This former tech worker now sells microgreens to LinkedIn’s headquarters.
Katy Pomelov was living in San Francisco and working in software when she began growing food in her backyard and kitchen.
“I was really into kind of a raw food diet, so I was growing wheatgrass and such,” she explained. “Eventually, I was so obsessed with it that I kept wanting to figure out some way to do it professionally.”
Opportunity knocked when she was laid off in January 2012. While Katy was weighing her options for new tech jobs, her parents bought some land in Lake County for a summer home. Rather than return to tech, she ended up moving up there and started growing what is now LifeFood Gardens.
The direct-to-community farm primarily sells microgreens and grasses, along with a branded line of nut and seed butters and sprouted crackers.
Open an online Airmart shop for your own microgreens business here:
Even though Katy traded tech for farming, it didn’t take long for Silicon Valley to find her again: Among LifeFood Garden’s customers is the Sunnyvale-based professional networking site, LinkedIn. The chef discovered her microgreens one weekend at the Grand Lake Farmer’s Market and has been serving them at the LinkedIn headquarters ever since.
From Barn2Door to Airmart
While most of LifeFood Gardens’ sales have come from local farmer’s markets like Grand Lake, Katy also brought her farm online with Barn2Door. But she says the platform hasn’t been worth the hefty monthly price. “I can’t list different sizes under each item. Instead, I have to list various sizes individually, and the store just becomes way too cluttered and confusing.”
Just when she began looking for a new solution, Airmart showed up in her inbox.
“I really like how easy Airmart is to navigate. The interface is really nice, I can add different size options and locations, and if I upgrade, I can offer subscriptions.”
Where to buy microgreens in California
LifeFood Gardens makes it easy to get your greens, no matter where you are in the Bay Area. Katy delivers to homes and businesses around Lake County, Napa County, San Francisco County, Alameda County, Santa Clara County, Solano County, Marin County, and West Contra Costa County.
And of course, you can find LifeFood Gardens stands at various farmer’s markets on the weekends. Just check the LifeFood Gardens shop for locations.
Not in Northern California? Check our microgreens directory to find microgreens near you.