GoodSam Foods has secured an impressive $9 million in Series A funding, boosting its total funding to $10.5 million as it champions regenerative agriculture practices. The funding round was led by Alive Ventures from Colombia and Desert Bloom from the U.S., with additional participation from several impact-focused investors including LATAM Impact Fund and Connecticut Innovations. This investment milestone comes at a particularly challenging time for fundraising, especially for women entrepreneurs like founder Heather K. Terry, who expressed how meaningful it was to receive strong support from Latin American investors for her Connecticut-based company. GoodSam’s direct trade model eliminates middlemen and ensures fair compensation for farmers across nine countries, while offering consumers sustainably produced nuts, fruit chips, chocolate, and organic coffee products.
Breaking Barriers in Food Industry Funding
The successful funding round for GoodSam Foods represents a significant achievement in today’s challenging investment landscape. Founded in 2019 by Heather K. Terry, the company has now raised a total of $10.5 million, highlighting growing investor confidence in sustainable food systems. This latest $9 million Series A funding was led by two key investors: Alive Ventures from Colombia and Desert Bloom from the United States.
Additional participants in this funding round included the LATAM Impact Fund, Promotora Social Mexico, One Small Planet, and Connecticut Innovations. This diverse investor group joins previous backers including Thrive Market, JellyShot, and Cynthia Tice, founder of Lily’s Sweets. The challenge of securing investment has been particularly acute for female founders like Terry, making this achievement even more noteworthy.
“Raising capital in the last two years has been extremely challenging and statistically, for women, it’s been nearly impossible,” noted Terry, the CEO and Founder of GoodSam Foods. “To have LATAM investors step up to support our vision as an American company, with the majority of our supply network in LATAM, has been humbling and deeply moving.” Similar challenges have been observed across the health food industry, as seen with Atomo Coffee’s funding journey for its innovative sustainable products.
Revolutionizing Agriculture Through Direct Trade
GoodSam Foods has built its business on two fundamental principles: regenerative agriculture and transparent trade. Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, the company has developed a direct trade model that removes unnecessary intermediaries in the supply chain. This approach ensures farmers receive fair compensation for their work and creates a more sustainable economic model for agricultural communities.
The company currently operates in nine countries, including Colombia, Mexico, and Kenya, working directly with smallholder and indigenous farmers. Their product lineup features four main categories: nuts, fruit chips, chocolate, and organic coffee. Each product maintains the company’s commitment to sustainable farming practices and fair compensation for producers.
Virgilio Barco, Managing Partner at Alive Ventures, expressed enthusiasm for GoodSam’s mission: “We are excited to support GoodSAM, a company that is helping smallholder farmers engaged in regenerative agriculture to access premium markets, thus driving prosperity and climate resilience in rural areas.” This focus on clean, ethically sourced ingredients aligns with growing consumer preferences, similar to what Simply Snacks has demonstrated with their transparent ingredient approach.
Scaling Regenerative Agriculture for Wider Impact
The fresh capital will allow GoodSam Foods to execute on several strategic growth initiatives. The company plans to expand its team, launch new product lines, and continue supporting direct trade relationships with smallholder and indigenous farmers. These efforts align with the company’s larger mission of making regenerative farming practices more widespread and accessible.
GoodSam aims to scale the regenerative food movement by making these products a staple in American households. The company believes that by demonstrating the business case for regenerative agriculture and transparent trade, they can create lasting change in how food is produced and distributed globally. Their approach resembles the vision put forward by Organic Valley’s leadership, emphasizing sustainable farming systems.
Regenerative agriculture focuses on farming practices that rebuild soil organic matter and restore degraded soil biodiversity. These methods can lead to carbon drawdown and improved water cycles while enhancing ecosystem services. For GoodSam Foods, this isn’t just an environmental initiative—it’s a complete business model that addresses social equity and economic sustainability alongside ecological concerns.
Leadership Additions Strengthen Growth Strategy
As part of this funding milestone, GoodSam Foods has enhanced its leadership team with strategic appointments. The board now includes Virgilio Barco from Alive Ventures and Julia Paino from Desert Bloom, bringing additional expertise and industry connections to guide the company’s expansion. Greg Krupa has also joined as Head of Investor Relations, strengthening the company’s capacity to manage its growing investor relationships.
These additions to the team come at a critical time as GoodSam Foods prepares to scale its operations and impact. The expertise of these new team members will be instrumental in helping the company navigate its next growth phase. Building strong governance structures has proven essential for food companies pursuing both profit and purpose.
The strengthened leadership team positions GoodSam Foods to capitalize on shifting consumer preferences toward ethical, sustainable products. Much like how Bryce Harper partnered with Just Ingredients to promote clean, ethically sourced foods, GoodSam is aligning its business practices with evolving consumer values around transparency and sustainability.
Market Availability and Future Outlook
GoodSam Foods products have achieved nationwide distribution across several major retail chains. Consumers can find their offerings at Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, and various natural, independent, and specialty retailers across the country. This extensive distribution network provides the company with a solid foundation for continued growth and increased consumer accessibility.
The outlook for regenerative agriculture appears increasingly promising as more consumers prioritize sustainability in their purchasing decisions. GoodSam Foods is positioned to benefit from these shifting preferences while contributing to positive environmental and social outcomes. The company’s growth comes at a time when agricultural commodity markets are experiencing significant shifts, as seen with the rebounding global oat production and changing supply chains.
For consumers interested in supporting regenerative agriculture while enjoying high-quality food products, GoodSam Foods offers an accessible entry point. Their product range combines ethical sourcing with appealing flavors, making sustainable choices more convenient for everyday shoppers. With their expanded funding, GoodSam Foods is poised to bring regenerative agriculture into more kitchens across America while supporting farming communities around the world.
You can learn more about GoodSam Foods and their products on their website at goodsamfoods.com. If you’re looking to submit a dessert recipe featuring sustainable ingredients like those from GoodSam, we’d love to feature your creation on our site. Those interested in supporting similar values-driven businesses can also submit a favorite local dessert shop to our business directory that prioritizes ethical sourcing.