Friday Nov 17, 2023

#55 - Monique Hypes & Marie Krane @ Tomato Bliss - Saving The Heirloom Tomato From Extinction

On this episode, we have Monique Hypes and Marie Krane who are the Co-Founders of ⁠Tomato Bliss⁠.

Tomato Bliss is on a mission to “save the heirloom tomato from extinction” with their line of heirloom tomato soups that are made with tomatoes grown on their certified Regenified™ farm in Southwest Michigan.

In this episode, we learn why tomato farming became Marie’s chosen form of activism, how she found Monique to help Tomato Bliss become more than just a farmers market brand, and the strategies they’re using to grow both supply and demand for regeneratively grown heirloom tomatoes at the same time.

Episode Highlights:

😍 “Saving Heirloom Tomatoes From Extinction”

👏 Marie’s journey fighting to save heirloom tomato seeds

💡 Why farming and CPG became her best path to seed-saving

🤝 Hiring Monique to take the brand beyond the farmers’ market

🤯 90% of tomato production comes from less than 25 seeds

👍 Intercropping as their secret weapon for pest prevention

🏅 Why their farm is certified Regenified™

🧑‍🍳 How they’re using food service to fuel their growth

⚡ Why stores should merchandise their SKUs in the produce department

📈 The imperative for regen brands to scale supply and demand in tandem

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