From the Paleo diet to “eating clean” to farm-to-table, today’s consumers are looking for ways to be healthier in a culture that often promotes unhealthful food choices. Irvington-based Reunion Foods is part of that mission. From its 1,200 square-foot office in the Bridge Street Campus, Reunion seeks to provide affordable, organic animal proteins that work to improve human wellness, promote animal welfare, and foster environmental sustainability.
Seth Mosner, founder and CEO of Reunion, says the company was officially founded in 2016, “but [Benjamin, Jessica, and I] have been working on the project for six years,” he adds, referring to his two cofounder siblings, who function as the company’s chief business development officer and chief marketing officer, respectively. Healthful food choices, personal wellness, and environmental sustainability are key components of the company — which sells to retail, food service, e-commerce, and manufacturing customers. “The brand,” Seth says, “is an extension of ourselves.”
Reunion Foods’ startup atmosphere and innovative, back-to-the-earth process for how they raise and select their organic beef, lamb, pork, and poultry feel very Millennial, just like much of their customer base. “Our steers eat real grasses, not grass pellets,” says Seth, referring to common practices of the agro-industrial complex.
“Getting meat products that have not been treated with antibiotics and have been raised in a system that benefits the environment shouldn’t be a privilege,” adds Seth, referring to his company’s goal to be a provider to customers at all socioeconomic levels.
This “fresh” approach focuses on selecting meats grown by family farms in Uruguay, Australia, and elsewhere that are biodynamic and self-sustaining — and were the norm in America before large, agro-industrial farms took over in the mid-20th century.
Reunion’s philosophy even extends to their branding. In describing the company’s carefully conceived logo, Seth emphasizes the community aspect of the brand. “There are two chairs, and you can put whomever you want in them. Be it friend and friend, family and family, consumer and consumer, farmer and consumer, or our company and our consumer, our brand stands for reuniting people.”
