Shark Tank, Sustainability, and Scaling Up: The Frozen Farmer Story with Katey Evans (Ep. 9)

Periods of rapid growth can be both exhilarating and overwhelming—especially when new opportunities arrive faster than the plans to support them. So how do family‑run businesses scale without losing their values, identity, or sanity?

In this episode, Jamie Hopkins and Kate Duffy talk with Katey Evans, Founder of The Frozen Farmer, about how she transformed upcycled fruit into a beloved national brand. Katey shares how intentional planning, family collaboration, and building the right advisory team helped her navigate retail expansion, direct‑to‑consumer pivots, and a high‑visibility moment on Shark Tank.

Key takeaways:

0:00 – Introduction 
1:16 – The Origin of The Frozen Farmer Idea and Evans Farms
3:07 – Working in a Family Business
8:08 – The Road to Shark Tank
14:32 – Challenges of Scaling to a National Brand
16:25 – The Expense of the Grocery Store Industry (Slotting Fees and Logistics)
17:43 – Strategies for Maintaining Sanity and Work-Life Balance
20:54 – Building a Professional Team
26:44 – Hindsight: Not Saying Yes to Every Opportunity
30:16 – Where to Find The Frozen Farmer
30:32 – Conclusion