Participated · Seed · Apr 2022

Foraged operates an online marketplace and mobile app that lets independent foragers and small farmers list and sell wild and specialty foods, handling listings, payments, shipping and local pickups. The company vets vendors and has expanded its catalog beyond mushrooms to include honey, oils, jams, eggs, meat, dairy and seafood. Since launching in 2022, Foraged has grown to tens of thousands of new customers, seen repeat customer rates increase over 1,000%, and recorded over 400% revenue growth from customers across the United States and Puerto Rico. Founders Jack Hamrick and Andy Conner started the company in 2021 to help small businesses access the mushroom market and address supply-chain pressures and rising food prices. Foraged has eight full-time employees, including a Michelin-experienced chef, and expects to hire more engineers. Management plans to use new capital to build additional tools and features for vendors and buyers, roll out marketing, and announce new product features. Foraged operates an online marketplace where vetted foragers and specialty-food artisans sell wild mushrooms, seaweed and other hard-to-find foods, with the company taking a 10% commission on cart value. The founders, Jack Hamrick and Andy Conner, launched the site in May 2021 and the platform now has a footprint in 47 states and five countries. The marketplace reports an average order value of $123, typical product prices of $40–$50 per pound, a 20% return-customer rate and growth of 434% quarter over quarter. Foraged has been largely bootstrapped, spent only $3,000 on marketing, and recently used new capital to make its first hire and expand contractor work on technology. Planned product work includes custom packaging options for sellers, expanded e-commerce features, and building a social/community layer and strategic influencer and culinary partnerships. The company intends to run a formal seed round later this year targeting $5 million.