Once Upon a Farm, the organic kids’ food company co-founded by actress Jennifer Garner, has gone public, raising nearly $198 million in its IPO priced at $18 per share. The Berkeley-based brand, known for cold-pressed pouches and parent-pleasing snacks, now trades on the NYSE under the ticker OFRM, valued at roughly $724 million.
Parents everywhere can now invest in the very puree that convinces toddlers that vegetables are not a personal attack. The debut comes as the IPO market shakes off years of hibernation, with investors apparently deciding that organic baby food is the next big thing after too many questionable tech unicorns.
For once, Wall Street is betting on something that actually nourishes tiny humans rather than just venture capital egos. This splash of fresh cash could help Once Upon a Farm expand its refrigerated empire, though it also means shareholders now share in the eternal struggle of getting kids to eat anything green without a bribery negotiation.
The company began in 2015 when Cassandra Curtis and Ari Raz launched the venture. Jennifer Garner and John Foraker, the former Annie’s CEO who knows a thing or two about making healthy food appealing, joined as co-founders in 2017.
What started as pouches has grown into frozen meals and oat bars, all cold-pressed, organic, and blissfully free of the mysterious “natural flavors” that sound suspiciously like chemistry experiments.
Demand for transparent, health-focused kids’ nutrition keeps climbing. Parents want ingredient lists they can read without a decoder ring. Once Upon a Farm has ridden that wave straight into grocery coolers nationwide.
Still, the prospectus offers a gentle reminder that not everything is sunshine and smoothies. A hefty share of fruits and vegetables comes from Mexico and South America. Trade barriers could squeeze supply or inflate costs faster than a toddler’s tantrum. In a world where tariffs arrive uninvited, even organic apples can turn into a geopolitical headache.
Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan steered the offering as lead managers. Shares priced right in the middle of the $17-to-$19 range, suggesting steady interest without the frenzy of meme-stock madness.
The company isn’t profitable yet, posting losses alongside growing revenue. That’s standard for growth-stage food brands scaling up production and distribution. Investors seem willing to bet that “Farmer Jen” and her team’s focus on real ingredients will eventually bear fruit—financially speaking.
In the meantime, the stock ticker OFRM now joins the daily market scroll. Who knew a celebrity side hustle could end up rubbing elbows with blue-chip giants? At least this one comes with fewer preservatives.
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