Little Spoon 2024: Nutritious Baby & Kids Meals Delivered
Ben Lewis, Lisa Barnett, Angela Vranich, and Michelle Muller – the team behind Little Spoon – share more about their company’s outstanding success story, their goals, and their views on the future of kids' nutrition.
When and how did the Little Spoon success story begin?
Ben Lewis, CEO and co-founder, says: Little Spoon got started in 2017 after we recognized a major gap in the market.
Parents were often faced with two unappealing options: either go to the grocery store for heavily processed, shelf-stable baby food (often older than the baby eating it), or make their own from scratch and deal with the time, mess, and expense that it takes.
We knew this generation of parents was different from generations before, and we saw an opportunity to provide them with products that met their needs and standards.
Did you encounter any teething problems?
Ben: Like any startup, we’ve faced unexpected challenges and have had to carve out new solutions and problem-solve as a team, but our focus on becoming a one-stop shop for parents has never wavered, and we believe we can change the game for parents across the US.
Have you seen a shift in consumer trends over the last couple of years?
Lisa Barnett, president and co-founder, says: The experience for parents throughout the pandemic was unpredictable and unrelenting. Beyond needing to adapt to working from home without childcare, parents were also faced with empty grocery shelves, volatile school schedules, and of course, fears surrounding the virus itself.
The biggest shift we’ve seen is more reliance on delivery as a primary shopping method. It was already on the up, but the pandemic has shown parents how easy and convenient this option can be.
What can you tell us about your products and the ingredients you use?
Angela Vranich, CPO and co-founder, says: Little Spoon is focused on providing high quality meals at an accessible price point – we believe everyone deserves access to quality nutrition. We work closely with partners and farmers to ensure every ingredient we use meets our quality standards and we source locally for much of our produce.
Our Babyblends baby food is 100% organic, non-GMO, and Clean Label Project-verified. Our Smoothies are also organic, non-GMO, and free of anything artificial.
Our Plates, which include finger foods and kids’ meals, are built on a base of organic ingredients and like our other products, are free of artificial junk and focused on balanced, quality nutrition.
The products all arrive chilled, ready to pop in the fridge or freezer. They’ll stay fresh in the fridge for up to 14 days, and in the freezer for up to three months. The Smoothies and Babyblends are cold-pressed for food safety, while the Plates are sealed with our proprietary Freshlock™ seal to keep things fresh, without the use of preservatives.
Is it cheaper and healthier to go with Little Spoon, as well as being more convenient?
Michelle Muller, CXO and co-founder, says: Modern parents are unlike any from generations past – this is a collective that’s primarily dual income, strapped for time, and in need of convenient solutions. But these parents are also food knowledgeable – they’ve grown up with an understanding that high quality nutrition and products free of artificial junk are best for their little ones.
Our meals meet the standards of the modern parent, and they don’t break the bank either. We also offer one-to-one time with child nutrition-certified Care Team members to dive deep on what options are best for your little one.
How important do you feel it is for children to see their parents cooking a meal from scratch?
Michelle: We love food, not just as a way to nourish the body, but as a way to show love, explore different cultures, and to activate the senses. Our focus is to provide great-tasting, high-quality meals and snacks that enable your little one to experience all that and more in minutes.
Historically, convenient options have meant sacrificing quality and taste, so Little Spoon has really come to market to change that for parents.
Getting time back in an already busy week to spend sitting and enjoying food with your kiddo at mealtimes, as well as enjoying playtime, cooking something special together on the weekends, reading a book – that’s what we see as most important to enable.
What lies ahead for Little Spoon?
Lisa: We’re on a mission to make it easy for parents to keep their kids healthy by offering a one-stop shop for mealtime, snacktime and nutrition solutions at every stage.
As we continue to scale and grow, we’ll continue to listen to our customers and offer a wider and wider range of products that enable ease and empowerment in their day to day.
