How Starbucks’ First Nutritionist Fixed Baby Food

In this episode of Recipe to Revenue, host Leah Messina talks with Katie Thomson, co-founder and CEO of Square Baby. Katie shares her journey from corporate nutrition to launching a national direct-to-consumer baby food brand. She explains the mechanics of developing veggie-forward meals that meet USDA guidelines and how offering an early allergen introduction menu can help prevent severe food allergies.

After pioneering health and wellness strategies as the first nutritionist for Starbucks, Katie Thomson became a mom and noticed a glaring problem in the baby food aisle. The market was dominated by fruit-heavy pouches that lacked balanced nutrition, prompting her to create a fresh, science-led solution for parents.

Watch or listen to learn more about:

• How Katie transitioned from Starbucks’ first dietitian to a baby food entrepreneur
• The science behind creating meals with half the sugar and twice the protein of most pouches
  

• Why introducing the top eight allergens early is critical for food allergy prevention

• The rigorous process of testing for heavy metals and earning the Clean Label Project Purity Award

• Navigating the logistics of sustainable packaging and nationwide frozen delivery

Whether you are launching a direct-to-consumer brand or looking to disrupt an established industry, Katie breaks down the exact plays needed to build a purpose-driven and predictable revenue engine.