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Renee Dunn
Founder & CEO at Amazi Foods
Renee Dunn is the Founder and CEO of Amazi Foods, a purpose-driven snack company that produces healthy, tropical fruit snacks made in Uganda.12 Here are some key details about Renee Dunn and Amazi Foods:
Background and Founding
Renee founded Amazi Foods in 2016 after studying abroad and conducting thesis research on entrepreneurship in Uganda while attending Wesleyan University.2 Combining her passion for healthy food, development experience, and entrepreneurial spirit, she started the company with the goal of creating more connected supply chains and supporting communities in Uganda.1
Company Mission and Impact
Amazi Foods is committed to:
- Working directly with small businesses and farmer groups in Uganda to produce their snacks from start to finish3
- Creating a more transparent and connected supply chain that redistributes wealth to local communities3
- Supporting farming communities, job creation, and sustainable industry in Uganda1
In 2020 alone, Amazi Foods sourced from nearly 300 farmers in Uganda (55% women), paid farmers 68% above market price, and created over 30 jobs for local youth.1
Products and Distribution
Amazi Foods produces tropical fruit snacks like plantain chips and jackfruit chews.2 Their products are sold:
- Nationally on Amazon Prime
- In Sprouts Farmers Market stores across the US
- On their website (amazifoods.com)
- In about 400 retail locations across the country2
Leadership Philosophy
Renee's approach to business emphasizes:
- Connection, opportunity, transparency, and quality as core values3
- Creating sustainable economic models that can be replicated in other economies3
- Promoting intrapreneurship and local innovation in the communities they work with3
Renee Dunn's LinkedIn username is renee-dunn-8b577a4a, as mentioned in the query.4
Highlights
RIGHT IN TIME for the 4th of July Holiday Weekend... the Piña Party has LANDED at Wegmans Food Markets!!
Super excited for this opportunity with one of our fave partners to bring our newest (and one of our most raved about!) SKU into retail.
Just 2 simple ingredients, she is an absolute party in your mouth - bursting with pineapple goodness, fresh-from-the-source flavor, and a perfectly juicy & chewy texture. Be sure to add piña colada pineapple to your 4th of July beach or pool day haul, perfect for transporting yourself to the tropics or garnishing your favorite bev!
Big thanks to Sara Hoffman and Lisa Stoenner for believing in Amazi Foods and adding this SKU to the set. We can't wait to keep growing together.
Another Uganda trip in the books, and it was a special one. I was able to bring along my dear friend from college Allison Greenwald and our Ops Manager, Nate.
Beyond the joy of having them there and learning from their insights as 3rd parties, there is something powerful about sharing your life's work with others - especially as a solo founder.
This journey has been lonely and isolating, and I don't often pick my head up to see what we've really built. It was incredibly vulnerable and unexpectedly validating to pull back the curtain and show others the result of what you've been building. It was a gift to see with fresh eyes the incredible that is Amazi Foods.
Our entire business model truly is against all odds - and yet, we've brought it to fruition. It hasn't been sexy, or quick, or loud, or streamlined, or hockey stick growth.
But we have built a facility, in a remote area, that has unpaved roads and limited electricity, and somehow, is fully FSMS and ISO22000 3rd party audited. We have created over 100 jobs for locals in the area. We have sourced from over 300 farmers who organize and consolidate their 4 or 5 jackfruit trees to supply truckloads. We have developed recipes that showcase the incredible fresh flavors of locally grown fruits, with minimal ingredients, and have found a way to package them from start to finish right at the source.
And personally, I've had zero idea what I'm doing each step of the way, and yet somehow, I am now equipped with knowledge, operating an international supply chain and building relationships in retail, private label, food service... ?! woah.
It was all a much needed reminder of how much this crazy idea has expanded, and I'm SO excited to share our latest fruits of our labor at #ExpoWest next week 👀👀👀 ...
Fresh off the plane from Uganda, I'll be sharing our NEW 1 oz BAGS that are just now starting to roll out to partners like Compass Group, The FruitGuys, and HQ offices like PayPal (and right in time for #womensmonth, no less!)
If you're attending and/or interested in snagging a sample, comment below and let's link up!
Oh and PS - if you want to come visit us in Uganda, I'm taking requests for an Amäzi retreat... who's in!? ✨
