Forested Foods LLC

Forested Foods is an agroforestry venture combatting deforestation and conserving critically biodiverse, natural forests. They partner with smallholder forest communities, starting in Ethiopia, to sustainably grow, process, and market the most distinctive, premium forest-based products. The driving force behind their business is the harmonization of forest conservation and a more equitable world for forest-based communities. Forested Foods works across the supply chain from cultivation to aggregation to processing to packaging, and finally, marketing. They train forest-based farmers to regeneratively grow portfolios of forest-based products, like shade loving spices, fruits, forest-based honey, gums, and resins. Their warehousing and processing facilities are based near the forest so they can work more effectively with farmers and the community members they employ. Once the products are processed, they also create market linkages to individual customers, retailers, food service, and wholesalers. Forested Foods creates brands that tell the story of the products. They launched with Maryiza, their line of single-origin honeys from Ethiopia's indigenous trees, which is being served at Michelin restaurants as well as through other culinary thought leaders.

Currently Forested Foods is benefitting 807 farmers through working with them to produce and aggregate single-origin honey. They have provided intensive training workshops to their partner farmers. The company has near-term plans to work with female cooperatives, starting with a cooperative of 60 women, on spice and herb production and processing. Forested Foods long-term business interests are to work beyond the three proposed forests and expand to other forest ecosystems within Ethiopia, and ultimately, expand internationally to other emerging/developing markets. More info at: https://www.forestedfoods.com/.