Farmer’s Fridge coming in October
It sells healthy food in vending machines
Farmer’s Fridge, a Chicago startup that sells healthful food through vending machines, is moving into the Milwaukee market.
Farmer’s Fridge, founded in 2013, sells breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack foods from its machines. The company will begin to operate seven of its Farmer’s Fridge stands around the Milwaukee area between Oct. 3 and 14.
It’s the first market outside Chicago for the company. The seven vending machines will be at: 770 N. Jefferson St.
111 E. Wisconsin Ave. (Chase Tower) 735 N. Water St. 100 E. Wisconsin Ave. 411 E. Wisconsin Ave. 10000 W. Innovation Drive 555 N. Rivercenter Drive (Schlitz Park Rivercenter)
Farmer’s Fridge founder and CEO Luke Saunders said the idea behind the company is to make fresh food more accessible than a candy bar. Saunders said Milwaukeeans can expect the number of fridges to double by the end of next month.
The chef-curated menu features real food with all produce cut by hand for every meal. Expect to see almond butter oatmeal for breakfast, southwest
salad with corn and avocado for lunch, salmon Niçoise for dinner and snacks such as pineapple coconut chia pudding. It also serves one more indulgent item: chocolate trail mix. Prices for the salads and meals range from $4 to $12.
All the dishes were created by a classically trained chef and registered dietitian. Nutritional information is listed on the company website.
The fridges are restocked daily. Meals and snacks stay in the fridge for 24 to 48 hours, based on the product’s shelf life. All unsold items are donated to local food pantries. Food in the Milwaukee fridges will be prepared in the company’s Chicago kitchen.
Farmer’s Fridge strives to be a zero-waste company, Saunders said. The plastic, BPA-free jars the company stocks can be returned to the machine for recycling. In the kitchen, food scraps are composted.
The company of 70 employees is expanding its presence rapidly in the Chicago and Milwaukee markets. It operates more than 75 machines in the Chicagoland area. The goal is to have 200 locations. The company will surpass 100 locations by the end of October.
Farmer’s Fridge closed a $10 million round of funding this spring. Danone Manifesto Ventures, the global dairy company’s venture capital arm, and Cleveland Avenue, a firm founded by former McDonald’s CEO Don Thompson, both invested.