New England Village Foods (formerly Francestown Village Foods) was founded by Jason and Jennifer Martel and Chef Michael Webb in the fall of 2012.

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Jason and Jennifer were the proud owners of the NH-based historic fourth longest-running general store in the country, Francestown Village Store, when the recession of 2008 hit. Customers needed budget-friendly, high quality prepared foods that offered better value and reduced food waste during uncertain economic times. The solution: batching and freezing homemade meals.

 

Initially, the items were designed and prepared in a small home kitchen on the second floor of the Village Store and kept in one small freezer case on the shop floor. As word got around, customers began flocking to the store to fill their own freezers. 

 

In 2010, Chef Michael Webb, formerly of the Pearl Restaurant and Oyster bar in Peterborough, NH, partnered with the Martel’s to help expand the product selection and market reach. Chef Webb’s passion for local, sustainable food systems in New England paired perfectly with the Martel’s vision for expansion. They began working with nearby farmers and suppliers throughout New England to incorporate locally sourced beef, pork,

poultry, dairy and produce into every meal.

 

Still working on the second floor of the store, the challenge would be how to distribute, sell and market these items to customers throughout New England. Partnering with a distributor, Associated Grocers of New England, and becoming USDA and FDA certified allowed them to expand their reach. They also needed to find a large enough space for scaling the operation. In Milford, NH, they found an empty 10,000 sq ft facility that, once renovated and outfitted with walk-in freezers and a production floor, became the home of New England Village Foods.