Meet Your Neighbors: The Vanessas's From Farmented Foods!

At the Community Food Co-op, we believe that food is more than just what’s on your plate — it’s the story behind it. This Earth Month, we’re proud to spotlight a business that brings purpose to the plate in the most creative, sustainable way: Farmented Foods.

Founded by two entrepreneurial women — both named Vanessa — Farmented Foods began as a class project at Montana State University. What started as a school assignment quickly fermented into a powerful idea with lasting impact.

From Classmates to Co-Founders

Back in 2016, Vanessa Walsten returned to school after working in graphic design. Passionate about health, sustainability, and making her own ferments at home, she enrolled in MSU’s Sustainable Food and Bioenergy Systems program. There, she was paired with fellow student Vanessa Williamson, who had a background in business and marketing. The two didn’t know each other, but fate brought them together.

That project would become the seed that grew into Farmented Foods.

“I can’t imagine doing the business without her,” Vanessa shared during our chat. “We’re total opposites in personality and strengths — but we balance each other out. When one of us is having a hard time, the other one lifts us up.”

Their partnership, like their products, is built on balance.

Making the Most of What Farmers Grow

Farmented Foods has a simple, yet powerful mission: reduce food waste by celebrating the vegetables that don’t make it to grocery store shelves.

Many farmers grow more than they can sell — especially “ugly” or cosmetically imperfect produce. These vegetables are just as nutritious and fresh, but because they don’t meet grocery store standards, they often go unsold. That’s where Farmented comes in.

Rather than let those vegetables go to waste, Farmented buys directly from local farmers, giving them an additional revenue stream and honoring the time, water, and resources that went into growing each crop.

“We want to celebrate that we’re using those veggies — not hide it,” Vanessa said. 

The Flavors That Started It All

Farmented launched with three core products: Spicy Carrots, Dill Sauerkraut, and Radish Kimchi — all of which are available at the Co-op. These recipes were born out of real conversations with local farmers, who had excess carrots, cabbage, and daikon radishes they couldn’t sell.

Vanessa, who leads recipe development, refined and tested each ferment with care, creating products that are not only delicious, but unique in taste and texture. Their kimchi, for example, uses finely chopped daikon instead of Napa cabbage, giving it a scoopable, salsa-like feel that’s perfect on sandwiches, salads, or crackers.

“Our flavors are really different,” Vanessa explained. “Even people who say, ‘I don’t like sauerkraut,’ or ‘I don’t like kimchi,’ try ours and say, ‘Wow—I love this.’ That’s the biggest compliment.”

Healthy, Sustainable, and Delicious

Beyond preventing food waste and supporting local farmers, Farmented’s products are loaded with probiotics and gut-friendly benefits. Fermentation extends the shelf life of fresh vegetables, adds flavor, and nourishes your microbiome — a win for your body and the planet.

“You’re taking a raw vegetable and giving it a new life,” Vanessa said. “Preserving it for months, and adding health benefits on top of it.”

Growing Roots from Bozeman to Beyond

After operating out of shared kitchens in Livingston and Belgrade, Vanessa eventually returned to her hometown of Kalispell, where Farmented now operates from a repurposed mall food court. Around the same time, the other Vanessa relocated to North Dakota with plans to handle the administrative side remotely. However, she soon missed the hands-on production work and began making small batches for farmers markets. Now, Farmented is expanding to another part of the country, continuing to grow beyond its original roots.

And while their growth has been exciting, the mission remains steady: go slow, stay grounded, and let the work speak for itself.

“There’s a big need for what we do,” Vanessa said. “We’re just grateful that we get to do it — and that it’s making a difference.”

Farmented at the Co-op

Although it took a few years for Farmented to land on our shelves, we’re proud to say the Co-op is now their top seller of Dill Sauerkraut! It’s a full-circle moment that speaks to the power of local support and shared values.

As Vanessa said, “Our business almost has a life of its own. We’re just here to help guide it.”

Find Farmented Foods in the refrigerated section by the bulk section at the Co-op. Try their Spicy Carrots, Dill Sauerkraut, and Radish Kimchi — and support a business that’s feeding communities, reducing waste, and uplifting local farms with every jar!