From the Dorm Room to the Boardroom: Angela Vranich, BS ’12, Leads Little Spoon’s Rapid Growth

Angela Vranich, BS ’12, knows what it takes to turn an idea into a business. And it all began in a Saint Joseph’s University residence hall.

When a corporate co-op position in human resources helped Vranich realize what she didn’t want to do for a living, the marketing major decided to forge her own path. At just 21 years old, she founded Sprout Squad, a marketplace centered on in-store marketing and merchandising for natural and organic food and beverage brands. Soon, she was in charge of over 100 independent contractors across the country — all while taking classes as a student.

“It was a major lesson in people management and managing personalities. It’s something you have to learn in the real world, because you won’t get that kind of experience in the classroom,” she says.

While Sprout Squad provided practical business experience for the young entrepreneur, a study tour trip led by Diane Phillips, PhD, professor of marketing, broadened her international business perspective. The study tour brought students to Germany and Switzerland, offering a closer look at how global companies operate.

“I thought it was great to get out and see how all these different types of companies, especially in Europe, function,” Vranich says.

This would ultimately play a role in her founding of Little Spoon, which has quickly become America’s No. 1 online baby and kids food company. While fresh and organic foods made major inroads over a decade prior, including in the pet food category, there remained a major gap in the baby food market in 2017. Companies like Gerber held a near monopoly on retail shelves, leaving space for a fresh and modern alternative.

Using emerging technology known as high pressure processing, the Little Spoon team developed fresh baby food that retained nutrients, flavor and texture, while killing harmful bacteria to safely extend its refrigerated shelf life.

“The hardest part was figuring out how to utilize the technology. Where do we find someone who is willing to make baby food for us?” Vranich says.

In their earliest days, the Little Spoon team worked out of a small space in a tamale factory in Southern California to test out recipes and make food by hand. The team brought in their own equipment to bring their vision to life.

“We also had to come up with custom packaging, because no one in the baby food market was doing this. Putting all of those pieces of the puzzle together was certainly the most challenging part, and it took a few years to do it.”

After initially planning a retail launch, Little Spoon pivoted to a direct-to-consumer approach. With so many research-conscious Millennial parents in the marketplace, Vranich knew she could fill an unmet need. In 2017, their first year, Little Spoon sold over one million meals.

They have since hit the 100-million mark, with over 130 products available. In 2025, the company surpassed $150 million in net revenue, with $70 million raised in venture funding along the way.

And, eight years after its founding, Little Spoon finally has its products in the retail space: A recent partnership with Target launched the brand onto shelves across the country. It was the largest food and beverage launch for the retail chain in its history, with 23 products making their way across six aisles of the store.

Reflecting on where it all began nearly two decades ago, Phillips recalls, “Angela held her own during conversations with the executives we met and asked insightful questions. With that strong sense of purpose and professionalism, I’m not surprised she’s a successful entrepreneur today. What impressed me most about Angela was the fact that she was one of the youngest students on the study tour as a sophomore, and yet she handled herself with just as much professionalism and competence as the graduate students.”

So, what would a college-aged Vranich say about where she is today?

“I think she’d be proud that she stayed true to herself, that she took risks and built something meaningful,” Vranich says. “Back then, I just wanted to create something of my own. Today, I get to do that while feeding millions of families, which still feels surreal.”

For current Hawks with entrepreneurial aspirations, she emphasizes the importance of networking and that all-important real-world experience.

“There are people I met during my earliest days, who I still see in the industry and talk to for advice,” Vranich says. “Creating a circle of people who can guide and assist you along the way is so critically important.”

In the coming year, Little Spoon plans to expand its retail footprint, launching even more products in Target stores in the near future. And, a new product launch is just around the corner, too.

“We’ve hit a lot of milestones,” Vranich says. “But at the same time I feel like we’re just getting started.”

Want to try Little Spoon for yourself? The code SJU50 can be entered at checkout on LittleSpoon.com and is good for 50% off your first order up to $35. Expires 12/31/26.