Sweet Pea Plant-Based Kitchen is excited to share how our collaboration with RIT’s Venture Creations has driven meaningful growth and innovation. Their expert mentorship has helped us refine our operations, overcome challenges, and position Sweet Pea for long-term success.

Facing Challenges, Finding Solutions

In 2024, rising costs prompted us to take a hard look at our business model. With Venture Creations’ guidance, we made tough but necessary decisions to optimize our operations and improve efficiency. These changes quickly transitioned us from losses to profitability.

Ryan Jennings, Sweet Pea’s owner, explained: “At the beginning of 2024, we took a close look at the sustainability of our business. The cost of food went up, the cost of people went up, even the cost of corrugated boxes went up. We were in a position where we had to make some tough decisions.”

Growth and Innovation

Thanks to this partnership, we’ve expanded our reach with initiatives like the upcoming "Delicious Nutrition Hubs" in Syracuse, Buffalo, and Ithaca. These hubs will feature healthy meal options and products from local partners, making healthy eating more accessible than ever.

Brad VanAuken, an entrepreneurship coach at Venture Creations, highlighted: “Sweet Pea’s journey reflects the resilience and adaptability of a young company dedicated to improving the health of individuals and the environment through plant-based nutrition.”

We’ve also extended our offerings to include co-packing services and new product lines, like a planned launch of plant-based sauces in 2025.

Acknowledgments and Further Information

This post draws on insights from Vienna McGrain’s writeup, “Venture Creations incubator company Sweet Pea learns valuable lessons from entrepreneurship pros on pivoting toward profit.”

Rochester Institute of Technology is home to leading creators, makers, entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers. Founded in 1829, RIT enrolls more than 20,500 students in 200+ career-oriented and professional programs, making it among the largest private universities in the U.S. With 150,000 alumni worldwide, the university is internationally recognized and ranked for its leadership in technology, the arts, and design. RIT also offers unparalleled support services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. The cooperative education program is one of the oldest and largest in the nation. Global partnerships include campuses in China, Croatia, Dubai, and Kosovo.

For the latest news, go to rit.edu/news. To follow RIT on social media, go to rit.edu/socialmedia.

Stay Connected

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