While working as a trained chef in Europe, Janelle Maiocco enjoyed cooking and indulging in delicious, locally sourced ingredients. But when she returned to the States, she found out that it was much harder to buy directly from nearby farms.
With a newfound goal to make fresh, inexpensive organic food readily accessible to consumers, Janelle founded Seattle-based startup Farmstr – an online marketplace that lets small, organic-quality farmers sell directly to customers. She describes it as an Airbnb for local, fresh food, and it’s all about shopping straight from the source.
Recently the startup took first place at the prestigious Northwest Entrepreneur Network First Look Forum and has already changed the way Seattleites purchase food online. Products like pure raspberry blossom honey, grass-fed red angus beef, and organic rhubarb are available on Farmstr. Once items have been purchased online, they can easily be picked up at one of their many drop-off sites, including WeWork South Lake Union.
Don’t forget, Janelle is a foodie at heart. She comes from Dutch dairy farming roots and grew up in an agricultural community, where she bottle-fed baby calves and cleaned their pens. In addition to starting Farmstr, Janelle is a blogger, urban farmer, and trained chef with an insatiable desire for well-made martinis.
Read ahead to learn about Janelle’s thoughts on the food industry, her favorite Seattle eateries, and the hardest part about starting her business.
The food industry is ripe for disruption. It’s exciting to be a part of this massive market opportunity and to participate in changing the greater food system.
I love that we’re bringing handshakes back between growers and eaters. At Farmstr, we’re leveraging technology to create an easy to use marketplace that connects local small producers with local consumers, facilitating direct sales and relationships. This will help increase food safety and quality for consumers – all while improving margins and sales for local farmers, fishers, and ranchers.
After working over 20 years in this industry, there are some changes I’d like to see soon. In terms of government regulations, I’d like to see some decisions made to help promote Little Agriculture (urban, micro, small farmers, fishers, and ranchers) with a priority for sustainable farming and clean food. We need incentives that are aligned with farming practices that don’t require chemicals, hormones, and unnecessary antibiotics.
Patience is essential when you’re starting your own company. When you’re meeting with potential investors, employees, and partners, it’s essential to bring people up to speed on the industry and market opportunity. It’s easy to become impatient when you’re so excited about your product and want to grow as quickly as possible. It’s important to take the time to test Go-To Market (GTM) strategies, improve your platform, find the right hires, and take advantage of all press and partner opportunities.
As a trained chef, I am a harsh critic. But I give credit where credit is due. There are so many great restaurants in Seattle, and I’m enthusiastic about this short list of recommendations: New Brimmer & Heeltap, Miller’s Guild, Joule, Westward and RockCreek. The chefs and owners of these restaurants nail it. They’re crafting memorable food, providing quintessential ambiance, and they’re paying attention to every single detail.
