# Vinder

Neighbors Feeding Neighbors

## Elevator pitch
As an online farmers market for home gardeners, we help people easily buy and sell homegrown produce with their neighbors. This not only incentivizes home gardeners to grow fresh, amazing fruits and vegetables but opens up communities to more personal connections. We keep those relationships personal by allowing those connections to form organically, taking only a 20% transaction fee on the buyer side. So far, this has resulted in a 90% retention rate for growers and 77% for buyers.

- Canonical URL: https://wefunder.com/vinder
- Entity ID: wefunder:company:26066
- Last updated: 2026-06-07T05:01:54Z
- Generated at: 2026-06-08T04:21:34Z

## Quick facts
- Online beta marketplace organically grew to over 90 cities in 19 states in 4 months.
- Winners of the 2017 Silicon Valley Business Plan competition.
- Average order size is $15.88.
- Our mobile app, which goes live on Android + iOS on August 21, has 700+ pre-registered users.
- Retention rate for growers is 90% and 77% for buyers.
- CEO Sam Lillie was named the Young Entrepreneur of the Year by Jefferson County, Washington in April 2018.
- Graduate of the MassChallenge Business Accelerator.
- Sam started by knocking on his neighbor's doors, and in the first 3 months of business, hand-delivered over 300 lbs of produce on his bicycle.

## Active fundraises
- wefunder:fundraise:18980: 4(a)(6) successful (USD)

## Story
In the modern age, grocery stores source fruits and vegetables from all over the globe. Unsurprisingly, our produce just isn't as fresh anymore. The solution? Vinder. We allow users to easily buy the freshest produce possible by connecting home gardeners to their neighbors through an online marketplace. Gardeners post their produce, then neighborhood buyers purchase and handle the pickup and delivery. We take a 20% service fee from the buyer, keeping gardener costs low to encourage a market full of diverse, interesting, local produce. Vinder Creates Value for Both Buyer and GardenerFor home gardeners, using Vinder is a no-brainer.  Instead of just enjoying the fruits of their labors themselves -- or worse, letting excess fruits and veggies go to waste -- they now have an easy-to-use marketplace where buyers are actively  clamoring for the same produce they'd be growing anyway.  We encourage a diverse set of crops by not taking a service fee, encouraging home gardeners to connect to as many of their neighbors as possible.  Now that they can sell on Vinder, many of our gardeners have even said they plan on increasing their garden sizes.Our buyers are generally between 25 and 45 and work full time.  They are people who prefer organic produce but might not have the money or time to source that produce.  Instead, they use Vinder, sacrificing a small 20% service fee to eat food they know was grown in their neighborhood.  Rather than supporting huge grocery store conglomerates, they get to support their neighbors while eating fresher food.  It's a winning relationship for our users, which we know because right now, we have more buyers than growers.We've Grown to 90 Cities OrganicallyWe started out of Port Townsend, Washington. Our founder, Sam, went from one small order to delivering more than 300 pounds of produce on his bike in just three months. In 2017, we were still focusing on our one location with our beta testing, but users around the country just started using our marketplace. Without an ounce of marketing, we grew to over 90 cities in 19 states in 4 monthsNow, with some momentum, we're launching an app on August 21 that will make it even easier to interact with our online marketplace. We're imagining a future where Vinder becomes the largest homemade grocery distributor in the country. By relying on communities and neighbors and not requiring any inventory or delivery vehicles, we can help create a more sustainable food ecosystem. Let's Connect Our Neighbors TogetherDear Investors,Wow! Thank you for considering an investment in Vinder! We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to help communities take back and rebuild our broken food system and are thrilled that you are considering joining our community. Before you get into the offering material, there are a couple things we want to mention.Grass RootsVinder is not a conventional company and we don’t intend to become one.I started Vinder on foot and bicycle after attending a Chamber of Commerce meeting in Port Townsend, WA. I learned that there was a problem accessing local, organic produce for a reasonable price. I walked home and noticed all the apple trees with rotting apples on the ground and thought, “Why can’t we just buy from our neighbors?" So, I began knocking on doors and asking to sell their extra produce. Over 3 months, I hand-delivered over 300 lbs of produce between community members and formed relationships with neighbors I had never known while learning about the importance of soil nutrients, growing methods, and that there are so many awesome, delicious varieties of produce beyond what you see at the grocery store. Like atomic grape cherry tomatoes, glass gem corn, or pineberries (white strawberries that taste like pineapple).Vinder wasn’t created to change the world and make a ton of money. It was created to fix the problem my community was having. It worked because community members joined together to create a local food system where neighbors feed neighbors. When we launched the online marketplace, we found that the problem wasn’t just in Port Townsend, but across the nation and world. There were people wanting to stand up and make a change.We work in the gardens with our Growers, join community garden work days, and host potlucks with our communities. Everything is designed and built around and for our community members.Most of this offering material describes Vinder in conventional business terms. In fact, the whole purpose of this document is to provide information for you to evaluate our company and make an informed investment decision. But there are elements of Vinder that defy convention, and we want to take a moment to explain them.The Dirt - Risk vs. Reward. Before you invest, it’s important to understand that Vinder is a very early stage company. In fact, thanks to the JOBS Act, you now have the opportunity to invest earlier than has ever been possible, at a stage traditionally reserved for angel investors and venture capitalists.If you want to get in early, you need to understand the risks. As an early stage company, we don’t yet have established customers or revenue streams, and we have very little operating history for you to review. Startups are an inherently risky investment — statistically speaking, most of them fail.But those that succeed often go on to change the world. Every great company — from Airbnb to REI — started with entrepreneurs and investors who had the courage to defy the odds and try something no one else had done before. We believe Vinder is one of those companies.As a rule, you should never invest more than you can bear to lose in a startup company. But if you’ve got a little extra and want to swing for the fences, we’d love for you to join us. We’re betting our money, reputations, and careers that we can make this company a success.Sprouting the FutureNo longer can we think of the farmer as some guy on a tractor plowing acres of farmland. The farmers of today, and of the future, grow their food in shipping containers, on rooftops, in empty lots in the inner cities, and in their own backyards. Innovation in local, organic agricultural production has sky-rocketed, yet, the distribution system has hardly changed. Vinder is connecting these agro-innovators and hobbyists with their community members. Creating a local feel for what will be a global scale.We know it won’t be easy, but things worth doing rarely are. While we can’t guarantee the company will be successful (nobody can promise that), we can guarantee that we’ll do everything in our power to make this the best investment you’ve ever made.THANK YOU for considering Vinder. If you like what you see and dig what we are doing, we would love for you to join our community.Sincerely, Sam LillieCo-founder/CEO, Vinder #dowhatsripe

## FAQ
1. **Hi. I think you are building something amazing! Is there an online beta marketplace or you are currently not operating and waiting for the app?**
   - Hi Mark! Thanks for reaching out and liking Vinder! We shut down the online beta to build and focus on the app based on what we learned. We have a BETA version of our app available for Android if you'd like to check it out. You can email me: sam@veggievinder.com or give me a call at: 1 (682) 235-8745
2. **I like your platform idea. You are going to have an uphill battle getting suppliers who are older and not tech savvy onto the platform. It sounds like this may already be your problem. You may have to do some sort of ambassador program to help get people onto the platform. Per...**
   - Hi David, Thanks for such detailed questions. Below are the answers listed by question order. If you'd like, we can talk over the phone or video chat. My email is: sam@veggievinder.com Phone: (682) 235-8745. 1) We do have an "ambassador" program, although, we like to call them Agtivists :) You can register to be one here: https://www.veggievinder.com/agtivist-volunteer We also offer a number of ways someone can help promote and kick-start their community with this handy "10 Ways to Get Starte...
3. **How do the buyers get the produce they have purchased?**
   - Hi Mary! Thanks for reaching out. Customers can pick up the order themselves, meet the Grower, tour the garden, or, have the order delivered to them by the Grower for a delivery fee that is set by the Grower. Typically $5.
4. **I love what you are doing, but wouldn’t most cost-conscious buyers just connect directly with the grower after the first meeting and bypass Vinder’s 20%?**
   - Hi Mary! Great question. Convenience, variety, and ease-of-use keep Buyers from side stepping the platform. Having started Vinder on Bicycle, I know how many pains there are to trying to do it "offline". For one, not all Growers grow everything a single customer may want. So, the customer will have to manage and build relationships with multiple Growers. This would mean calling/texting to find out what is available (we built an inter-app messaging service so phone numbers are not shown to use...
5. **I love the concept but how do u insure the customers get quality produce? If there is no oversight what is to stop a grower from sending spoiled or old produce?**
   - Hi Alan! Thanks for reaching out. We've implemented a 5 star rating system and public comments feature. This way, Buyers/Growers can rate each other and inform the public of their experiences-- creating a community checks and balance. When users get low ratings, their listings are moved further towards the bottom before getting banned. We also found that typically, neighbors don't want to screw over their neighbors.

## Team
- Brandon Halvorson (Lead Developer)
- Lauren Valinoti (Marketing)
- Andres Cifuentes (Front-End Developer)
- Sam Lillie (Founder/CEO)
- Mark DeJarnatt (CTO)

## Q&A
- Q: How has revenue been this year?
- Q: Hi, keep up the good work and I'm excited to be a part of Vinder! General question: Is there an update on when my investment will convert to equity, and how can I view my shares in your company?
- Q: This company failed. The only report of such is inside a comment on an update made by Wefunder regarding no contact with the company. This puts organizing the fail in our accounting. Founder claims he is closing accounts and paying bills, however does not mention if this was a bankruptcy or a shut down. As such, I'm curious.. what were the final assets and were did they go? Paying all creditors or employees? There's either a debt or a surplus.
- Q: Hi, any new updates on our investment? Thanks.
- Q: I noticed Vinder.com is not longer active. Did Vinder go out of business?
- Q: Is the Affiliate program still available to sign up farmers and/or farmers markets? I can't find it on the website.
  - A: Hi Darron,Yes, links to videos on how to sign up can be viewed in the investor updates (That program is only available to investors). You should be able to access them through your WeFunder account.
- Q: Hey Sam. I love love LOVE your idea! I will definitely follow your progress. I am currently working with CSAs and Co-Ops in your area for something similar. Have you ever reached out to USDA-FSIS for grant money?
  - A: Hi Steven,Thanks for reaching out and for your support. I have looked into them but haven't contacted them from grant money. I would love to have a call and learn more if you have any info about it. You can reach me at: sam@vinder.com​ Thanks!
- Q: Hey Sam! I'm a day late, it seems, but NOT a dollar short...would you kindly consider one more $100. investor? I've known all along that you are a key element in turning around our wonky food system, and I would still very much like to be backing you up! Thanks for your consideration…
  - A: Hi Lisa,Thank you for wanting to support us! Unfortunately, we cannot accept any more investments at this time. We may do another WeFunder raise in 6 months to a year. I'll definitely keep you updated if we decide to do that :)
- Q: Do you intend to pay a dividend (post-conversion to stock)?
  - A: Hi Craig,Not for at least 5-7 years. By paying out dividends early, I believe we would be losing money that could be used for growth and expansion. However, we do offer a direct reinvestment program to our investors that gives them the opportunity to make a return on their investment immediately by providing a % of revenue share for every transaction of every seller that investor signs up. This provides an incentive to kickstart Vinder in your own community, begin making a return on your investment, increase local sales, and thus increase the company value.If you're interested, I'd be happy to hop on the phone and answer more questions.
- Q: How much does each share cost?
  - A: Hi James,Each share is $1 and we have a minimum buy-in of $100. Thank you for your investment! Welcome to the Vinder family!
- Q: Hi Why did you ask for 50k and now exceeded 150k and keep collecting ? I'm guessing greed and your trying to collect your negative 183k already in debt for ? I tried to withdrawal from the binder due to my personal opinion but it won't allow me to and so I'm taking it as a withdrawal was made already and I should have pulled out then as when companies get greedy they crash! If I do get the option to pull out of this program at closing I certainly am going to no matter everyone's opinion. I'd rather give to children's medical research n lose it all then to lose it over a company that is deeply in the negative to begin with and I thought you'd keep the ceiling at 50k n not get greedy but what was I thinking n never again will this happen as I'll invest where I don't mind losing my money as mostly I'm into medical research n yours it seems is into greed. I've been investing in children's medical cures where no big fat pharma will get involved. I've so far had none go over on their asking and even though no returns I've seen smiles n that counts more then profit does to me. Enough said.
  - A: Hi John,First, the initial cap we have to raise to create a successful campaign is $50K. We can then raise up to $1.07MM. This is a good thing. The more money we raise, the more features we are able to build and the more we can spend on marketing to gain new users. This money isn't going to pay high salaries for our CEO (me). I make $900/month. Just enough to pay rent and to eat and work 12 hours days 6-7 days a week to make sure this works. Every dollar goes into the growth and development of Vinder. I didn't start Vinder for the money. If I did, I would have stopped the first month when it took me 3 hours to make a delivery on my bicycle for $0.84. Or, when I lived on $200/month for 2 years in my moms basement funneling 80% of my paycheck from working behind the desk at a gym into the company.We are building Vinder because of the impact it can make in communities around the world. Creating greater access to better food for people in areas that don't have grocery stores. Greater access to local, organic produce for children. Mark, our co-founder and CTO, uses Vinder to feed his children because he realized when he got the first box I delivered on bicycle the joy his kids had eating the produce grown by his neighbors.We actually raised our cap once we hit $107K to $300,000 but, due to mandatory design changes implemented by WeFunder, the limit now says $50K. In 2018 we raised nearly $400K of the $750K (a typical seed round for tech startups) we are trying to raise in total to build out a decent size team of developers and marketers. The $183K spent was over a 1 year period between a team of 6 to develop and promote our mobile apps for both iOS and Android. To put this into perspective, the average salary of a lead developer in the U.S is $130,000/year. That's just one developer. Not Management, not Quality Assurance Testing, not marketing. To build a sophisticated platform like ours, we need a team.Our strategic use of funds has lead to 348% user growth just in the month of March. I'm more than happy to have a conversation with you about this. My cell phone number is (619) 916-6140. Feel free to call any time. Sincerely,Sam LillieCo-founder/CEO
- Q: When is this round closing? Seems like it keeps getting extended.
  - A: Hi John,As we reached new amounts raised we were able to unlock extensions. The hard close date is May 3rd. We will not be extending it past that date.
- Q: Hello Sam , I love this idea and I think you and your co-founder will achieve great things. I just have one question about the direct investment program you mentioned. How does that work? if I invest in the convertible notes will I be in that program? also, after I invest , how often will I be getting update s about the business and how?. again great idea and I am seriously considering to invest in Vinder. Thank you
  - A: Hi Abdul,Thanks for the questions.We offer a revenue % of transactions for every seller you, as an investor in this round, on-board.As for updates, I send out updates every 1-3 months depending on the events that have happened in that time period. It's no longer than 3 months. You'll receive them via WeFunder in a private updates/messages section.Please let me know if you have any more questions. You're welcome to email me: Sam@vinder.com​
- Q: Can you please provide how your key metrics evolved over time on a monthly basis, since the launch of the app till today? I am thinking number of users (growers and buyers), number of transactions, Average order size, Average service fee, retention rates, number of cities where you operate, etc. Thanks, Ziad
- Q: What is the new end date for the raise?
  - A: Hi Evan,Looks like it will be April 12th as too many companies are closing at the end of April.