US-based organic food pioneer Amy’s Kitchen has begin celebrating its 30th year in business.
The family-owned company dates back to 1987 when Rachel and Andy Berliner welcomed their daughter Amy into the world and, wanting to create wholesome organic food for their growing family, began to share their home recipes at local markets and, after letters of thanks poured in, at major chains.
As Amy’s Kitchen expanded from its first product, a humble pot pie, to ranges that took in Mexican, Italian, Thai and Indian favourites, customers began expressing the difficulty of living with food allergies, asking for gluten free and dairy free options. So, the Berliners went back to the kitchen again – creating tasty alternatives to popular staples like pizza, burritos and mac and cheese.
A lot has changed since 1987, Amy has grown up, she and her husband, Jace, play active roles in the company that shares her name, and together they’ve started a family of their own; what remains steadfast is the conscientious sourcing of ingredients and methods of cooking from scratch.
One of the company’s aims from its inception was to create a sustainable and low impact business, committed to quality and conscientious sourcing. So, as a business, Amy’s says it has always strived to choose what’s best for customers, farmers, employees and the planet.
A stalwart of the organic movement, Amy’s was seeking organic ingredients before there was a national certification, so much so that when the US Department of Agriculture decided to create standards for organic, they looked to the company for guidance. Together with other industry leaders, Amy’s helped pioneer the organic food industry and, more importantly, they helped make organic food accessible to more people.
Founder Rachel Berliner comments, “Organic farming has a big impact. It nourishes the soil rather than stripping it of its nutrients so that the soil stays healthy for future generations. It’s better for the people working in the fields. And we think organic food tastes better.”
Main picture: Amy’s Kitchen founders Rachel and Andy Berliner with their (now grown-up) daughter Amy