'When You Get Into Wegmans, That's Serious': How Top Seedz Grew to $10M With 90% Refugee Workforce

What started as a humble experiment at a Buffalo, New York farmers market has become a snack empire. In 2017, Rebecca Brady set up a stall with one goal: sell a single box of her homemade seed crackers. 

"We sold the first one and then I thought, ‘Let's aim for two!'" she recalls. Fast forward to 2024 and Brady's company, Top Seedz, is projected to bring in over $10 million in revenue, with its products sold in over 4,000 stores, including Wegmans, Whole Foods and Erewhon.

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Brady's journey to success wasn't straight. Originally from New Zealand, she spent years living in Japan, raising her three children while her husband's aerospace job covered the family's needs. 

After moving to the U.S. in 2015, she obtained a work visa but faced challenges finding a job. Playing tennis helped her make friends, who eagerly enjoyed her homemade seed crackers at matches. Their excitement planted a seed in her: What if these crackers could find a home in American pantries?

Brady invested $5,000 from family savings, focusing on essentials like ingredients, packaging and branding. Using a basic commissary kitchen with faulty ovens, she made 10–20 boxes of crackers per hour and sold them weekly at a local farmers market.

Her big break came when she convinced Wegmans to carry her crackers. "When you get into Wegmans, that's kind of serious," Brady says. "It opened so many doors."

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Top Seedz's story isn't just about snack sales. The company's workforce comprises 90% of refugees from over 20 countries, primarily women. Brady partnered with Journey's End Refugee Services to provide job opportunities for newcomers to the U.S., many of whom were struggling to find work. 

"I know how hard it is to start over somewhere new," Brady says, referencing her experience moving to a foreign country. The company also offers English lessons, a prayer room and a mother's room to support its employees. 

"We have a lot of charades moments trying to explain things like ‘mixer' and ‘oven,' but it works," Brady says with a grin. The investment in her team has paid off. 

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In 2022, the brand was unexpectedly boosted when Gwyneth Paltrow praised Top Seedz on social media, instantly driving up sales. "We were screaming," Brady recalls. 

According to Allied Market Research, the global gluten-free snack market is booming and is projected to reach $1.8 billion by 2031. Within this market, seed-based snacks are carving out a niche and Brady believes Top Seedz can hold its own. 

The company is moving into a larger facility in Buffalo, which will increase production to 16,000 boxes in four hours – what previously took two days.

Brady's eyes are on international expansion, including Canada and her native New Zealand. "My mother's going to kill me if I don't get us into New Zealand," she jokes. "She's done the marketing for the whole country."

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