Amy’s Kitchen began out of necessity. The founders, Andy and Rachel Berliner, were excited to be expecting their first child. The doctor placed Rachel on bed rest during her pregnancy, and Andy was in charge of the food. Andy wanted easy-to-fix meals that were organic, vegetarian and tasted good. He went to their local natural food store, thinking he would find something there. However, he could not find anything satisfying. So, they took matters into their own hands, rolled up their sleeves, and made a pot pie. Rachel gave birth to a baby girl whom they named Amy. It was then that Amy’s Kitchen was born.

The Berliners continued to make homemade pot pies in their home. They sold their pot pies locally and thought they would be a small home business. However, letters started pouring in. Not only did people love the pot pies, but they urged the Berliners to expand their food line. Soon, they were making food items like soups and pizza. People would write about their food allergies to see if Amy’s could help. Soon, foods that were gluten and dairy-free began filling the grocery shelves.

What keeps vegans and others going into the stores and buying Amy’s meals? There are several reasons. One, plant-based food continues to rise in popularity. People are trying to eat healthier food options. Another reason is their family-friendly options. Kids can still have pizza, mac and cheeseburgers, and other kid-friendly foods. Amy’s line of foods makes it easy for people with dietary or lifestyle restrictions to find meal options that work for them.

Amy’s puts a lot of love into the food they make, but they also love the planet. Right now, their packing is 75% recyclable or compostable. Their goal is to reach 100%. They are also working hard to make their kitchens 100 percent energy efficient. The company hopes to be off the grid soon. They strive to have a social impact by caring for their employees’ needs and those in their surrounding committees.