By Erica and Karen

We came to the business of founding a company after we had done other things for decades. It never really occurred to us, perhaps because In our younger years we seldom saw companies founded by women. Now we see lots of them, and meeting some of these founders is one of the great joys of what we do with Lustre.

We decided to highlight some of the women founded companies in the food industry because, well, we think good food leads to longer life and better brains. And we really like to eat. And maybe some of you will be inspired to start a business around your own amazing creations, and we will find even more great treats to eat.

Here goes:

Fishwife Tinned Seafood Co. Tinned fish. Great sardines. Excellent recipes.

The term "Fishwife" dates back to the 16th century, and originally referred to the daughters or wives of fishermen who sold fish at the market. The term gradually evolved into gendered insult for women who were brash, foul-mouthed, and brassy. We relate. We like that too!

Brightland. California olive oil. Vinegars. (Do you think of vinegar as decadent???) Honey. All in beautiful bottles. From sunny California.

Our fruit-forward vinegars are made on a nutrient-dense, family-run farm in California’s Central Coast. Chardonnay and Zinfandel grapes, Navel and Valencia oranges, and ripe Triple Crown blackberries are grown in nutrient-dense soil, selected with care, and double fermented in stainless steel. You’ll taste the process on your palate - zingy and bright, bold and decadent.

Diaspora. Amazing turmeric. Chilis we never heard of. Fruits we don’t think of as fruits.

So in 2016, I booked a one way ticket home to Mumbai and signed myself up for 7 months of highly unpaid market research, 40+ farm visits, endless un-answered phone calls, a squishy motorbike ride through rice paddy, and one life-changing meeting with the good folks at the Indian Institute of Spices Research.

A lot of processing of doubts and fears later, 23 year old Sana founded Diaspora Co. in the fall of 2017 with just one spice - Pragati Turmeric - sourced from an equally young and idealistic farm partner, our now dear friend Mr. Prabhu Kasaraneni. But from our very first day, the big, audacious dream was to grow a radically new, decidedly delicious and truly equitable spice trade, to push a broken system into an equal exchange, and to have a lot of fun doing it.

Curio Spice Company. All kinds of spice mixes, and spices we have never heard of. Magic salt? Kozani spice? With information about origins, and recipe ideas. Just reading about these spices is like going on a trip to someplace exotic.

Our mission is to improve the lives of spice farmers by directly sourcing from small, sustainable farms and inspire culinary creativity by crafting blends that celebrate unique flavors from around the world.

Brooklyn Delhi. Tasty condiments, especially achaar. (Never heard of it? Nor had we but glad we have now.) Curry mustard. Curry ketchup.

Chitra set out to make the condiment from ingredients she found around her in Brooklyn like tomatoes, rhubarb, garlic and American gooseberries. Usually achaar is really spicy and really salty, which means you don’t eat a lot of it, but the Brooklyn Delhi recipe highlights the flavor of the vegetables and fruits and aromatic spices (that are also very healthy!), along with the chilies so it’s not all about burning your tongue off and raising your blood pressure).

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. Just delicious. Cream Puff. Pumpkin Cake Roll. Fluffernutter Pie. A dynamic founder who says,

That REALLY great ice cream served perfectly in a sparkling and beautiful space, with attentive and in-the-moment service (we believe service is an art) brings people together and helps them connect. And that sometimes sparks fly. And that there should be more sparks flying, generally. Yes!

Noosa. More creamy stuff, from Colorado via Australia. Yummy, fruity, surely good for you, right?

Noosa began with… well, Noosa. tucked away on Australia’s Sunshine Coast, it was near this picturesque beach town where our co-founder, Koel Thomae—an Aussie ex-pat who’d been living in Colorado—came across a simple, clear tub filled with creamy yoghurt and passion fruit purée. one irresistible spoonful later, her obsession with great yoghurt began.

NuttZo. Nut butters. Lots of different seeds and nuts. And recipes for things like Raw chocolate and coconut cream pie. As so often happens, a mother created something because she was anxious to make sure her children ate well.

After adopting my sons, I was extremely focused on creating the most nutrient dense meals for their bodies. They were both extremely picky eaters and I needed to find a plant based protein source they would eat. In desperation, I took to the kitchen and blended a variety of nuts and seeds to make a delicious protein source for them.

Mortgage Apple Cakes. Everything apple cakes. And what a story.

Angela Logan of Teaneck, NJ, inspired the nation and the world, when during the mortgage crisis, she set a goal to sell 100 apple cakes in ten days to save her home of 20 years from foreclosure. She baked 42 cakes in her home and sold them at $40 each, when her story went global.

Levain Bakery. Chocolate chip cookies. Big gooey ones. Who would imagine athletes would come up with that?

Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald created Levain Bakery in 1995, out of their passions for food, friendship, and hard work. Competitive swimmers and triathletes, Pam and Connie passed their workouts by engaging in passionate conversations about baking, which inspired them to open a small bread shop in 1995, which they named Levain Bakery.

One day, they created an ultimate chocolate chip walnut cookie to give them energy while training for a triathlon. They decided to sell a batch in their bakery, and they flew off the shelves. An icon was born.

Seattle Chocolates. Delightful chocolates. Himalayan Salt + Toffee. Mexican Chocolate Truffles. And—they support hunger initiatives and hire local artists to create beautiful packaging. They speak our language:

As a woman-owned and powered company, we know that magic happens when everyone has a voice; it makes us bolder, pushes us to take risks, and honestly, it’s just a lot of fun.