Jennifer Garner's Once Upon a Farm Soars 20% on Public Market Debut
The organic children's nutrition company, Once Upon a Farm, made its highly anticipated public market debut on Friday, trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol 'OFRM'. The stock opened at a promising $21 per share, already surpassing its initial public offering price by 16%. By the afternoon, shares had surged an impressive 20%.
Founded in 2015 by Cassandra Curtis and Ari Raz, the Berkeley-based company offers a range of organic cold-processed, refrigerated baby foods and kid snacks. In 2017, actress Jennifer Garner and former Annie's Homegrown CEO John Foraker joined as co-founders. Garner, known as 'Farmer Jen', sits on the board, while Foraker, the 'Grand Poobah of Organic', serves as CEO. Their mission is to make healthy eating easier for parents.
This debut comes at an interesting time. Shoppers and policymakers are increasingly concerned about ultra-processed foods, especially for children. The 'Make America Healthy Again' movement, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., has gained traction among 'MAHA moms', who advocate for healthier alternatives. This shift has benefited brands like Once Upon a Farm, which recorded a 66% sales increase in 2024, despite widening losses.
Foraker highlights the changing retail landscape, where organic foods are now given prime shelf space, a stark contrast to Foraker's early days at Annie's. The company's mission to 'drive systemic change in childhood nutrition' led them to go public rather than seek a sale, a bold move for a consumer goods business. They aim to use the IPO proceeds to pay down debt, purchase new equipment, and fund general corporate purposes.
The year 2026 is shaping up to be a busy one for initial public offerings (IPOs). Interest rate cuts and a large backlog of companies, scarred by market volatility and recession fears, are expected to drive more IPOs. This week alone saw seven companies go public, raising at least $150 million, including Bob's Discount Furniture.
