Bart’s Better Foods: ‘We are just as focused as ever on getting our plant-based meat out into the world’

Bart's Better Foods' Anna Zefferys introduced her plant-based burgers at #EverettFarmersMarket last summer. This year, she switched to an entirely different type of marketing, because of #COVID19. Read her story in #WelcomeMagazine's new, ongoing series, #SnohomishStrong COVID-19 Response, only available online.

Among the hardest hit in the age of COVID-19 are small businesses like Bart’s Better Foods. Owner Anna K. Zefferys debuted her plant-based burgers at the Everett Farmers Market last summer. She operates her family business out of Whidbey Island, carefully sourcing local ingredients for her healthy, vegan and gluten-free “Bart’s Better Prime Veggie Burger.” Surviving as a sustainable, essential business has proved challenging, but she’s made the necessary adjustments to get her plant-based burgers out to a grateful public.

How have you adapted? Like many others, this crisis has put new challenges in our path, but we are also just as focused as ever on getting our plant-based meat out into the world. Presently, my main objective is to keep the business running in whatever shape or form that takes within the new environment. At Bart’s Better Foods, that means a lot of what we already do, including promoting delivery, ensuring stores are continuously stocked, maintaining an active social presence through digital channels and working on collaborations with the community wherever possible. Some ingredients have become harder to source. I am unable to find some of the exact items I usually use in volumes that I need. So I am getting creative with the recipe, while of course, maintaining our core spirit of quality and local in every step. On the upside, the recipe could end up improved and that would be amazing!

Bart’s Better Foods debuted last summer at the Everett Farmers Market, with Anna Zefferys’ plant-based “Prime Veggie Meat,” available in 1-lb. frozen blocks.

What’s the response been? I’ve been very communicative through an active online presence on Facebook and Instagram, including a Facebook Group for “Bart’s Better Prime Veggie Meat.” The community has been hugely supportive. I have been doing a few more deliveries — dropping off product on doorsteps. But even in times when we are not in a crisis, it is not always easy to be heard. I have noticed changes in buying behavior at the grocery stores as well, which has caused a bit of a slow-down for us. But for Bart’s Better, we also have an awareness challenge. We are a new product and still quite unknown. Articles like this help us a lot!

Do you have online gift cards or gift certificates? Yes! Visit Bartsbetter.com and customers can find options in our online store.

How can people support you? Connect with Bart’s Better on Facebook or Instagram, drop a review on our Facebook page, share posts with friends, reach out to us to collaborate on recipes, shop online, or ask for us at your local grocery store! Our growth has been totally organic and word-of-mouth. We are grateful for everyone who has helped Bart’s Better grow!

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