Lulu Cohen-Farnell
Founding Mom
What do you do at RFRK?
I am the founding mom of RFRK. This means that I nurture the company and help it grow naturally and healthily. I make sure that my vision and values translate into all aspects of the business - from making food, to training staff, to educating parents. I set the criteria for sourcing our ingredients and nurture partnerships with farmers and producers of the artisanal, natural, local products that we serve.
What is your favourite thing about RFRK?
That RFRK is really an extension of my life and values. I love sharing my passion for delicious, healthy, high-quality natural food with other parents, our staff and, amazingly, with thousands of kids every day. I absolutely love empowering children and their families to eat healthy food and teach them to make healthy life choices. Sharing the knowledge that healthy food leads to healthy bodies and natural foods ensures a healthy planet.
I love that we're actually making a change in the lives of children. Every day is exciting, every day is full of surprises and challenges... it's almost like a game. It's not easy, but it's always interesting and it's beautiful. We're able to not only help kids eat better and help families feel better, we're able to help restore the soil because we support organizations like LFP, helping farmers move off of reliance on pesticides and artificial fertilizers. We're really doing this every day!
What is the one thing you think makes RFRK what it is?
The thousands of kids every day who eat our food, they make RFRK what it is! Our kids are eating real food, not processed food. They are eating real chicken not chicken nuggets These kids are disproving the conventional notion of "kids' food."
Tell us about a memorable food experience you had as a child.
On the weekends, we would go to our country house in Normandy. The house was right next to a farm. My dad and I would go fetch the eggs from the hen house (it's a fun word in French - le poulailler) and we'd even milk the cows and goats ourselves. Looking back, it was amazing. We would make the best fresh milkshakes in the world. After breakfast, we'd go shopping at the marché - this means an open air market where farmers and artisan producers sell the fresh foods that they make themselves. In the march my mom and dad would greet their friends, share a laugh with the people selling their food - it was real. There were real connections being made and it all felt natural to me.
What do you wish most you could get at your corner store?
Seaweed, raw sheep milk and fresh, locally grown produce and quinoa
What is your proudest contribution/achievement at RFRK?
Contributing to the local agricultural economy by creating a healthy local market for their products. We're contributing to the future of Ontario by raising healthy kids and supporting our local farmers. I'd like to look back on this in 20 years and say that we helped to create the healthiest and most ecologically mindful generation of kids Canada has ever seen.
Can RFRK change the world?
I prefer to think that the world is changing and the support shown for RFRK is positive proof of this. We once were told that the earth was flat. Once we were told that margarine was the key to a healthy diet. We now know that there are other possibilities, and RFRK can help illuminate this for people.
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Photograph by Julie Daniluk