# Wild Rye Community Update | Q1 2026 | Wild Rye

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/feed/318909
- Entity ID: wefunder:feed_item:318909
- Published at: 2026-05-08 18:17:55 UTC
- Updated at: 2026-05-29 20:29:06 UTC

## Author
Cassie Abel

## Subject
Wild Rye

## Content
Hi all,I hope you’re having a great spring! It’s been an early one here in Idaho, with trails already drying out and summer energy starting to creep in. We just wrapped our Q1 business review and despite a continued challenging retail and tariff environment, there’s a lot to be excited about.Most notably: DTC revenue grew +87% YoY Conversion rate increased +25% AOV hit $203 (+35% YoY and well above plan) Specialty accounts outside of REI are outperforming expectations Outerwear launch, and “Find Your Wild” campaign drove some of the strongest brand momentum we’ve seen to date At the same time, we’ve been making meaningful operational improvements behind the scenes to position Wild Rye for long-term profitability and scale. We streamlined SKUs, tightened inventory planning, upgraded operations leadership, and brought on new strategic partners across product development and finance to improve fit consistency, forecasting, cash flow visibility, and overall execution.On the tariff front, we continue to fight hard. I spent last week in DC meeting with USTR leadership and congressional offices alongside other outdoor industry leaders. While there’s still a long road ahead, the tone has shifted significantly from a year ago. There is far more understanding of how deeply tariffs are impacting small businesses, and we’re beginning to see momentum toward more practical solutions and potential carveouts.We’ve now submitted ~$202K+ in tariff refund claims and are beginning to see some near-term relief on incoming product, though there's still a long road ahead as we face another wave potential tariffs under section 301.Most importantly, I continue to feel incredibly optimistic about where this brand is headed. The customer response to our product, particularly outerwear, has been incredibly encouraging, and the strength of our DTC channel continues to reinforce that we’re building something women genuinely want and connect with.We’re now in the final stretch of our Wefunder raise, with roughly $200–300K remaining to close out the round and get the business to profitability—barring any additional major tariff disruption. If you believe anyone in your network would be a fit for Wild Rye, please send the opportunity their way!Thank you all, genuinely, for believing in Wild Rye and helping us build this brand differently. Your support means more than you know.Cassie