Milk Stork, the first-ever breast milk shipping company, today announced $900,000 in new seed financing. This round of funding will be used to hire key positions, amplify marketing efforts and expand service capabilities and reach - Milk Stork plans to offer its services internationally by the end of the year.
Daughter-father team, Kate Torgersen and Mike Torgersen, founded Milk Stork in 2015 after Kate struggled to maintain her commitment to breastfeeding her twins during a business trip while working for Clif Bar & Company. Upon returning from her trip with two gallons of breast milk and eight pounds of ice, Kate was determined to create a simple solution to this complex problem that so many working mothers face. Since then, Kate has made it her mission to normalize breastfeeding and motherhood in the workplace by encouraging companies to offer Milk Stork as an essential employee benefit.
Today, Milk Stork has over 100 corporate partners, including Snapchat, PayPal, OpenTable, SAP, GoDaddy and Viacom, as well as many others that offer Milk Stork as a reimbursable travel expense.
The Urban Innovation Fund and notable angel investors participated in the round with Clif White Road Investments as the lead. Clif White Road Investments is a mission-driven investment fund, founded by the owners and founders of Clif Bar & Company, Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, and is based in Emeryville, California.
"I'm thrilled to be working alongside this amazing group of investors - and mentors - that will help take Milk Stork to the next level," said Kate Torgersen, Milk Stork founder and CEO. "Since our inception, we have successfully sent home tens of thousands of 'storks' in the U.S. International expansion is an important next step to ensure that working, breastfeeding mothers are able to nourish their babies and their careers no matter where their travels take them."
"Kate and her vision for Milk Stork embody all that we seek when partnering with entrepreneurs-authenticity in the business, passion for building brands, and a mission to help people and communities," said Deven Clemens, managing director of Clif White Road Investments.
For more information on Milk Stork or to become a corporate partner, please visit www.milkstork.com.
About Milk Stork:
Milk Stork was launched in August 2015 as the first-of-its-kind service for working moms who needed a simple solution for getting their breast milk to their babies back home. Milk Stork now has more than 100 corporate partners, who provide the service to their employees and hundreds more that consider it a reimbursable expense for moms. For more information on Milk Stork, visit www.milkstork.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Clif White Road Investments:
Clif White Road Investments is based in Emeryville, CA and was founded by Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford - founders and owners of Clif Bar & Company. White Road seeks out and invests in healthy, active lifestyle brands focused on positive impact, including Big Tree Farms, Public Bikes, Manitoba Harvest, The Honest Kitchen, Guayaki, Fireclay Tile, and Wild Planet Foods. www.whiteroadinvestments.com
About The Urban Innovation Fund:
The Urban Innovation Fund is a San Francisco-based venture capital firm that provides seed capital and regulatory support to entrepreneurs shaping the future of cities - helping them grow into tomorrow's most valued companies. www.urbaninnovationfund.com