Hardware Podcasts

Founder Feature: Sam Lejfer of Lucky Day

The Startup CPG Podcast · 25 Jul 2025 · 29m · Episode 174

What this episode covers

Sam Lejfer, founder of Lucky Day, explains his decision to manufacture organic, allergen-free ice cream in-house rather than using contract manufacturers, citing the inability of co-packers to handle whole-food ingredients like hulled seeds without gums or seed oils. He details the choice of home-compostable, plastic-free packaging to avoid landfill waste and the strategic decision to remain small-scale in Boston to avoid the capital burn and reformulation compromises required by venture capital. Lejfer discusses how his personal health journey and severe food allergies drove the brand's clean-label philosophy, while outlining a slow-growth retail strategy focused on local Boston stores and farmers markets rather than national expansion or DTC shipping.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Sacred Serve, Cambridge Naturals, Pemberton Farms, Thistle and Shamrock, Deborah's, City Feed, Assabet Co Op
Products
Lucky Day, JP Licks

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