Self-Determined Feeding: Organic Frozen Meals for Infants from 6 Months from Chewsome
In Munich, Kristina Schreiner, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Chewsome, expresses her love for the city's network but laments the lack of open-minded, flexible food producers. This challenge led to the relocation of production to North Rhine-Westphalia.
Schreiner and her team at Chewsome share a conviction to promote better child nutrition. Their motto, "think for yourself, but don't have to do everything yourself," encapsulates their approach to creating healthy, accessible, and compromise-free meals for babies and toddlers.
Chewsome's meals are 100 percent organic, without additives, and designed so children can eat independently. The company handles vision, brand building, product development, and customer proximity internally, but outsources certain aspects such as regulatory issues and logistics.
One significant challenge for Chewsome is sourcing baby-food-grade raw materials. Baby-grade spinach, for instance, is only available from China or South America.
Despite these hurdles, Chewsome aspires to be the leading brand for frozen baby and toddler food in Europe within five years. The startup is the first in Europe to develop frozen, tangible, non-pureed baby and toddler meals for Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) and children aged 6 months to 6 years.
In the market, there are limited options for organic frozen foods for children, with many containing added salt, sugar, or stabilizers. Chewsome aims to fill this gap, establishing its presence in brick-and-mortar stores across Germany within a year, with at least three product lines.
Frozen, tangible, non-pureed baby and toddler meal options for BLW include slow-cooked Osso Buco with vegetables, homemade yogurt melts made with yogurt and fruit purees, frozen banana yogurt bites, and potential fruit or veggie finger foods from baby food creators like Annabel Karmel. These options provide nutritious, tangible foods that promote independent eating while being safe and manageable for babies and toddlers.
Chewsome began with Schreiner's personal experience of needing meals for her son that were suitable for BLW but also convenient for a busy parent. Raising capital with "baby food" is still not easy, even though the market is huge. Chewsome is currently creating a new category: frozen baby food that looks homemade but is industrially produced safely.
Schreiner hopes that local organic retailers and the regional food scene in Munich will become more open to new concepts like Chewsome's in the future. She believes that Munich has the potential to be a strong location for sustainable food innovations, but requires more courage to collaborate beyond traditional organic standards. Chewsome wants to be the brand that redefines convenience and responsibility in the baby food industry without compromise.
[1] Source: [Link to the original source for Slow-cooked Osso Buco with vegetables] [2] Source: [Link to the original source for Homemade yogurt melts made with yogurt and fruit purees] [3] Source: [Link to the original source for Frozen banana yogurt bites] [4] Source: [Link to the original source for other freeze-friendly toddler meals and snacks offered or demonstrated by baby food creators like Annabel Karmel] [5] Source: [Link to the original source for the information about popular BLW recipe authors and makers supplying freezer-friendly meals]
- Kristina Schreiner expresses her affinity for Munich's community but voices concern over the scarcity of adaptable food producers.
- Schreiner's startup, Chewsome, advocates for improved child nutrition, embodying the mantra, "think independently, but don't have to do everything alone."
- Chewsome's focus is on crafting healthy, self-served meals for babies and toddlers, without compromises.
- The company manages aspects like branding, product development, and customer relations internally, yet outsources specific challenges, such as regulatory issues and logistics.
- A challenge facing Chewsome is locating baby-food-grade raw materials, particularly baby-grade spinach, available only in China and South America.
- Chewsome aims to be Europe's leading brand for frozen baby and toddler food within five years, with a multitude of product lines.
- The market lacks options for organic frozen foods for children, often containing additives like salt, sugar, or stabilizers, which Chewsome intends to address.
- Chewsome intends to establish itself in German brick-and-mortar stores within a year, offering various product lines.
- Chewsome's offerings include frozen, tangible, non-pureed meals for Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) and children aged 6 months to 6 years.
- Examples of these meals include slow-cooked Osso Buco with vegetables, homemade yogurt melts made with yogurt and fruit purees, and frozen banana yogurt bites.
- These meals provide a wealth of nutrients to promote independent eating and are manageable for babies and toddlers.
- Chewsome was born out of Schreiner's personal need for BLW-friendly, convenient meals for her son.
- Raising capital for "baby food" startups remains a challenge, even though the market is vast.
- Chewsome is creating a new category in frozen baby food, featuring meals that resemble homemade preparations yet are produced safely on a larger scale.
- Schreiner hopes Munich will become more receptive to innovative food concepts in the future, and envisions the city as a hub for sustainable food innovations.
- Chewsome aspires to set the standard for convenience and responsibility in the baby food industry, redefining the way we approach baby food without sacrificing quality.
