Ten Years of Partake: Stories from the Snack Squad
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Ten years ago, Partake started with a simple, urgent idea: safe snacks for all. Founder and CEO Denise Woodard couldn’t find cookies that were safe for her daughter Vivienne, who was diagnosed with multiple food allergies, so she built them herself, selling crunchy cookies out of her car to NYC grocers before growing into the brand you know today.
A decade later, Partake is in 11,000 retail doors nationwide, free from the top 9 allergens, and still driven by the same mission: to make snacking safe, joyful, and inclusive.
But the real heart of these 10 years isn’t the milestones. It’s you. To celebrate, we’re handing the mic to a few of the people who’ve made Partake part of their lives. Here are their stories.
“A safer alternative I can recommend with confidence”
As a pediatric gastroenterologist who sees many children with food allergies, and as a mom to a toddler, Neelima A. looks for snacks that work double duty: good enough for her own home, and good enough to recommend to the families in her care.
“I love inclusive, clean, and tasty snacks for both my household and to recommend to the families I care for. Partake’s cookies fully embody this. I love sharing these delicious and wholesome treats (with so much variety!), providing peace of mind that they are a safer alternative to many sweet snacks on the market. And finally, my son absolutely adores them, especially the vanilla wafers, his favorite ‘cookoos’!”
— Neelima A.
There may be no higher praise than a toddler inventing a nickname for your cookies.
“From ‘no thank you’ to ‘I brought cookies!’”
For Kat T., dairy issues run through the whole family. She’s lived with a dairy intolerance her entire life, her sister-in-law developed a severe dairy allergy, and her two children have dairy allergies or strong intolerances too. For a long time, that meant sitting things out.
“I went from being the ‘no thank you’ attendee to the ‘I brought cookies!’ guest. Products like Partake make us feel included in family events and when we go out for adventures. We don’t feel like outsiders because we can still enjoy these treats, and even our family members who don’t have allergies can share them with us. We enjoy taking the vanilla wafers when we go out because the kids don’t feel excluded seeing other children with treats, they go great with everything, and I don’t have to worry about what’s in them. Thank you for making a product that includes us without effort and can be brought to birthday parties, formal gatherings, and even office parties so we don’t feel left out again!”
— Kat T.
This is exactly what “safe snacks for all” was meant to feel like: nobody on the outside looking in.
“We both feel great”
When you’re shopping for a toddler, you’re balancing two things at once: a treat they’ll actually love, and ingredients you can feel good about. Rebecca S. found both in one box.
“My son absolutely loves Partake! Buying treats for a toddler can be so tricky because I want him to be able to enjoy something delicious, while I can still feel good about the ingredients. Partake makes us both feel great. Plus, I always feel safe sending them to daycare, on playdates, or sharing with others at the playground. He’s a fan of snickerdoodle, and I like the lemon cookies, but as long as we have any flavors in the house, they’ll always be enjoyed (especially by my husband, who makes them disappear astonishingly fast).”
— Rebecca S.
We see you, Rebecca’s husband. Those cookies don’t stand a chance.
“A brand that puts so much care into their products”
For Mary, snacking comes with real considerations. Food allergies mean she has to proceed carefully to avoid flare-ups, so finding a brand she can trust isn’t a small thing.
“I am so glad Partake exists. It has been wonderful to enjoy treats that are low in sugar and gluten-free. My previous favorite was the Lemon Soft Cookie, but I am currently loving the Chocolate Chip Teeny Tiny Cookies, they are so adorable and the pack has lasted me for months. Even my mom has been enjoying the lemon ones! Because I have some food allergies, I have to proceed with caution to avoid flare-ups with IBS or other things, so it means so much to find a brand that puts so much care into their products. Thank you for everything you do!”
— Mary
Care in, care out. That’s the whole idea.
Here’s to the next 10
A pediatric specialist. A mom who finally gets to say “I brought cookies.” A toddler with a fast-handed dad. A snacker who needs to trust every ingredient. Different lives, one shared feeling: belonging at the table.
That’s what these 10 years have been about, and it’s what the next 10 will be about too. Thank you for letting Partake be part of your celebrations, your lunchboxes, your playdates, and your everyday moments.
Here’s to many more.
Want to share your own Partake story? We’d love to hear it. Tag us @PartakeFoods.