Meet Jeannie Marrugo, Owner of Cafe Baby

Feb 16th, 2018

When Jeannie Marrugo’s daughter Camila became old enough to start eating solid foods, Jeannie had no idea how extensive the range of baby food products and brands available in the marketplace had become. She also realized that many of these products contained preservatives and added chemicals – ingredients she certainly didn’t want Camila eating – and that many are prepared from concentrates, which can result in elevated sugar and salt content.

“I was overwhelmed by the whole process and had no idea where to start,” Jeannie recalls.

Determined to provide her daughter with a balanced, nutrient-dense diet without the added chemicals and preservatives, Jeannie eventually arrived at a simple solution – she decided to make her own.

“I've never been a fan of processed foods and use them very sparingly in our house,” Jeannie says. “I started to think about the idea of a service that brought fresh, handmade baby food to my doorstep. My mom and I have always been close and have always played with the idea of starting something. With her love of cooking and my business mind, Café Baby was born.”

Jeannie and her mother Sherri officially founded Café Baby in 2016, with the goal of helping busy caregivers provide nutritious foods for their little ones from the moment they’re ready to start solids and into toddlerhood. Jeannie currently operates the business side of the company while Sherri runs the kitchen with an assistant.

While many store-bought baby foods are cooked at high temperatures to preserve shelf life, which kills many crucial vitamins and nutrients, Jeannie’s baby food is steamed or baked to preserve those nutrients, and subsequently pureed and frozen to preserve shelf life.

“There is also a drastic difference in the color, texture and consistency – in a good way,” Jeannie says. “Our parents love the fact that they can pull it out of the freezer, pop it in the microwave to thaw, and then it's ready to serve.”

Café Baby offers three age-based puree menus with varying consistencies and flavors – Spoonies (four to six months), Chewies (seven to nine months) and Chompies (10 months and up) – as well as a toddler menu and baked snacks. We’re proud to offer Jeannie and Sherri’s products here on Market Wagon.