By Margaret Hedderman
Jane and Louise Barden were on vacation when they heard the news: their Durango-based dehydrated food company, Farm to Summit, was being offered a trial run with Sprouts Farmers Market. In two months, their ready-to-eat meals would be on the shelves in 410 stores nationwide.
The news not only transformed their vacation, but the entire scale of their business operations in two short months.
Founded in 2021, Farm to Summit sources upcycled produce from local farmers in an effort to reduce agricultural food waste and produce healthy, sustainable adventure meals. Their innovative approach—and compelling brand story—has quickly become a go-to for adventurers.
Farm to Summit—which participated in Startup Colorado’s Founder Coopetition—initially launched at the Durango Farmer’s Market. Their early traction was aided by independent outdoor retailers in town, like Backcountry Experience. This local support was crucial, acting as a springboard for further expansion to 80 additional retailers.
Sprouts is known for supporting new brands via a variety of programs, including New For You. The program offers new vendors a 90-day window to sell their
product on the national chain’s shelves with the possibility of a permanent spot. Farm to Summit fit the bill, presenting dehydrated meals that appealed to a broader consumer base—beyond just campers and hikers.
“Durango helped us a lot with this,” Jane explained. In Durango, Farm to Summit coordinates with a number of local organizations addressing food insecurity to provide shelf-stable meals. “It’s already been proven that people enjoy them just at home or at work, not necessarily outdoors.”
In their pitch, the Bardens also built upon their personal experience as Sprouts shoppers.
“They have a really awesome bulk section,” Jane said, adding that outdoor enthusiasts were already utilizing Sprouts for adventure prep. In their minds, Farm to Summit was a perfect fit.
Earning the trial run with Sprouts, however, was just the beginning. Preparing for a major retailer required a swift and strategic scaling of production.
“I’d say the biggest learning curves have been more so just working with a big company,” Jane said. “And how different that is than working with independents where it’s more laid back, and it’s just an email or a phone call.”
The duo learned the ropes of corporate requirements, from the minutiae of freight costs to how everything would fit onto the pallet. Jane acknowledges this as a different ballgame—a rapid education in the complexities of large-scale retail.
Despite the pressure, the team at Farm to Summit ramped up production in record time. With only four employees, including the founders, the company managed to meet Sprouts’ inventory needs. Yet that presented an additional hurdle: space.
As the operation grew, the need for more room to store products became apparent, especially when preparing shipments. Farm to Summit had to plan meticulously, taking advantage of good weather to organize their products for shipment, lacking a traditional loading dock or covered outdoor area.
Raising awareness about their national launch has prompted the Bardens to lean into their proven, grassroots digital marketing. In addition to their strong social following, Farm to Summit also has an effective group of brand ambassadors to leverage.
“So, they’re stopping into Sprout stores, grabbing products, taking videos, pictures,” Jane said. “Then we’re able to then recycle, put that [content] up on ours, and send that out to the masses.”
As Farm to Summit waits for the outcome of the trial, their growth continues. They’ve begun sourcing more local produce to meet rising demand, doubling orders from core farms and reinforcing the mutual support within the community. Looking ahead, the Bardens are considering further expansion to sustain their mission, with potential plans for a co-manufacturing facility that could open doors to more regional farming partnerships.
Whether or not the trial results in a permanent place on Sprouts’ shelves, the journey of Farm to Summit is a testament to the potential of rural businesses to make a significant impact on a national scale.
