Ten Years of Partake: How a Mom's Mission Became a Movement
Ten years ago, I wasn't thinking about building a company. I was thinking about my daughter.
Vivi had just been diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies, and I couldn't find a single snack I felt safe giving her. So I dug in to how I could build my own. I started researching. And I started building something I couldn't find on any shelf. That was 2016, and what happened next is beyond my wildest dreams.
2016 — The moment that started everything
After Vivi's diagnosis, I set out to make a snack that was safe, delicious, and something a child would actually want to eat. I was still at my job at Coca-Cola. I was building the business on nights and weekends, working with a recipe developer, and trying to figure out if what I was making could actually become a business. The answer, slowly, was yes.
2017 — Leaving the comfort of a paycheck
I launched a Kickstarter, partnered with a co-manufacturer, and spent the first six months hauling cookies in my car to natural food stores throughout New York to share samples and build brand awareness. I had no roadmap and no venture capital contacts. What I had was a product I believed in and a community that needed it.
2018 — The first big break
Partake got its first break in retail distribution in May 2018, entering one region of Whole Foods Market after two challenging years of bootstrapping the business. To get there, I maxed out credit cards, emptied my 401(k), and sold my engagement ring. The cookies hit the shelf. The journey officially began.
2019 — After 86 no's, one life-changing yes
Before Partake went nationwide, 86 investors turned us down. In 2019, Marcy Venture Partners, the venture capital firm co-founded by Jay-Z, led a $1 million seed round for Partake. That made me the first Black woman to raise more than $1 million publicly for a consumer packaged goods food startup. That statistic says something important, and I've never stopped thinking about what it means.
2020–2021 — Scaling and Giving Back
Partake expanded from 350 stores to over 5,500 nationwide. In 2020, I also established the Black Futures in Food and Beverage Fellowship Program, an initiative giving students enrolled at HBCUs the opportunity to pursue a career in the food industry. Building a business was never just about the cookies. It was always about the table we were building access to.
2022 — Becoming a B Corp and Buds with Ben & Jerry's
Partake officially became a Certified B Corporation, a recognition that measures social and environmental performance through a rigorous independent review of a company's impact on its workers, customers, communities, and environment. This wasn't a marketing decision. It was a values one. We also partnered with Ben & Jerry's, fellow B Corp, to bring a new ice cream flavor to the world.
2023 — More Inclusive Stays
Partake partnered with DoubleTree by Hilton to debut an allergen-free chocolate chip cookie, giving hotel guests across the United States the option of an allergy-friendly welcome at check-in. For a parent who knows how hard it is to travel with food allergies, this one hit close to home.
2024 — The most legendary jersey patch deal in WNBA history
Partake Foods was selected as the inaugural jersey badge partner for the 2024 Phoenix Mercury season by our investor partner, Cleveland Ave, with the brand's logo appearing on the left shoulder of Mercury game jerseys. Women's sports, women's leadership, and a brand built for inclusion—a great fit.
2025 — A new look, the same mission
We refreshed our packaging and earned B Corp recertification, confirming that our values aren't just stated. They're audited, verified, and real.
Today — 11,000+ stores and just getting started
Partake is now in 11,000+ stores across the country. But the number I think about most isn't the store count or the funding total. It's the kids like Vivi, who can now walk into a birthday party, a hotel, an airport, a theme park, or a grocery store and find something made for them.
That was the whole point.
If you've been part of this decade — as a customer, a community member, a fellow food allergy parent — thank you. Share your Partake moment with us this month using #PartakeTurns10. We're drawing four winners every week in June for $100 in Partake goodies and swag.
Here's to many more.
— Denise
FAQ
What is Partake Foods? Partake Foods is an allergen-friendly snack brand founded in 2016 by Denise Woodard. All products are certified gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and free of the top 9 allergens.
Who founded Partake Foods and why? Denise Woodard founded Partake after her daughter Vivi was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies and she couldn't find safe, delicious snacks on the market.
Where can I buy Partake cookies? Partake is available in 11,000+ stores nationwide, including Walmart, Whole Foods Market, and Target. Use the store locator at partakefoods.com.
Is Partake Foods a B Corp? Yes. Partake earned Certified B Corporation status in 2023 and was recertified in 2025.
What does top-9 allergen-free mean? It means the product contains none of the nine most common allergens: wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, fish, sesame, and shellfish, which together account for 90% of all allergic reactions.