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Specialty Food Association
PHOTO:
DANIELA
SPECTOR
Emily Schildt, founder, Pop Up Grocer
Pop Up Grocer offers a curated shopping experience for consumers seeking on-trend food
products without having to wade through traditional grocery items to find them.
Founder Emily Schildt, age 31, launched the first Pop Up Grocer location last April
in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, and is planning a second location for September.
The next incarnation will be larger, stay open longer—a full month instead of 10
days—and will offer more space for people to linger. "We learned that there are many
brands who see the value in our platform for exposure and visibility," says Schildt.
Companies whose products were featured in the first Pop Up Grocer location
included Pan's Mushroom Jerky, Lesser Evil, CoolHaus, Healthyish, and Mylk Labs.
Pop Up Grocer filters product through three criteria. The product must first be
interesting, such as by incorporating an ingredient in a new way or meeting demand for
a dietary trend; it must also meet nutritional and ingredient standards; and it must have
interesting packaging that provides "an element of intrigue and discovery in itself."
"We think these criteria, in that order, are important because 'healthy' is the new
standard," says Schildt. "It's no longer differentiating—it's expected. So, what we bring to
our community is a selection of food products that are about more."
After the September Pop Up Grocer, Schildt says she plans to take Pop Up Grocer
to key markets such as Los Angeles, Denver, and Austin, Texas, and to open pop-up stores
at events. —M.H.
Age: 31
Creates small brand exposure
and visibility with a highly
curated shopping experience
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