Women-Owned Business Spotlight: Fresh Bellies

From a young age, I remember being fed rice with savory adobo. My parents always wanted me to be fed in the same way they were – with flavors reminiscent of our culture. When we moved to America from the Philippines, food became the bridge that kept us connected to our roots. 

Saskia Sorrosa felt the same sentiment; as an immigrant from Ecuador, she wanted to share the flavors of her culture with her children. Thus the birth of Fresh Bellies, a company that provides baby foods and snacks that are lightly seasoned with herbs and spices. 

Inspired by South American flavors and motivated by “making healthy food fun”, Sorrosa quit her job as the NBA Vice President of Marketing to start her business. She rented a test kitchen in New York City and hired chefs to teach her about the culinary world. For hours on end, she handmade unique purees, ranging from “Keep Calm With Cardamom” to “Cauliflower Dreamin’”. She hoped to attract health-conscious parents, who were looking for alternatives to processed (and often bland) baby foods. Fresh Bellies anchors on the belief that adventurous eaters must be trained early, and it’s important to expand palettes as early as possible. 

After spending her own savings to kickstart her business, she turned to investment opportunities, eventually turning to Shark Tank. Sorrosa framed her business as a vessel to combat childhood obesity, but the investors felt unconvinced, noting that low-income communities often can’t afford healthier options. Shark Tank wasn’t her only rejection, and Sorrosa emphasized the challenges of pitching her company to a room full of male investors. 

Her experiences are not uncommon; in fact, Latinx female founders receive less than 0.5% of venture capital. Although we’re starting to see more and more female entrepreneurs, the support they receive through investments is only a fraction of what their male counterparts receive. 

Despite these difficulties, Fresh Bellies is finding constant success in thousands of stores, including Walmart, Target, Sprout’s Market. etc. Sorrosa continues to build her multi-million dollar empire, recently joining the 2021 Launch With GS Cohort. 

Saskia Sorrosa’s story is only one of many. Make sure to join us on November 9 to listen to more stories about diverse entrepreneurs from Suzanne Gauron, the Head of Launch With GS from Goldman Sachs.