Denise Woodard is a mom on a mission and has successfully built a cookie empire called Partake Foods that caters to kids with allergies. Despite 86 rejections from investors to take a chance on her idea, the mother persevered because she knew this would help her daughter, who has corn allergies, and other kids like her with food intolerances.
In an interview with CBS News, Woodard said she decided to make allergy-friendly cookies to make her daughter's life easier. It took some time for the business to take off until she was able to tap on a market of Korean and Black families, who connected her with the right investors.
Now, Partake Foods is carried across 8,000 retailers in America and has the support of venture capitalists like Rihanna's and Jay-Z's companies.
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How Partake Foods Started
In 2016, Woodard learned from her daughter Vivi's doctors that she has allergies to multiple foods. Thus, the mom painstakingly looked for quality, great-tasting snacks that her daughter could enjoy. Realizing that the options are scarce for kids like Vivi, Woodard quit her job in Coca-Cola and set up Partake Foods so kids with allergies may have options for birthday parties, playdates, or the holidays.
She sold her cookies in the streets of New York and did demos at various food stores. Then when she was able to pool enough money, she developed Partake Foods' first grocery products, boxed cookies without the top common allergens for children, such as eggs, milk, nuts, soy, peanuts, wheat, and sesame. She also included vegan and gluten-free cookies that championed exclusivity aside from offering flavorful variants.
After cookies, Partake Food has also expanded to waffle, pancake, and muffin mixes, as well as a pizza crust mix. According to Thrillist, Woodard does her research quite well and looks for products to create to fill the market gaps.
Partake Foods also opened a platform where students could discuss their food intolerances and insecurities. Her business has opened opportunities for kids to find a career in developing healthier foods, given that one in 13 kids in the country has a type of food allergy.
Landing Important Investors
In late December 2020, this fledging allergy-friendly food business closed a $4.8 million deal to expand the business. According to the Financial Times, Partake Foods is Rihanna's first investment outside of her own ventures. Also pouring their money to support Woodard to create better foods for kids with allergies are Grammy Award-winning singer H.E.R. and Seattle Seahawks' Bobby Wagner, and Jay-Z's VC fund. With the increased funding, Woodard improved the product line, distribution, and marketing efforts of Partake Foods.
Woodard said that tapping Black investors was deliberate since Black kids like her daughter are at higher risk of developing food allergies. She said it was important that the investors understand Partake Foods' missions and goals. The mom said her passion is increasing the wealth, opportunities, and access of the Black community.
