Boarderie delivers prearranged artisanal cheese and charcuterie boards overnight.
Spouses Julie Larson and Aaron Menitoff operated a gourmet catering company in Palm Beach, Florida for 20 years. When the Covid pandemic hit, all events were canceled overnight. No more catering for Prince Harry and Bruce Springsteen – both former clients. Recognizing that cheese and charcuterie boards were one of the fastest-growing culinary trends, especially among Millennials, they rapidly evolved their business.
Boarderie creates the first-ever completely prearranged cheese and charcuterie boards that can be shipped overnight nationwide. Risking everything to get the new business off the ground, the cofounders saw huge payoffs. They made Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2022, were featured on ABC ‘s Shark Tank on November 18 and, with 1,000 percent growth in one year, are on track to hit $70 million in revenue.
Appearing on "Shark Tank" was a huge win for Menitoff and Solomon.
Shark Tank investor Lori Greiner agreed to work with Menitoff, co-CEO and managing partner of Boarderie, and Rachel Solomon, co-CEO, CMO and partner of Boarderie, to take their business to the next level, expanding their direct-to-consumer business. After the Shark Tank episode aired, Boarderie sold out of boards and maxed out production. In the days that followed, the company was deemed the largest shipper of overnight packages in South Florida, with a staff of 70 working around the clock to make the artisan boards.
Boarderie is also committed to helping their local community. They hire Arc Clients, adults with developmental disabilities, to perform many necessary tasks such as taping boxes. They also sell Arc Cards made by Arc Clients to corporate groups, with all funds going directly to the artists, and raise money for the Arc annually. After each of the six named storms that have hit Florida in recent years, Boarderie has mass fed power company employees while they are working to restore power – that’s over 100,000 people so far. During the pandemic, they organized volunteers to provide free lunches to children at nine schools in the community while their schools were closed.
Rachel Solomon is the co-CEO, CMO and partner at Boarderie.
At just 27 years old, Rachel Solomon already serves as co-CEO, CMO and partner at Boarderie. Before the Covid pandemic hit, she had started a blockchain innovation program at Columbia University and was applying to master’s programs in psychology. Finding herself stuck at home with her family in Florida during lockdowns, she ordered a cheese and charcuterie board from a local company, CheeseBoarder, run by Aaron Menitoff and Julie Larson. Solomon and Menitoff got to talking about his vision to ship the boards nationwide – which many people had told him was insane. Within a matter of months, the two were business partners.
“Falling into this career was total fate,” says Solomon. “I met similarly-minded, entrepreneurial people in the right place at the right time and knew that we would do whatever it took to make it happen. There is nothing more rewarding or addictive than doing something you love every day.”
There are many challenges in starting a new business, Solomon says. “Our whole team has barely slept this week. Every day is completely different, unexpected, and challenging in a new way. The lack of predictability is probably the most difficult part of this career path, but it also makes it extremely rewarding and exciting.”
To other people looking to tap into their life purpose, Solomon has this advice. “Give 150 percent to every opportunity in front of you. Even if you don’t see the immediate value in it, you will learn something that will help you in another aspect of your life or career. And if you’re a motivated person who isn’t feeling motivated, do something different.”
