“The best part of the Cornell entrepreneurial ecosystem is that everyone gets a shot and Cornell gives you the support, resources and mentorship needed to take that shot,” says Annunziata, CEO of Farther Farms. “And if you’re ambitious enough to want to launch a business, Cornell can put you in a position to be successful."
“That’s continuing to play out for us," he says. "Throughout all our ups and downs over the last four years, having the support of our networks at Cornell and in the region has been invaluable.”
French fries are just the beginning. The technology can apply to any food products made of fruits, vegetables, dairy or meats, from solids to semi-solids and liquids. A combination of high-pressure carbon dioxide and moderate temperatures inactivates not only the enzymes that cause browning but also the microorganisms that cause spoilage.
Since eLab, Annunziata and Saran have received a Phase I research grant from the National Science Foundation and constructed a pilot production plant in Rochester, New York. The startup has recently begun distributing their flagship product, which diners can try at Luna Inspired Street Food in Ithaca and at The Hideaway and Radio Social in Rochester.
And Endico Potatoes, a large redistributor of potato products in the New York City Metro area, carries Farther Farms french fries. “Selling this product is fun because it does what it’s supposed to do. It just works,” says John Hanna, president of Endico. “Our customers are finding that these fries are high quality and delicious.”
Farther Farms continues to scale up its business. The startup raised $12 million in its first significant round of venture capital financing, led by a group of strategic investors including Endico Potatoes; Richard Porter, former president of Lamb Weston, a frozen french-fry manufacturer; and others in the food and agriculture arena.
Farther Farms has grown from three to 25 full-time employees in two years and are hiring for several highly skilled positions.
“I’m most excited about the world-class team our company is building,” says Annunziata, noting the interdisciplinary group is comprised of an in-house microbiologist and bioprocess engineers, chemical engineers, chemists and food scientists.
“We want to be part of the next generation of technologies that can help reduce energy consumption over long periods of time,” Annunziata says, “and give people new, exciting options of delicious food that they can eat, while also having a positive impact on people and the planet.”
Sara Baier is a marketing and communications specialist for the Center for Regional Economic Advancement at Cornell University.
This article also appeared in the Cornell Chronicle.
Header image: Rob Gray, Farther Farms’ production and sanitation supervisor, inspects potatoes at Farther Farms’ manufacturing facility in Rochester, New York. Photo by Farther Farms/Provided