Family was the uniting theme of the Big Idea talks, which took place Sunday at the Winter Fancy Food Show. Jonathan Wolfson, founder of Ingenuity Brands, shared how becoming a father led him to create a brain-healthy children’s snack, while Alli Cecchini Erggelet and husband Julian Erggelet spoke about how they are taking their family farm into the 21st century.
When Jonathan Wolfson’s wife got pneumonia shortly after giving birth and was unable to breast feed, he began to worry about his son getting enough nutrition from the formulas available on the market. Wolfson sought the opinions of his friends, his family, and his doctors, and was reassured that his son would receive all the nutrients he needed.
However, this led Wolfson to another question. It’s widely accepted that nutrition is essential during pregnancy and the first couple years of a child’s life, but what about what’s next? Food products geared towards infant and toddler nutrition can be found everywhere; but there’s a huge gap for children two years and older.
So, along with a fellow father and a group of experts on childhood nutrition and brain development, Wolfson developed Braniac Kids Yogurt, which contains key nutrients like DHA, EPA, and choline that are essential in children’s brain development, in addition to calcium and protein that are essential to their bodies. “I spend every day thinking about how to make sure we get kids the foods they need to develop their full potential,” Wolfson said.
Braniac Kids Yogurt is available at Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, and other retail locations across the country. “We are not focused on being a premium kid’s food,” said Wolfson. “We are focused on being an accessible product that you can find in any grocery store.”
Alli Cecchini Erggelet and Julian Erggelet are similarly family-minded. “We are first and foremost parents, then we are farmers,” shared Julian. With an 18-month old daughter, Alli and Julian are constantly worried about providing her with the freshest food and the best nutrition, as well as teaching her to be conscious about the food choices she makes.
But the story of the Urban Edge Farm began long before their daughter was born. Back in 2017, Alli came back to the U.S. after living in Europe and discovered that her family farm was failing and her family was close to bankruptcy. Instead of giving up on the family business, Alli saw an opportunity to take over the over 100 year old farm and bring it into the 21st century.
Now, the farm has been scaled back, but uses economic and environmentally-sustainable processes to keep it going. The 1,100-acre Urban Edge Farm grows stonefruit, asparagus, and includes a vineyard. The surrounding community can purchase jams, pickles, and wine that are made on the farm, which Alli and Julian sell in a store run by community volunteers.
With their nonprofit organization First Generation Farmers, Alli and Julian aim to educate the community, specifically the community’s youth, about the value of farming. “We don’t just teach children where their apples come from. We teach them that they can make an impact and make choices about where their food comes from,” says Julian.
In addition, the Urban Edge Farm Program helps adults who want to pursue careers in farming. The farm currently hosts four farmers, who Alli and Julian mentor and help to go to market with their products. By doing this, Alli and Julian hope to foster a whole new generation of farmers. “If we can leverage our experience and help other farmers, we can make a huge impact,” says Alli.
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