Yonderplate brings vegan, gluten-free meals to food service industry

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Heather Saffer knows how hard it can be to find meals outside of the home that follow one’s dietary restrictions or preferences and also taste good.

Despite the growing demand, restaurants and food service establishments are largely failing to provide a variety of plant-based and gluten-free items, she noted.

“It’s an obvious problem, yet there are not a lot of solutions out there,” Saffer said. 

So Saffer — who does not eat meat or gluten — acted.

She co-founded Yonderplate Inc., which provides plant-based food service solutions to the food service industry, with Wayne Sellers.

The local business minimizes the stress and planning associated with eating out, especially for plant based and allergen conscious diners, Saffer explained.

Yonderplate launched in November and currently serves customers across the state.

The company designs and manufactures meals and distributes them through traditional foodservice channels to outlets including restaurant chains, colleges, hospitals, arenas and caterers. 

Since opening, the company has rolled out roughly half a dozen products, which are all vegan and gluten-free. They include macaroni and cheese, lasagna, risotto and cauliflower wings.

Not only do the meals fill a void in the industry, Saffer said, the meals are easy to heat and serve, which can provide relief for worker shortages in the food service industry. 

They are also of higher quality than selections one would find in the frozen food section of a grocery store, she said.

“Our products are at a high level,” Saffer said.

Sellers said the plug and play meal options are ideal for food service businesses that provide meals in a range of settings, from college students on campus to patients in hospitals. He also sees growth in K-12 schools, as well as sports stadiums.

“There is a need, and there are a number of opportunities,” he said.

The two both grew up in Western New York, left the area and have since returned. They met while participating in a software program through NextCorps.

Saffer and Sellers said their professional experiences complement each other.

Saffer is an entrepreneur, author and founder of ABC’s Shark Tank-winning Dollop Gourmet, a better-for-you vegan frosting brand. She sold the business in 2019 to international frosting maker Mimac, a Canadian business.

Sellers’ background is in commercial real estate and he has additional experience scaling up and building businesses.

He used to run several restaurant chain businesses, including Five Guys across Eastern Canada, and a large chain of Tim Hortons in the Finger Lakes region. Additionally, he has been involved with Cornell’s Grow-NY competition, serving as a judge and mentor for the past three years.

Yonderplate is currently working with a local contract manufacturer, but Saffer and Sellers would eventually like to have their own manufacturing space for the business in the region.

They spoke of the region’s many assets for start-ups and food manufacturers, including availability of capital and grants, and proximity to resources such as the Cornell Agriculture and Food Technology Park in Geneva.

Although in its infancy, Yonderplate has been generating buzz and was highlighted at a Grow-NY event last year.

In addition, the start-up was a featured business at Invest NY: Future of Food 2022 conference presented by Upstate Capital Association of New York, a membership network for venture capital and private equity investors and professionals.

Saffer said the business would continue to develop new items, based on current trends and market needs.

In addition to growing the business, Saffer and Sellers are also interested in working with community organizations, such as Food Link and the Verona Street Animal Society.

“We are looking for ways the success of our business can have a positive community impact,” Saffer said.

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