Lutz explained that despite creating detailed plans, as soon as Hungry Harvest began packing boxes and advertising in South Florida it needed to pivot things immediately started to go wrong. Be flexible įinally, Lutz said, the company’s expansion into Southern Florida underscored the truth behind the adage that no battle plan survives the first shot and the need to be flexible and adaptable. And we have sued some of those creative ways to build our culture in other markets as well,” he said. “We had to find creative ways to make sure they felt engaged and part of the team and part of the family and didn’t feel like they were isolated down in South Florida. “Building a remote culture … is really tough,” Lutz said, noting that at the time more than 20 people were clustered around the company’s home based in the Mid-Atlantic, but only two people were based in South Florida. Bringing together remote workersĪnother unexpected challenge during the expansion was setting up and integrating a remote team 1,000 miles away from headquarters. Going forward, he said, expansion plans have been demand-driven, rather than supply-oriented, with the company more aggressively building brand awareness in a target area before launching. The word of mouth simply wasn’t there as it might have been if he’d expanded closer to his original market in the Washington, DC, area. Lutz said that the company initially struggled to raise brand awareness in a region that was so far from where it launched. One of the main reasons that Lutz says he chose Miami for the company’s first move outside of the mid-Atlantic region was because it was so close to rich growing regions where he knew he could successfully rescue from farms produce that traditional retailers didn’t want and that was at risk of going to waste.īut he quickly learned that having a stable supply chain is only half of the equation – the other is having consumers. But, he adds, he learned valuable lessons that helped him expand more smoothly into additional regions since then. When Evan Lutz began Hungry Harvest six years ago to fight food waste and hunger simultaneously he did so with a business model that he thought could be replicated easily beyond his home base in the mid-Atlantic to make an impact in almost any major city.ĭespite detailed planning with stakeholders and the strategic selection in 2017 of Miami for its proximity to farms and sizable potential consumer base, Lutz said Hungry Harvest’s initial expansion did not go as effortlessly as he hoped. Emulsifiers, stabilizers, hydrocolloids.Chocolate and confectionery ingredients.Carbohydrates and fibers (sugar, starches).Plant-based, alt proteins, precision fermentation.Hungry Harvest currently delivers in Maryland, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey, Northern Delaware, Northern Virginia, South Florida, The Triangle area and Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Detroit Metro Region in Michigan. Since 2014, the company has reduced over 22 million pounds of food waste and donated or subsidized over 1.5 million pounds of produce to partner organizations and through its own food access programs. Customizable variety boxes are delivered directly to subscribers’ homes using a team of local drivers. Led by Evan Lutz, CEO & Founder, Hungry Harvest rescues fresh fruits, vegetables, and grocery staples that would otherwise go to waste due to surplus or arbitrary, cosmetic standards for size, shape or color at retail. The company intends to use the funds to continue to expand its business reach, enhance customer experience and scale its social mission. Marion Schuppe of Quadia and Fred Mayerson of Maywic Select Investments will join as Board Observers.
Jean-Francois Hurel of Danone Manifesto Ventures will join Hungry Harvest’s Board of Directors.
The round was led by Creadev with participation from existing and new investors, including Danone Manifesto Ventures, Quadia and Maywic Select Investments.
HUNGRY HARVEST SERIES
Hungry Harvest, a Baltimore, MD-based delivery company offering rescued produce, closed a $13.7m Series A funding round.
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