Founders need to be flexible, resilient, and passionate.
Flexible: To be open minded and embrace new ideas and concepts. To work with the natural evolutions of business concepts and (or) products and listen to consumer needs. To understand that business visions change through trial and consumer feedback. To work with the industry instead of against it.
Resilient: The ability to quickly bounce back, pivot, and make necessary changes. The ability to listen to difficult feedback and learn from it with a positive attitude.
Passionate: It all comes down to passion. Entrepreneurship requires long hours, drive, and deep commitment. Being passionate about your vision and sticking with it on challenging days is what makes a great entrepreneur. Map out your goals, objectives, and ambitions to understand why you are pursuing your venture. Use this as a point of reference when the journey is challenging so that you can seize opportunities as they arise.
If you could go back to the beginning and talk to your “rookie founder” self, what would say?
Don’t underestimate the power of networking. If you want to build a company, you need to be meeting with at least 4 new industry individuals a week. Informational interviews, networking events, and community engagement opportunities have propelled the development of The Farmer Foodie and supported the launch of Everything Cheeze. Through gathering information, asking questions, and applying feedback, Ali was able to learn about the CPG industry and move quickly to launch Everything Cheeze. Now, Ali is expanding The Farmer Foodie product line and introducing multiple grated cashew cheese alternatives to the e-commerce market in 2023.