Alum Lauren Watkins focuses on good food and good people with PuraVida Foods

University of Toronto alum Lauren Watkins launched PuraVida Foods.

With a desire to treat people like people and a love of exciting prepared food, entrepreneur and U of T Arts & Science alum Lauren Watkins (MIHR 2021) has launched PuraVida Foods, a company that’s shaking up the frozen food market.

Her efforts have landed Watkins, who earned her Masters of International Relations and Human Resources in 2021 from the Faculty of Arts & Science, a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Established in 2020, PuraVida Foods is known for dishes made with simple ingredients that are packed with nutrients and flavour. Some of their signature dishes include adobo street corn & peppers, a Mediterranean orzo bowl and saffron brown rice paella.

As CEO, Watkins launched PuraVida Foods in Costco USA, and has since expanded into other U.S., Canadian and European markets, according to Forbes.

“Ultimately, my goal was to provide a really great work life for people,” she says. “In my master’s program, we talked a lot about workplace culture, motivation and the policies you could put in place to make people feel safer. My education at U of T really showed me to see people as people, not just employees doing a job, and we make sure to always honour and value that.”

A career in helping others

A natural people person who always felt she had a flair for making connections with others, Watkins had originally pursued a career in sales after her undergraduate degree. What she really wanted to do, though, was help others.

“I knew I was good at sales, but the more I thought about it, it wasn’t necessarily something I wanted to pursue long term. I thought, ‘how can I still help people?’ Because that's always been at the core of who I am. I decided to go back to school, which led me to U of T,” says Watkins. “I've always liked people, and HR will help me help people, but also grow my understanding of work culture and how to motivate people and make sure they’re working to their highest capacity.”

She credits U of T for giving her the knowledge and tools to build a welcoming and accessible work environment for her employees, which was extremely important to her. Her main aspiration was to create a company that would not only be successful, but also champion and support its employees while instilling a sense of pride in their work.

PuraVida Foods was developed from a combination of her history and happenstance. Her parents reinforced the value of eating healthy from a young age. Although she understood the importance of nutrition, she confesses to lacking the time or interest in cooking, which made her a frequent patron of local restaurants. When the COVID-19 pandemic shut those down, she found herself underwhelmed with the selection of healthy frozen food options at the grocery store.

“I hate cooking and I'm really not good at it. During COVID, all my favourite restaurants were closed, and I really missed that element in my life – of having exciting, prepared foods,” she says. “Both of my parents are physicians, so growing up we always talked about lifestyle patterns, especially dietary choice. Starting this company was this cumulative moment for me, thinking about everything I was experiencing at the time and being at a bit of a crossroads in my life.”

Reinventing convenient dining

In our time-crunched society, Watkins says that there is a strong market for frozen cuisine, and that it can be everything we want our food to be – nutritious, tasty and comforting.

“Manufactured food doesn't have to be super processed and not good for you. It can still be inviting, and it can still be something you want to share with your loved ones.”

With an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age, Watkins has words of wisdom for those who, like her, are curious about striking out on their own to create something new.

“There is always something to be learned. Whether the lesson is what you thought and wanted to learn, or the lesson is a little bit harder, there's for sure a lesson and silver lining. It’s really what you make of it. Never stop learning.”

Originally published by the Faculty of Arts and Science