Companies to Watch: NYC FoodTech Founders Feeding the Future
November feels like peak food season. Home cooks everywhere are mapping out their Thanksgiving menus and it’s around the time when Michelin stars are doled out.
It’s a month when the entire country seems to turn its attention to what we eat, how we gather, and the traditions that bring people to the table.
It’s also a perfect moment to spotlight the technology transforming our food system.
FoodTech has become a dynamic corner of the innovation economy:
The U.S. foodtech market is approaching $50 billion, driven by breakthroughs in AI, novel ingredients, supply-chain transparency, and kitchen automation.
Globally, the sector has surged past $200 billion in annual activity, fueled by consumer demand for convenience, sustainability, and healthier options.
The U.S. continues to lead in investment, capturing nearly 60% of global FoodTech funding in early 2025.
And New York is a key part of that story.
The city is constantly buzzing with foodies: Restaurateurs, diners, chefs, waitstaff, and more all meet in the Big Apple to decide just how a big apple will be sliced, served, eaten, and composted — and the tech involved in those processes:
The city is home to a fast-growing ecosystem of startups working on everything from alternative proteins to restaurant tools to smarter logistics.
Investors have poured significant capital into NYC-based foodtech companies over the past few years, helping the city stand out as a top national hub.
With its density, diversity, and culinary culture, New York is a natural laboratory — or rather, a natural kitchen — for testing the future of food.
This month, as Thanksgiving brings food to the forefront, we spoke with four NYC-based foodtech founders who are reshaping how food is produced, delivered, and experienced.
For this edition of Companies to Watch, meet:
Shamima Sultana (founder of Beautiful Harvest)
Maggie Tang (founder of Magic)
Roman Kalista (founder of RxDiet)
Santiago Perez (founder of Santo Taco)
Beautiful Harvest
“This city holds space for every dream — no matter how strange, daring, or original.”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
Beautiful Harvest is a pre-ordering platform that connects New Yorkers with their favorite local farmers markets. City residents love supporting regional farms but often struggle to shop consistently for weekly groceries. Market schedules, changing locations, and unpredictable product availability make it difficult to plan purchases — unlike supermarkets, you can’t simply arrive with a list in hand.
Beautiful Harvest solves this by letting customers browse what’s in season, place orders in advance, and pick up their produce directly at the market. For farmers, it means predictable sales, reduced waste, and higher revenue from every trip into the city.
A question we like to ask every founder — why New York?
New York is my muse. I grew up dreaming of living here. This city holds space for every dream — no matter how strange, daring, or original. It challenges me daily and keeps me humble, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Here, I found my people — driven, generous, and relentlessly creative. New York has the rare mix of ambition and humility that fuels everything I build, and yes, all the clichés about its energy and inspiration are true.
Could you walk us through the process of how you source vendors and produce for the marketplace — what criteria do you use when selecting a farm or vendor?
Our vendors come directly from New York’s trusted farmers markets, which already uphold strong standards for quality and transparency. I personally invited local farmers to pilot Beautiful Harvest, and their feedback shaped the platform. We focus on New York–based producers who share our values of sustainability, community, and care for the land — partners who make it easier for New Yorkers to eat locally and seasonally.
In the longer term, how do you see Beautiful Harvest scaling — geographically, product-line wise, or even beyond local produce?
In the long term, we see Beautiful Harvest scaling both geographically and product-wise. New York State alone has over a thousand farms that can feed its communities year-round. Our goal is to connect these farms directly with neighborhood markets across the city — and eventually across all 50 states — making it effortless for people to buy locally grown food while strengthening regional economies.
Beyond produce, we plan to introduce farm-made and pre-packaged foods that reduce waste, extend shelf life, and create new revenue streams for farmers. Over time, Beautiful Harvest becomes more than a marketplace — it becomes local food infrastructure that connects communities to the land that sustains them.
What role do technology and data play in how Beautiful Harvest connects consumers with local producers?
Technology and data are at the core of Beautiful Harvest. Our platform maps farmers markets, vendor locations, and seasonal availability so consumers can easily browse, plan, and pre-order from local producers.
For farmers, it provides data on demand patterns, product performance, and pickup logistics, helping them plan harvests and reduce waste. Over time, these insights create a more efficient, transparent local food system that strengthens both farmers’ livelihoods and community access to fresh, sustainable food.
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
Honestly, I love the classic $1.50 slices from New York’s corner pizza shops. They’re unbeatable value and pure city magic. I often grab one on my way back from a run — the perfect instant gratification ticket that reminds me why I love living here.
What’s your go-to New York meal to impress an out-of-towner?
I always take out-of-towners to C&B in the East Village. It’s a small, unassuming spot with incredible baked goods and a thoughtful, seasonal menu. And while you’re there, say hi to Ali — he’s somewhat of a local legend and one of the many reasons the place feels so authentically New York.
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
It has to be 9th Street Espresso in the East Village.
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
My top escapes are Prospect Park, Central Park, and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A reset from the city’s constant motion and a reminder of how beautiful New York’s green spaces can be.
What’s one piece of advice — that you’ve shared or was shared with you — on building a startup in New York City?
Honestly, New York is where you find your people — I did. You can arrive with just an idea, and the city will shape it, pressure-test it, and connect you with the right resources to make it real. It keeps you on your toes but rewards persistence. What they say about New York is true: if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere. My advice? Stay open.
Magic
“The best NYC startup advice: Your customers are literally downstairs. You can test something at Carbone on Tuesday, iterate Wednesday, go live Thursday.”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
While AI has transformed the ways we work digitally, supercharging productivity for software engineers, designers, and analysts, the physical world has largely been left behind. The world’s largest employment sector, the service industry, still operates on disconnected, analog systems.
The result: operators, who are already up against thin margins and have no time to spare, spend time piecing together information instead of creating meaningful human connections. Magic is a company building products to personalize the real world. Our first product, Loyalist, is an agentic CRM for restaurants.
A question we like to ask every founder — why New York?
New York has the perfect blend of the best technology and hospitality talent of any city in America. NYC has an incredibly deep engineering talent pool, with both top startups and large technology companies. Alongside this, some of the greatest restaurants, hotels, brands, etc. in the world are based in New York. Putting the DNA of those two groups together is where the magic happens.
How do you convince operators — many of whom are used to legacy systems — that AI-powered personalization is worth the leap?
It's about creating memories. When your staff knows a regular's favorite table, wine preference, or that they're celebrating a special anniversary, you transform service into a lifelong memory. These moments drive loyalty and word-of-mouth.
The key is showing operators it's also good business, not just a nice-to-have. Loyalist quantifies personalization's impact on your bottom line: you create more regulars and increase revenue per customer. When you can measure exactly how personalized experiences drive repeat visits and guest loyalty, the ROI becomes clear.
What are the key differences in approach when applying your personalization engine to hotels vs. restaurants vs. retail, and how will your product adapt?
The underlying personalization engine is the same across any industry — hotels, restaurants, retail. What changes are the data fields, touchpoints, and existing systems.
We give businesses the building blocks to design experiences authentic to their brand. A hotel might personalize room preferences and amenities, while a restaurant focuses on wine history and favorite dishes. The AI adapts based on each business's data and context.
The power is in the flexibility: same intelligence, different applications. Each venue creates personalized moments that feel native to their guest experience.
Looking ahead 3-5 years, how will the experience have changed for someone dining out, staying in a hotel, or shopping in-store, and what will Magic’s role look like in that ecosystem?
Magic delivers individuality at scale, transforming experiences across every hospitality vertical — from restaurants and hotels to residential, retail, and wellness.
Just like Spotify knows your taste in music and Netflix gets your late-night binge mood, Magic learns your preferences and shapes your experiences in real life. Walk into a restaurant and they already know how you like your Negroni — stirred with an orange twist. Check into a hotel and they’ve already stocked the room with your favorite snacks. Step into a boutique and the stylist has a rack ready, tailored to your size, fit, and favorite brands
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
Pop’s Pizza.
What’s your go-to New York meal to impress an out-of-towner?
The Grill.
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
Fellini.
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
Hotel Chelsea.
What’s one piece of advice — that you’ve shared or was shared with you — on building a startup in New York City?
The best NYC startup advice: Your customers are literally downstairs. You can test something at Carbone on Tuesday, iterate Wednesday, go live Thursday. The feedback is instant and brutal. That proximity to demanding customers is one of the city's superpowers.
RxDiet
“The city is a powerful current; learn to navigate it by focusing on the destination you set for yourself.”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
RxDiet leverages proprietary artificial intelligence and national grocery integrations to unlock the full potential of food as medicine. We empower members’ healthcare journeys by delivering 100% personalized, medically tailored groceries and clinical behavioral health interventions.
The company solves the critical problem of enabling consistent access and adherence to therapeutic nutrition, meeting patients where they are to improve health outcomes.
A question we like to ask every founder — why New York?
Why New York? It’s simply the best place to be. We've got amazing access to the world's top talent, great policies that support startups like ours, and, crucially, all the capital we need right here.
Plus, having so many of our clients in the city keeps us close to the action. It lets us move fast on our food-as-medicine platform and build our national name from a true business powerhouse.
How do you balance automation with human expertise? For example, what decisions are made by AI vs. registered dietitians or care coordinators in your system?
Our proprietary AI automatically generates 100% personalized, medically tailored recipes from our database. Crucially, these recipes are then approved by Registered Dietitians (RDs), who provide the essential clinical oversight. The RDs also deliver the human connection through live health coaching sessions.
Finally, our Care Coordinators manage the high-touch, personal experience by guiding each new member through the comprehensive onboarding process. This system ensures both scalable personalization and critical clinical and human support.
What have been the most surprising findings from your pilot and early programs — things you thought would work one way but turned out differently?
We were most surprised by the exceptionally high digital engagement rate, which is over 90%. This defied the common assumption that our target population, including older adults, would favor a telephonic approach due to perceived tech barriers.
It showed us that when technology is designed to solve a real, critical need with simplicity and guided support, adoption and adherence are significantly higher than traditional models suggest.
As you expand into other conditions and broader populations, what are the biggest technical or clinical challenges you’re facing and how are you addressing them?
Our primary clinical challenge is the continuous expansion of our medically tailored grocery offering to meet increasingly diverse dietary and cultural needs. For example, we've recently seen a high demand for Kosher and Halal ingredients and recipes. We are addressing this by scaling our recipe database and culinary expertise.
We have engaged a Michelin-starred chef and our Registered Dietitians (RDs) to collaborate on and approve new, clinically appropriate recipes, ensuring we can deliver on these specialized needs without compromising on nutrition, taste, or cultural preference.
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
Joe’s Pizza. It’s perfect because it represents the classic New York-style slice at its best: the thin, foldable crust, the perfect balance of sauce and cheese, and a consistent, high-quality product every single time. It’s the benchmark for what a great New York slice should taste like.
What’s your go-to New York meal to impress an out-of-towner?
Laser Wolf. With its skyline view from the rooftop location and the fire-cooked skewer meal, it will definitely impress an out-of-towner.
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
Devoción. It stands out for its unique approach to freshness, sourcing all its beans from farms in Colombia and air-freighting them to New York in just 10 days.
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
Van Cortlandt Park. It offers incredible open space, miles of hiking trails, and a real feeling of being immersed in nature, making it the perfect and most accessible reset button for when you need a break from the noise and pace of urban life.
What’s one piece of advice — that you’ve shared or was shared with you — on building a startup in New York City?
In New York, the sheer volume of opportunities and activity can be overwhelming. My key advice is to resist the obligation to be everywhere or pursue every trend. Focus relentlessly on your core mission and building your own unique product. The city is a powerful current; learn to navigate it by focusing on the destination you set for yourself.
Santo Taco
“New York has tremendous energy; it’s a melting pot, a city of contrasts, and a place with deep culture and real competitive pressure.”
What does your company do? What problem is it working to solve?
Santo Taco is building the next great taqueria brand in the United States. There is no premium taqueria concept at scale in this country, and we aim to fill that gap.
We bring elements of our fine-dining heritage (respect for the craft, quality of ingredients, warm Mexican hospitality, and thoughtful design) and combine with our desire to make delicious food accessible to all at an everyday price. We want to raise the standard for the category.
A question we like to ask every founder — why New York?
New York is home. I’ve lived here for 17 years, and have built my hospitality career here; from my first restaurant, Cosme, which became an award-winning reference for Mexican hospitality, to now Santo Taco.
New York has tremendous energy; it’s a melting pot, a city of contrasts, and a place with deep culture and real competitive pressure. In many ways, it mirrors Mexico City. Santo Taco sits exactly at that intersection, and it’s the only place I could have imagined building it.
From the moment an order is placed to the moment the taco hits the customer’s hand, how are you leveraging technology inside the four walls of Santo Taco to optimize consistency?
We use technology wherever it improves efficiency and protects consistency, but never in a way that replaces hospitality. We’re data-driven, but we’re still a hospitality company first.
In the back of house, we use a suite of tech platforms to help us manage prep levels, inventory, yields, production logs, and ticket pacing. These tools keep operations tight, while our team focuses on real interaction and warmth in the front of the house.
How does technology support your supply chain logistics and operations?
Technology supports us across all key ingredients, especially proteins like the beef for our steak trompo, the corn that becomes our masa and tortillas, and all fresh produce. Using software tools that integrate across our vendor and inventory management, we track usage, forecast demand, manage vendor ordering, and minimize food waste.
We also use technology to monitor guest sentiment and guest experience. For example, we use Loyalist to track reviews across platforms, respond efficiently, and summarize feedback so our team can learn from it.
What makes Santo Taco venture-backable compared to a traditional hospitality business? Is it the scalability of the model, data, or technology?
A few things come together:
The team: A unique blend of hospitality experience, entrepreneurship, banking, and consulting.
The model: A simple and streamlined menu designed for cross-training and efficiency.
The category opportunity: There is still no premium taqueria brand at scale in the U.S., and the space is wide open. We’ve seen successful players come in and dominate the more premium sector of burgers, salads, etc, but not yet for tacos.
The brand potential: A modern, elevated, accessible Mexican fast-casual brand resonates across demographics.
Technology and discipline: Having over a decade of hospitality experience already, we’ve built in scalable systems, data infrastructure, and consistency from day one.
We’re not relying on early unit economics alone. We’re building the foundation of a scalable brand.
Time for some New York-themed rapid fire questions — where’s your favorite place to grab a slice of pizza in New York?
L’Industrie: amazing, great pizza, no theatrics.
What’s your go-to New York meal to impress an out-of-towner?
The Grill: timeless and elegant, with classics executed to perfection. An iconic dining room.
Where’s your favorite coffee shop in New York?
La Cabra: clean, consistent, no-nonsense. I’m proud of Esben, the founder, who leans into Danish and Japanese principles.
Do you have a favorite spot to escape the noise of the city?
The Conservatory Garden in Central Park, or any other quiet sauna in the city.
What’s one piece of advice — that you’ve shared or was shared with you — on building a startup in New York City?
There are many great founders and operators in New York, and most are willing to help if you reach out. Surround yourself with good people, build a clear plan, and keep moving. There will be challenges and doubt at every step, but the only way forward is to continue building and learning.
