TommyTomato's €1.9M Funding Boosts Mission to Nourish Dutch Youth with Vegetables
Dutch startup TommyTomato secures €1.9M to expand vegetable-rich lunches to schools, aiming to foster lifelong healthy eating habits in over 50,000 children.
Innovating Child Nutrition
TommyTomato, a Haarlem-based startup, is pioneering a healthtech and agritech hybrid model to address a pressing issue in child nutrition. On April 24, the company announced a significant €1.9M growth funding investment from a consortium of investors including Stichting LifeTree Fund, DOEN Participaties, and Social Impact Fund Rotterdam[1]. With this capital, TommyTomato is set to revolutionize the way children engage with vegetables, aiming to instill healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.
Scaling Up for National Impact
The injection of funds will enable TommyTomato to scale its operations beyond the Randstad region, reaching cities like Eindhoven and Rotterdam. The expansion includes investments in automation and team growth, essential for supporting their mission. Erik van der Plas, the founder of TommyTomato, expressed enthusiasm for the transition to Steward Owned and entering the next growth phase, signifying a milestone for the company’s development[1].
A Fresh Approach to School Lunches
Founded in 2020 by parents Bas Turk and Erik van der Plas, TommyTomato tackles the challenge of insufficient vegetable intake among children by delivering hot, vegetable-packed lunches directly to elementary schools. This innovative service ensures that students receive 60 to 100 percent of their recommended daily vegetable intake without requiring additional effort from the schools themselves. The approach not only meets nutritional needs but also educates and excites children about the foods they eat[1].
Impressive Growth and Social Contribution
TommyTomato’s impact is quantifiable, with over 1.5 million lunches served since its inception and a substantial 600 percent growth last year. The meals, which are vegetarian and filled with a variety of vegetables, are delivered by a team dubbed ‘Health Angels’. The company’s commitment to social responsibility extends to employment opportunities for marginalized individuals, aligning with its registration under the Social Business Code. This ensures the mission’s focus remains on making healthy eating accessible to all children, not just a privileged few[1].
Expanding the Vegetable Revolution
TommyTomato is not stopping at current achievements. With two operational hubs in Haarlem and Utrecht and a forthcoming hub in The Hague, the goal is to establish five hubs by the end of 2024. Serving 49 locations to date, the company has facilitated the consumption of over 100,000 kilograms of vegetables by young students. With the new funding, TommyTomato is on track to reach and nourish over 50,000 children, significantly scaling up their operations and their impact on the future of child nutrition in the Netherlands[1].