newsletter Kakadoodle Update 2026
Every six months or so, I like to send out a update to our farmers, partners, and general co-conspirators. Not a hype email. Just a check-in on how things are actually going.
This time around, I figured I’d share it with all of you too — because whether you realize it or not, you’re very much a part of this journey.
Before we get into the bigger picture, MariKate insisted I add one important reminder 😅
We still have Cottage Cheese discounted, and… we have a lot of it that needs to find a good home in the next couple weeks. She over-ordered. We’re blaming her.
If you haven’t tried it yet, now is definitely the time 👉 https://kakadoodle.com/shop/product/431
Alright — on to the update.
A Meaningful Stretch
The last several months at Kakadoodle haven’t been about big announcements.
They’ve been about fundamentals quietly clicking into place.
Here’s where we’re at today:
- $60,000/month in revenue
- Delivering to 600 families
- Supporting 36 regenerative farms & producers
Steady, Boring (In a Good Way) Growth
Sales have continued at roughly 8% month-over-month.
No hacks. No wild promotions. Just the boring stuff working.
Families are ordering more consistently, buying across more categories, and trusting us with a bigger share of their food budget. That’s showing up in higher lifetime value and more predictable revenue — which, in local food, is kind of the dream.
A Couple Areas Showing Real Upside
A few experiments are starting to show meaningful potential, and we’re leaning into them thoughtfully.
Value-Added Products
Egg Bites surprised us. They sold out fast at the farmers market, created real margin, and opened early retail conversations. Turning a commodity (eggs) into a value-added product completely changes the math — making broader distribution possible without squeezing farmers or compromising on chemical-free practices.
On-Farm Sales (the spiritual side)
What started as a small experiment ended up accounting for over $7,000 of December revenue.
But honestly, the bigger impact wasn’t financial. Seeing families on the land, connecting food to place, and giving a physical home to what Kakadoodle stands for has been grounding. Economically meaningful, yes — but emotionally anchoring too. This will continue to be a cornerstone of our Farmers First approach.
From Survival to Stabilization
2025 was… rough.
Bird flu wiped out supply. Funding freezes hit at the worst possible time. For much of the year, we were operating with little to no margin. Compeer debt financing and direct customer support through crowdfunding quite literally kept us moving.
2026 is about stabilization.
Taking what we scraped together and turning it into a system that can handle shocks, support itself, and eventually be replicated.
We’re still growing — just with fewer emergencies (hopefully), cleaner numbers, and sharper discipline.
One big unlock this past year has been AI, now deeply integrated across nearly every part of our operations — from software development to customer support — giving our very small team the leverage to actually run a system like this.
How We’re Thinking About Financing
One thing is very clear: traditional venture capital is a poor fit for local food systems.
Agriculture doesn’t scale at VC speed — and forcing it to usually breaks something important.
For us, fundraising isn’t a requirement. It’s an option.
We’ve explored grants, VC, impact investors, angels, family funds — nothing has fully clicked yet, and that’s okay.
What is clear is what we won’t do:
- Chase capital at the expense of focus or integrity
- Add pressure that pulls us away from farmers and families
The goal is simply to reduce the financial weight on MariKate and me, while staying open to the right partners — those who bring more than money.
We’re comfortable continuing to explore thoughtfully, without chasing.
Where This Leaves Us
I’m optimistic heading into 2026.
Not because everything is solved — but because the system is starting to come together. We’re getting close to proving that a hyper-local, chemical-free food system can stand on its own, without relying on government assistance — and then replicating that model elsewhere.
I shared a broader look at what I expect this year to bring here: What to Expect in 2026.
The next chapter will be shaped by people who believe this kind of system is worth building — and are patient enough to build it the right way.
Happy New Year 🥂
And seriously — help us find a home for that cottage cheese ❤️
