Irene Ihnatenko, Founder & CEO of Freya, on Building a Plant-Based Superfood Soup Company Rooted in Nourishment and Sustainability

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When Irene Ihnatenko founded Freya, she set out to build more than a food brand. Irene Ihnatenko created a plant-based superfood soup company rooted in nourishment, sustainability, and the belief that food can truly support healing. Freya makes ready-to-eat, chef-crafted soups using organic, seasonal ingredients bottled in reusable glass, making real, comforting food easy to enjoy every day. What began as a personal search for convenient, food-as-medicine meals on the go has grown into a community-centered brand powered by trust, word of mouth, and a clear mission to nourish both people and the planet.

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Please share a brief introduction and your business:

My name is Irene, and I’m the founder of Freya, a plant-based superfood soup company rooted in nourishment and sustainability. We make ready-to-eat, chef-crafted soups using organic, seasonal ingredients, bottled in reusable glass. What started as a personal search for healthy, convenient, food-as-medicine meals on the go has grown into a community-centered brand focused on making real, comforting food easy to enjoy every day.

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Take us back to when you launched? What was your marketing strategy?

From the very beginning, our strategy was to create plant-based food that is convenient, delicious, and healing. Instead of relying on traditional marketing, we showed up in person. We went to farmers markets, offered samples, talked with people, and truly listened to what they needed.

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Many customers were looking for food they could quickly heat up or eat cold on the go, whether as a light lunch, dinner, or snack. Others found us while recovering from surgery or dental work, or because they wanted meals that were easier to digest, didn’t cause bloating, and helped them eat more vegetables.

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Listening to our customers showed us that we had developed a truly amazing product, and word of mouth became our most powerful form of marketing.

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Did you always know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?

I always felt pulled in two directions: becoming a doctor or becoming an entrepreneur. I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, surrounded by small businesses, from my parents running multiple restaurants to my grandmother owning an herbal healing store.

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From a young age, I was part of their work and loved the freedom and spontaneity it gave me. I started working at 12, helping my grandmother in her shop, where I learned about herbs, nutrition, and how different plants can support the body. Those early experiences shaped how I see food today, not just as something we eat, but as something that can truly support our health and well-being. Food-as-medicine.

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What accomplishments are you the most proud of to date in your business?

I’m most proud of the trust our community places in us. Seeing people subscribe to our weekly and bi-weekly deliveries and share Freya with their friends and family as it becomes part of their daily or weekly routine means everything to me. That kind of loyalty is earned through an honest product, and it’s something no amount of marketing can buy.

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What is one thing you wish you had known when you started your Entreprenista journey?

One thing I wish I had known from the beginning is how important financial runway is. Having enough savings, investment, or even a job to support yourself while building the company makes a huge difference. It gives you the space to make thoughtful decisions and build with less stress and more clarity.

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When hiring, what is your go-to interview question?

My go-to interview question is: Why do you want to be part of Freya?

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I look for people who are honest, hardworking, and independent, people who take ownership, and think like entrepreneurs. Most importantly, I want to work with people who genuinely love our soups and believe in what we’re building!

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What did you do before starting your own business?

Before starting Freya, my background was in corporate operations, program management, and sustainability. I spent years in fast-paced, highly structured environments leading cross-functional teams and managing complex systems at scale.

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Earlier in my career, I founded and ran a web development agency, where I designed and built websites and applications while overseeing sales, marketing, and day-to-day operations. That experience gave me a strong entrepreneurial foundation and a deep understanding of how to build and grow a business from the ground up.

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While my corporate career sharpened my ability to run a disciplined, high-performing organization, it also revealed what was missing. It inspired me to build something more connected to nature, guided by purpose, and rooted in a clear mission behind everything we do.

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What made you take the leap to start your own business?

Freya was born from a deeply personal place. It grew out of family traditions, food rituals rooted in healing, and a desire to make plant-based meals accessible to reduce industrial animal production. The idea became real when my father was diagnosed with cancer and had to rely on soups for months before and after his surgery. During that time, food became a source of care, comfort, and strength.

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That experience shaped everything behind Freya. Our mission is to create food that is rich in nutrients and vitamins, supports healing from the inside, and helps reduce reliance on industrial animal production. We believe real, plant-based food can nourish both people and the planet.

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Do you have any recent wins?

Our community continues to grow! We launched our local subscription delivery program, began placing our soups in natural retail stores, and are expanding into hospitals to bring nourishing food to people when they need it most.

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Who are your customers?

Our customers are people who care about what they put into their bodies but also live busy, full lives. They’re parents, creatives, professionals, wellness-minded individuals, and anyone who wants food that nourishes, tastes great, and doesn’t require extra effort.

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What's your favorite business tool?

Akiflow — where I can schedule blocks of time for each task.

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What advice do you have for aspiring Entreprenistas?

Be mission-driven. Don’t build something just to make money. Money is a result, not the purpose. The goal is to create something that improves lives and leaves the world better than you found it.

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Let sustainability guide your decisions. When you build with care for people, the planet, and the future, you create a business that feels meaningful, resilient, and worth growing!

If Irene Ihnatenko’s story resonates with you and you’re building a business rooted in purpose, growth, and real-world impact, you don’t have to do it alone.

Entreprenista gives women founders direct access to meaningful relationships, expert-led education, and opportunities for visibility, funding insights, and collaboration.

If you’re ready to surround yourself with ambitious women founders who believe there’s enough business to go around for everyone, learn more about joining the Entreprenista League.