Anya Fernald facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Anya Fernald
Fernald at Belcampo Farms, 2019
Born	Germany
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Wesleyan University
Occupation	Entrepreneur and business consultant
Years active	2000–present
Spouse(s)	Renato Sardo ​ (m. 2004⁠–⁠2012)​
Children	2

Anya Fernald (born 1975) is an American businesswoman and chef. She is known for her work with sustainable farming and food. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Anya started several companies, including Live Culture Co. and the Eat Real Festival Company. She also co-founded Belcampo Meat Co., which focused on sustainably raised meats. She has written a cookbook and appeared on the Food Network as a judge.

Early Life and Learning

Anya Fernald was born in 1975 on a dairy farm in Munich, Germany. Her parents were teaching and doing research there. When she was three, her family moved back to the United States. They lived in Palo Alto, California, and later in Oregon.

Anya went to Wesleyan University and studied political science. After college, she received a special scholarship called the Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. This allowed her to travel and learn about cheesemaking in Europe and North Africa.

Anya's Career Journey

Working in Europe (1999–2005)

From 1999 to 2001, Anya worked in Sicily, Italy. She helped small cheesemakers with their business and marketing plans. This project was supported by the European Union.

Later, she worked for Slow Food in Bra, Italy. Until 2005, she helped create a program to support small, traditional food producers around the world. She helped artisans in places like Madagascar, Sweden, Ecuador, and Bosnia.

Coming Back to the United States (2006–Present)

In 2006, Anya returned to California. She started a company that connected high-quality farmers with large buyers. This company was later sold.

In 2008, she worked with famous chef Alice Waters. Anya helped organize Slow Food Nation. This was a big event to promote high-quality, organic food.

Starting the Eat Real Festival

In 2009, Anya founded the Eat Real Festival Company. This company puts on a yearly two-day food festival in Oakland, California. The festival focuses on food and drinks made locally, sustainably, and organically. This company was also sold in 2015.

Founding Live Culture Co. and Belcampo

Also in 2009, Anya started Live Culture Co. This company helps other businesses with their marketing. In 2010, her company began working with Todd Robinson. They developed an idea to sell products from his ranch in Northern California.

This led to the creation of Belcampo. Anya Fernald and Todd Robinson founded Belcampo in 2012. They also worked together on a project in Belize. This project later became Copal Tree Farms and Lodge.

Belcampo Meat Co.

Anya Fernald was the CEO of Belcampo for many years. Belcampo aimed to provide high-quality, sustainably raised meats.

During her time as CEO, Belcampo faced some challenges. There were reports about how the company operated and labeled its products. Inspections showed some issues with cleanliness and how meat was labeled.

The company also faced a legal issue about how its employees were paid. This issue was later settled. Anya Fernald was CEO until August 2020. Belcampo closed in October 2021. This happened after reports that some of its meat was not actually from their own farms, even though it was labeled that way.

Appearing on Television

From 2009 to 2015, Anya Fernald was a judge on the Food Network's Iron Chef America shows. She shared her knowledge about sustainable food. She also appeared on CBS This Morning.

Awards and Recognition

Anya Fernald has received several honors for her work:

• In 2010, Food & Wine magazine named her one of "40 Big Food Thinkers 40 and Under."
• INC Magazine listed her as one of the top 100 female founders.
• The New York Times included her in their "Nifty 50" list. This list recognizes rising talent in America.

Personal Life

Anya Fernald was married to Renato Sardo. He used to lead Slow Food International. They lived in Oakland and had a daughter.