Vegan Baby Food Brand Tiny Organics Builds On Baby-Led Weaning With Veggie Finger Foods

US-based baby food brand Tiny Organics has expanded its range of whole veggies-forward finger foods for children. Tiny Beginnings represents the first non-pureed line of baby food aimed at eaters as young as four months. The range features six plant-based dishes that encourage babies to enjoy new tastes and textures. All recipes are suitable for children aged four to eight months, at which point they can switch to the standard Tiny range.

Tiny Organics was founded in 2020 to help parents encourage their babies to be adventurous eaters. It differentiates itself from other vegan baby food outfits by focussing on finger foods, from earlier ages. Research has shown that children between the ages of four and seven months are naturally more open to new flavours and mouthfeels than any other age. This is a key developmental window to engage with.

Gaining the right support

In a bid to move away from the bland purees of the past, Tiny uses organic whole ingredients in their original form. It adds spices, too, including paprika, black pepper, and ginger to help develop palates. It’s this different approach to baby-led weaning that has garnered the company $13.5 million in funding to date. Actress and Model Brooklyn Decker is a high-profile backer. As is Marissa Epstein, a registered dietician that worked on former first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign.

“Last June, we were so excited to raise $11 million in Series A funding co-led by Austin, TX-based Springdale Ventures and InvestEco, with additional key investors that align with our brand in terms of mission and values,” Betsy Fore, co-founder of Tiny exclusively told Green Queen. “Prior to this round, Tiny Organics has experienced a high triple-digit growth rate in annual revenue with a $2.5 million seed round. These funds together have since helped scale our team, build further customer awareness, develop new product categories and sales channels, and advance our mission-aligned partnerships.”

Convenient for parents, good for the planet

Tiny uses a subscription model to deliver nutritious meals direct to customers, according to a schedule they choose. Full flexibility is built-in and subscription-free orders are offered as well. Pricing varies according to subscription plan. Busy parents on a budget are a chief demographic, and the meals are as affordable as possible. 

With food packaging being a major contributor to landfill waste and climate change, Tiny sought to create a positive dialogue. “Like our meals, our packaging is crafted with care for the environment,” Fore said. “The outer delivery box is fully recyclable, and our green insulation is biodegradable. Once the plastic shell is opened, our consumers can run the green cell foam, made of corn, under water in the sink for easy, green cleanup. All of our cups are fully recyclable and plastic-free.”

Ingredient sourcing is just as judiciously carried out. All components are sourced from within the U.S. and are USDA-certified organic. All recipes are free from added sugar and salt and no more than 9 grams of natural sugars are included in a single serving. Every Tiny recipe offers a split of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates, through crafted combinations of 50 ingredients. Seasonal releases use fresh produce from local farms to drive down carbon footprints. Every meal has been developed to account for an infant’s recommended daily vegetable intake.

Growing with families

Tiny says it has fed tens of thousands of families since launching in 2020. The new Tiny Beginnings range is designed to increase that number and offer parents easy nutritional support through all developmental milestones.

It’s not alone in this mission.

The plant-based baby food market is growing. While historically, some companies, especially female-led ones, have struggled to secure necessary funding, the tide is turning and investors are seeing the market as one to be involved with.

Over in the UK, Mamamade overcame gendered prejudice to scoop £1.5million in crowdfunding. It offers a subscription service that delivers frozen kids meals for ages six months to four years. The brand, founded by married couple Sophie and Ian Baron, credits social media with creating a community of like minded parents that found solace in judgement-free purchasing of healthy, ready-to-cook foods.

At the end of last year, Los Angeles brand Yumi revealed that it has netted $67 million for expanded and improved distribution. The company claims to feed three percent of all U.S. babies and has predicted sales in 2022 to reach the $100 million milestone.

All photos by Tiny Organics.