Partake Foods

Partake Foods is a consumer packaged goods company that develops and sells allergy-friendly baked goods and mixes. Its portfolio is free from the top nine allergens — wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, fish, sesame and shellfish — and products are also described as gluten-free, non-GMO, certified vegan and free from artificial flavors and preservatives. The company states its manufacturing facility is free of these allergens and ingredients and that finished products are tested for allergens.

The product line began with three cookie flavors and has expanded to crunchy and soft-baked cookies in flavors including chocolate chip, birthday cake, triple chocolate and ginger snap, plus baking mixes and pancake and waffle mixes. The company positions the range as suitable for consumers with and without dietary restrictions, saying its foods can be eaten safely by more than 90% of Americans.

Alongside the commercial business, Partake runs social impact programs: the Black Futures in Food & Beverage Fellowship, launched in 2020, a seven-week program for HBCU students (juniors and above) that includes workshops, panels, a capstone project and a career day leading to internship and full-time opportunities; and food-insecurity partnerships with No Kid Hungry, #HashtagLunchbag, Eat.Learn.Play. and The Birthday Party Project. The company committed to providing one million meals with No Kid Hungry in 2022. One source describes Partake as a Certified B Corp, and reports its leadership team as 100% women and its workforce as 38% people of color.

Founding story

Founder and CEO Denise Woodard spent nearly a decade at The Coca-Cola Co., including a role leading sales for its emerging brands group working with brands such as Honest Tea and Zico. Around her daughter Vivienne's first birthday, the child was diagnosed with multiple food allergies (accounts cite eggs, corn, tree nuts and bananas), and Woodard found existing allergy-friendly products unsatisfactory on taste, nutrition and the emotional experience of being limited to 'safe' foods. She spent about a year identifying a manufacturer, and left Coca-Cola to launch Partake as a self-funded, self-distributed business, initially selling cookies out of her car into natural food stores in New York and New Jersey while demoing to gather customer feedback. Sources place the company's start in 2016 and the commercial launch with three cookie flavors in August 2017. Woodard has said she funded the early business by drawing down personal savings, cashing out her 401(k) and selling her engagement ring, and that she received 86 rejections before closing the seed round.

Business model

Partake sells branded packaged foods through retail grocery distribution and direct-to-consumer via PartakeFoods.com, with some new products introduced first on its own site. It began as a self-distributed brand selling directly into natural food stores. A portion of proceeds is directed to organizations addressing food insecurity.

Revenue comes from sales of packaged cookies, baking mixes and pancake/waffle mixes through retail channels and the company's own e-commerce site.

Traction

Products were available in more than 8,000 retailers as of early 2022 and 9,000 retail outlets across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. by late 2022, including Whole Foods Market, Walmart, Target, Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market and Trader Joe's. The company reported 200% year-over-year growth from 2020 to 2021 and 100% year-over-year growth from 2021 to 2022, and grew from one full-time employee in January 2020 to 15 in January 2022 and 20 in 2022. Reported cumulative funding was $19 million as of the October 2022 Series B; a July 2024 press mention refers to $30.5 million raised.

Latest developments

Partake announced a $11.5 million Series B in October 2022 with new investors Cleveland Ave's CAST US fund, Fearless Fund, Supply Change Capital and Kaya Ventures, alongside returning investors, and said proceeds would fund capacity, retail and new-channel distribution, additional product launches and team growth, with open roles in marketing, financial planning, sales planning and technical services. In 2023 the company said it would continue social impact work with Eat.Learn.Play., The Birthday Party Project and #HashtagLunchbag. Press mentions from 2024 cite a product collaboration with Elavi and a sponsorship appearing on the WNBA Phoenix Mercury jersey.