8 Track Foods

Happy Monday! 8 Track Foods climbs the charts on RangeMe with NielsenIQ. Starting this business was the manifestation of 25+ years in the food industry in product development, Market strategy, and consumer insights. I couldn't shake the feeling that we needed to rewind the clock and focus on locally grown and simple foods. How can we create a better food system? This question haunts me daily... Happy to share the desire for change with the brands represented at Naturally Chicago and World Business Chicago during the Future of Food week. Chicago is cultivating the next generation of brands. (can you spot our logo?) Ain't no mountain high enough!! Keep eating your beans!! #bootstrapped #singlemom #womenowned #missiondriven #foodthewayitsmeanttobe #foodscience #chicagobean

You: "What do you do for a living?" Me: "I own a bean company." Long, awkward pause... You: (in your mind...is she joking? oh, she isn't joking) um..."Why beans?!? What problem are you solving?" In today's episode of Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam explores the common mistakes we make when getting our plans off the ground with Saras Sarasvathy - Professeur University of Virginia Note: My incredible daughter Jessica Sadowsky is a student at UVA! Go Hoos! Spoiler Alert... She debunks the myth that the advice we give entrepreneurs ‘to find a problem in the world and solve it in a profitable way’ is a NOT a determinant of business success. She shares several fascinating insights... First and foremost...the founder requires COMPETENCE in the field they are launching. As a Food Scientist and plant-protein subject matter expert, this gives me hope that 8 Track Foods has a better shot at success...but in the meantime, I love being the catalyst to change our food systems for the better! At the conclusion of the episode, Shankar says it is better to ask... "What do I have to offer that might change the future?" Well to that, I say BEANS!! BEANS!! BEANS!! #organicbeans #usafarmers #womenownedentrepreneur

HAPPY 🌎 Day!! Starting 8 Track Foods began with a mission to make our food AND packaging truly better for the environment. Our commitment to #plasticsucks #foodwastestinks has funded the recovery of 2.34 TONS (4680 POUNDS) of plastic recovered from our oceans with our partner CleanHub Check out our impact report at www.8trackfoods.com! Next time you reach for a “sustainable” product…ask yourself, is this going to end up in our oceans? It’s not just water bottles!! So proud of the work you are helping us accomplish!! YOU are making a difference in our infinite loop of sustainability! ♾️💛🌎🌱

“Beans are the Cinderella of alternative proteins!” Quote Javier Berterreche After spending nearly 20 years in alt proteins, this quote hit home. When I launched 8 Track Foods, not many shared my perspective on this whole-food plant-based superfood. Just got back from BeanCon24 rejuvenated and inspired. When Beancon began in 2021, there weren’t very many of us! In just 3 years, over 300 attendees (no costumes required)! Special thanks to US DRY BEAN COUNCIL for hosting this bean-tastic event!! Fun to see other brands joining the momentum and organizations like #Beansishow amplifying the mission to increase bean consumption by 2x by 2028! How are you getting more beans on your plate? Bean smoothies?? #foodismedicine #beansishow #sustainableagriculture #8trackfoods #usdbc

"A visionary is crazy until the world realizes they aren't."  Maggie Seng Sadowsky 8 Track Foods Seven years ago, my bean obsession journey began with a USDA grant application (followed by rejection), lots of laughs, and no financial support ($0 raised). Four years ago, I trusted my instincts and took the first step to realizing my vision of the future to build a sustainable food and packaging system. Today, I am inspired by our partners and fans!! So much personal and professional growth has occurred since I started 8 Track Foods 8 Things I have learned in my journey into entrepreneurship... 1. Trends Don't chase them. Stay true to your vision. 2. Be confident: Your confidence will get shaken. Find friends who will encourage you to get up and make a difference. 3. Advice: Listen to all of it. Carefully weigh who is giving it, then decide if you should take it. (note: just because someone has money, doesn't make them smart)  4. Money: Same advice as #3. Carefully decide who is giving it! 5. Growth: It doesn't matter how fast you are growing. What matters is if you are learning how to grow your business sustainably into the future. When the growth happens, it will be effective. 6. Failure: Don't dwell on it. It is part of the process. Celebrate it as much as you do the wins. You are one step closer to discovering the solution. (as a scientist, failure is my playground) 7. Protect your ideas: Protect your ideas like you would your body. (Don't give them away). Reveal your innovation plan when they have your trust. 8. Team: Surround yourself with a community. Treat everyone with respect. We all have superpowers. Let your team show you theirs. Thank you to everyone who believed in me and the vision of 8 Track Foods!! This is only the beginning... #sustainableagriculture #foodscientist #sustainablefarming #usamanufacturing #wbenc #womenowned

ROAR!!! 8 Track Foods is starting the rollout into 1100 FoodLion stores!! Yes, this is a lot of stores (and a lot of beans)! This path has been nothing short of miraculous and we are just getting rolling… We are truly grateful for the team at Food Lion and UNFI for sharing our mission towards sustainability and health and giving us the opportunity. WBENC #usgrown #missiondriven #sustainablefarming #womenowned #sustainablepackaging p.s. I didn’t think you needed another photo of me holding my beans like a third grade science project, so I asked this guy to open the can for me!

No one told me they were going to ask about self care...umm.... Thrilled to share a bit of 8 Track Foods harrowing beginnings and how we continue to disrupt the space. Thank you FIREBELLY Marketing, Duncan Alney, and Arnelle Mitchell!! In this episode... "People view beans as just common everyday foodstuffs. Many often relegate them to the bottom shelf altogether. So can CPG brands position beans as healthy products people can enjoy?  According to Maggie Sadowsky, beans are a powerhouse for our diet and planetary health. As a food scientist and a lover of bean-based dishes, she set out to reinvent what many see as a stale product. She shares her journey of growing the beans brand from scratch to processing, distributing, and innovative packaging. On this episode of the Firebelly Social Show, Duncan Alney and Arnelle Mitchell talk with Maggie Sadowsky, Owner and President of 8 Track Foods, about the superfood beans. Maggie explains why she focuses on beans, how 8 Track Foods differentiates itself in the market, the different ways to enjoy beans, the value of food science in food product development, and advice for entrepreneurs getting started in the CPG space. Enjoy! #michiganbeans #foodscience #missiondriven #womenownedbusiness #8trackfoods #failforward Rise25