Roslindale Mom Creates Purely Pears: An Organic Baby Food Delivery Business

Roslindale's Bridget Tivnan likes to keep busy. In March, she welcomed her second child, Finn, to the world, and a month later, she welcomed her third "child" - Purely Pears - an organic baby food delivery business.

Tivnan wanted to find a way to spend as much time with her child while facing a daily to-do list. Thus she and her business partner, fellow mom Sarah Washburn, came up with the idea of mixing the taste and nutrition of homemade baby food with better convenience than a grocery store. Tivnan spoke to Patch about Purely Pears, the movie 'Baby Boom' and selling Purely Pears at the Roslindale Village Farmers' Market. 

Patch: You live in Roslindale? For how long? What do you like best about living in Roslindale? 

Tivnan: My husband and I are about to celebrate our one-year anniversary in our Rozzie home on June 1. As a young, growing family moving from the Medford/Somerville-area, walkability, good restaurants and parks were very important to us. Roslindale had all three. Plus, easy access to the T for us to take the kids into the city. 

Patch: Your age? 

Tivnan: I am 31. Kids are Lila, 2, and Finn, 12 weeks.

Patch: What made you want to start your own organic baby food delivery company? 

Tivnan: Sarah and I had our children around the same time and both were very busy working. We would constantly discuss how time consuming it was to make home made baby food, but agreed it was very important. I was working full-time as an event planner when I had Lila and had little free time. It simply dawned on us one day that there was a need for fresh and organic baby food in Boston. If there was a business offering our service when I had Lila, I would have used it! Quality time spent with my babies always seemed more important than spending long hours in the kitchen. 

Patch: How do you come up with the recipes? What do/did your children like the best?

Tivnan: Our recipe creation is a collaborative effort that includes our own babies - Lila has always loved pear puree - a nutritionist who makes sure we are covering all the bases when it comes to baby's health and a lot of research that Sarah and I conduct. 

Patch: Where does Purely Pears get its produce from?

Tivnan: We get our produce from numerous places! Local farms, farmers' markets and Whole Foods Market. Depending what is in season at the time we always try to purchase local produce first. When we have to fill in the gaps, Whole Foods is a great resource for organic produce. We participate in farmers markets which gives us great opportunity to purchase from numerous local farms at one time. Sarah and I love the selection at Wilson Farm in Lexington. It is a great place for local produce and also a fun place for us to bring the kids!

Patch: What's the most popular recipe?

Tivnan: It is a toss up between Squash, Apple, Pear and Sweet Potato, Apple & Cinnamon. Every order seems to always include either. 

Patch: You and your partner Sarah Washburn make the food yourself? Where and how? Does she have children?

Tivnan: Yes, Sarah and I make all the baby food ourselves (in a commercial kitchen in Malden). Being a new business it is very important for us to be as hands on as possible. We are making food for our families just as we would for our babies, with a lot of love and attention. Sarah and I are both ServSafe certified and graduated from Endicott College in Beverly with a degree in hotel and restaurant management. 

Patch: And you often deliver the food yourself to customers - do the children come along? 

Tivnan: Yes, currently we deliver the food ourselves when we aren't using our bike courier service. Sometimes delivery is a family effort.

Patch: Talk about the ordering process to purchase from Purely Pears. Along with being organic, it looks like Purely Pears is an environmentally-friendly company, too.

Tivnan: To order from Purely Pears you simply log on to our site, head to our virtual store and place your order! We deliver on Tuesdays and Fridays. We ask for orders to be in at least 48 hours before your desired delivery day. All orders are prepared and filled less than 24 hours before delivery, ensuring freshness. Purely Pears uses corn based and BPA free containers for our food. We use a local co-operative business to deliver your baby's food when the orders are city-centric and weather is cooperating.

Patch: Have you ever seen the movie 'Baby Boom' with Diane Keaton in which she creates her own baby food company? If so, what did you think of it.

Tivnan: No, I haven't and EVERYONE says I should. If anyone would like to babysit my two kids so I can sit and watch a movie this will be definitely be my first choice. Well, that and the new season of Arrested Development.

Patch: And Purely Pears products will be for sale at the Roslindale Village Farmers' Market? 

Tivnan: Of course! We will be at the market June 22 and 29 this month. We sell individual containers of baby food at the farmers markets for $4. We always have at least five selections and they are all prepared the night before! You can also purchase reusable baby food pouches at the markets. A great product for babies and kiddos on the go. Fill them with your Purely Pears' fresh purees and know you are giving your baby the very best! 

Patch: Please add anything else you'd like to say about Purely Pears, Roslindale, etc.

Tivnan: We would like to offer families visiting the market a discount. Order online 48 hours before the market and use promo code ROSI25 - they can order their 9 purees, we will have their cooler ready for them to pick up at our tent on June 22 and 29. www.purelypears.com/store