Editor's note: This is one of 10 companies profiled by DC Inno for its annual Startups to Watch feature. Go here to see all of this year's honorees and learn more about the young, promising companies poised to shake up the region's innovation community.
About the company: Foraged Inc., founded in 2021 by CEO Jack Hamrick and Chief Product Officer Andy Conner, is headquartered in Shaw and has a team of eight full-time employees. The startup’s mission revolves around facilitating direct sales between food producers — think farmers, foragers and craft-food businesses — and consumers. Its platform enables producers to sell their often-unique products directly to customers locally or nationally. Foraged puts a strong emphasis on the relationship between producer and consumer, creating what it describes as a more personalized and transparent food-buying experience. It’s an approach that highlights sustainability, small economies and transparency as customers not only get access to fresh foods but can also learn about the origins and sources of these products. The company, which generates revenue via fees it charges to merchants operating on its platform, takes pride in noting that several Michelin-starred restaurants in D.C. are recurring customers.
Why we’re watching: This year marks a significant leap for Foraged as the startup deepens its footprint both locally and nationally. Its recent release of a mobile app equipped with a point-of-sale/tap-to-pay system specifically for food producers enhances in-person transactions at farmers markets and other venues. For consumers, the Foraged app serves as a gateway to discovering and connecting with independent food producers locally and nationally.
Quotable: “In 2024, Foraged is intensifying our commitment to redefine the connection between people and their food, prioritizing sustainability and community engagement on a grander scale. By integrating innovative technology, we aim to bring consumers and producers closer, supporting a healthier planet in the process.” — Jack Hamrick, CEO
The basics
- Founders: Jack Hamrick, CEO; and Andy Conner, chief product officer
- Founded: 2021
- Headquarters: D.C.
- Full-time employees: 8
- Total funding: $3 million
- Annual revenue: Declined to disclose