Denise Woodard, founder and CEO of Partake Foods, turned her daughter’s food allergy diagnosis into one of the fastest-growing snack brands in the country. From selling cookies out of her car to landing in 18,000 stores nationwide including Target, Walmart, and Whole Foods, Denise shares her journey of grit, resilience, and building a mission-driven brand.
In this episode of Shelf Talks, Denise opens up to host Roberta about:
- Denise's journey began with a personal mission to create allergy-friendly snacks for her daughter.
- The importance of having a passion for the product to sustain through tough entrepreneurial days.
- Initial sales strategies included grassroots efforts and direct consumer engagement through demos.
- Entering major retailers like Whole Foods and Target required persistence and strategic pitching.
- Managing inventory and growth was challenging, especially as a solo founder initially.
- Marketing strategies evolved from grassroots to digital as the brand grew.
- The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the launch of Partake Foods in Target.
- The significance of mentorship and learning from both successful and unsuccessful entrepreneurs.
- The Black Futures Fellowship was created to support diversity in the food industry.
- Future plans include expanding product offerings and distribution channels.
If you’re a founder looking to learn what it really takes to scale a product into major retailers, this conversation is full of insights you don't want to miss!
How to follow Partake:
Website: https://partakefoods.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/partakefoods/?hl=en
How to Follow Shelf Talks Podcast on social:
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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/shelf-talks-podcast
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Reach out if you know of a female founder with an impactful brand and retail story and leave a review if you found value in this episode! Hello@shelftalks.com
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