Melissa Bermudez
Melissa Bermudez is the founder and CEO of Unrefined Foods, a farm-to-freezer snack company making nutritious frozen muffins with stone-milled organic grains and real produce. She launched the brand in 2024 after 15 years in investment banking and CPG, including Harvard Business School.
Melissa Bermudez's Bio
Melissa Bermudez is the founder and CEO of Unrefined Foods, a farm-to-freezer snack company on a mission to make real, nourishing food more accessible for busy families. The company makes frozen muffins with 100% stone-milled organic wheat, real fruits and vegetables, and no refined sugar—each containing at least 5 grams of protein and fiber.
Bermudez launched Unrefined Foods in 2024 after nearly 15 years across investment banking, CPG, and agriculture startups, complemented by her training at Harvard Business School. Her background combines finance acumen with hands-on food production experience, giving her a unique perspective on scaling a regenerative food business.
What began as baking bread and milling fresh flour at home has grown into a regional operation. By November 2025, Unrefined Foods had produced its 15,000th muffin and expanded to six retail locations across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, moving 50 cases monthly through independent grocers, specialty food stores, and direct-to-consumer sales.
The company is now raising an Angel round to transition from founder-led production to co-manufacturing partnerships in early 2026. This will enable Unrefined Foods to scale operations and expand distribution throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic, connecting regenerative agriculture directly to the frozen aisle.
Career Timeline
2022 — Joined Farmers Business Network (FBN) as a strategist, leading strategy for a Northeast agriculture startup, managing marketing, supply chain, corporate development, and analytics.
2024 — Founded Unrefined Foods, a farm-to-freezer snack company creating nutritious frozen muffins with stone-milled organic grains and real produce.
2024 — Launched direct-to-consumer and farmers market sales around the holiday season, beginning with local distribution in Massachusetts.
2025 — Started wholesale distribution to small independent retailers and home delivery services across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
2025 — Achieved approximately $30,000 in sales for the 2025 fiscal year, primarily through direct-to-consumer channels.
2025 — Announced an Angel fundraising round and reached the production milestone of 15,000 stone-milled muffins, validating market demand and readiness to scale.
2026 — Planning transition to co-manufacturing partnerships in early 2026 to enable scale and expanded distribution throughout New England and the Mid-Atlantic.
