”We discovered what most children had been getting of their faculty lunches and it’s completely horrible. And so they know nothing about vitamin,” mentioned Surrette, who mentioned they discovered that greater than 42 % of oldsters within the US will not be assured that their youngsters are receiving wholesome and balanced meals at college. “It simply grew from there, and we began Sunflower Children.”
Q: What’s Sunflower Children?
Surrette: Consider it as a wholesome Lunchable. It’s a health-focused, single-serving meal service for school-aged youngsters that’s meant to provide them a full, nutrient-dense, and scrumptious plate. We use contemporary vegetables and fruit in a enjoyable approach, which may even enchantment to the pickiest of eaters. Every meal is already packaged and portioned out.
Q: Who’s your target market?
Surrette: Mother and father of school-aged youngsters, these in meals deserts, the busy household, and youngsters with allergic reactions or restrictions. Our market survey confirmed that almost 30 % of households pack lunches for his or her youngsters day by day, and greater than 45 % pack their youngster’s lunches greater than twice every week.
Q: What’s a meals desert?
Jernagan: A meals desert is an areas of the nation the place residents have restricted entry to wholesome and nutritious meals, like contemporary produce. It may very well be as a result of households must journey father away to seek out wholesome and reasonably priced meals choices and having restricted revenue.
(In response to the US Department of Agriculture, the definition of a meals desert is an space that has both a poverty fee that is the same as or greater than 20 % or a median household revenue that doesn’t exceed 80 % of the typical household revenue in city areas, or 80 % of the statewide common household revenue in non-urban areas. Rhode Island truly holds the document for many low-income meals deserts within the nation, according to a study conducted by the United Way. Woonsocket is taken into account the “poster youngster” of meals deserts, the place 22 percent of people live in poverty and an estimated two of each 5 residents have hassle affording wholesome meals, according to Thundermist Health Center.)
Q: What are some examples of the meals?
Surrette: Every of the meals has “acquainted” meals for teenagers. For instance, we have now a ham and cheese pinwheels, and a charcuterie board with “acquainted” meats, crackers, orange wedges, and cucumber with hummus. One other instance of a meal may very well be grilled hen wraps with greens, avocado ranch, and vegetable crisps. One other may very well be our Asian hen and vegetable salad, with a aspect of apple slices and grapes, and a chocolate zucchini muffin for dessert.
Q: How a lot would every meal value?
Jernagan: It could be about $5 per meal (which is about $2 extra, on common, than typical faculty lunches). A bundle could be 5 meals for $25. There could be totally different cost choices, and finally, if this was to take off, we’d wish to set up cost plans for lower-income households.
Q: Can dad and mom begin ordering now?
Surrette: Truly, no. We began this as a challenge for JWU’s “Future Meals All-Stars Problem,” and we took residence first place, incomes $10,000. (JWU’s “Future Meals All-Stars Problem” is a Shark Tank-style competition the place 9 college students groups throughout the college’s schools spent a semester growing their enterprise plans. JWU’s first Meals Entrepreneur in Residence and college alum Tyler Florence, who’s a Meals Community Star, met month-to-month with college students to assist them by their enterprise plans.)
Q: What would it is advisable to flip this challenge right into a fully-functioning enterprise?
Surrette: It’s one thing we wish to do, however first, we’re each simply making an attempt to complete faculty. What we would want is critical funding. Florence instructed us a few months in the past that we would want $15 million to take this nationwide. However, if we had been to launch, we’d wish to begin domestically in New England. And as a substitute of happening our personal, we’d wish to accomplice with one other firm who already has delivery and logistical methods in place, resembling Honest Kids. Another choice, which might be preferrred, is to have an investor buy the corporate outright, and we may assist them and share our imaginative and prescient for the corporate.
Alexa Gagosz may be reached at alexa.gagosz@globe.com. Comply with her on Twitter @alexagagosz.
