LUKE SAUNDERS
Luke Saunders is the Founder & CEO of Farmer’s Fridge. An entrepreneur at heart, Luke started Farmer’s Fridge while working as a traveling salesman after struggling to find fresh, healthy and accessible food options on the road. Since 2013, the company has grown from a single automated smart Fridge to 600+ locations across the country, selling millions of chef-curated, restaurant-quality meals and snacks. Broadening the mission to make healthy meals readily available, the company has forged partnerships with leading retailers including Target, Amazon Go, Walgreens, 7-Eleven and Jewel-Osco, bridging the gap between fresh food and convenience.
Luke was named a Forbes “30 under 30” in 2016, a Crain’s “40 under 40” in 2018 and one of Fast Company’s “100 Most Creative People in Business” in 2019. The company was featured in Inc. magazine as one of the “Hottest Food Start-ups in Chicago,” earned a Chicago Innovation Award in 2018 for the company’s technological developments, and Time Magazine named Farmer’s Fridge one of the “Best Inventions of 2019.” The company was honored with the Momentum Award at 1871’s 2021 Momentum Awards, presented to a seasoned company that has the strongest potential to emerge as a leader in its market. Farmer’s Fridge also earned a 2022 People Magazine Food Award and 2023 Family Travel Award from Good Housekeeping.