Global Village Foods is a Vermont-based, African-themed culinary food venture co-founded by Damaris and Melvin Hall. Damaris grew up in Kenya where simple fresh ingredients and rich aromatic spices were the center of vibrant gatherings. A world away, Mel from Memphis cherished Sunday dinners with three generations of family around a table full of bold, soulful Southern fare. The two met in Kenya and settled in Vermont, where they built up an enthusiastic following for African inspired foods at local food festivals, farmers markets, and a restaurant.

Now, they're expanding their line of consumer packaged goods (CPG) ready-meals, which presents high quality representations of traditional African inspired dishes while being allergy-friendly and largely plant-based. Global Village places a big emphasis on sourcing fresh ingredients from local and regional producers, particularly BIPOC-owned and -led operations.

The company is now rapidly scaling through institutional food service at colleges and universities, and CPG, serving 200 natural food co-ops and specialty grocers, all 43 Whole Foods Markets in the North Atlantic region, as well as Earth Fare Markets (a 30 plus store natural foods chain) in the mid-Atlantic.

A 0% interest bridge loan from Foodshed Capital will provide up-front capital for an operational grant from Vermont Working Lands and give them the financial cushion to expand Global Village Foods to new markets.