About Us
Mission & Vision
Maximum Accessibility
Ingredient Quality
Nutritious
Dairy-Free
Yummy
Partnership with the Alchemist Kitchen, Incubator Program
Meet the Team
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Melissa Muganzo (CEO)
Melissa Muganzo, pronouns she/they/sis, is the CEO and Founder of Mindy's Kitchen; a vegan food company built for customers on the go. Mindy's Kitchen specializes in nut-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free food products built for plant-based foodies with all types of schedules, workdays, and dietary needs. Melissa created Mindy's Kitchen after being diagnosed with fibroids in 2012 and being denied a hysterectomy to solve her uterine illness due to insurance policies surrounding uterine health patients based on ageism, racism, and sexism practices.
To connect with Melissa, visit her LinkedIn profile.
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Ling Luc (CMO)
Ling Luc serves as Chief Marketing Officer for Mindy's Kitchen. She manages the website to ensure you receive all the latest news and updates about Mindy's Kitchen.
Ling specializes in digital and web design. She enjoys creating content for various types of marketing campaigns and working with different types of people. She enjoys good food and immersing herself in new cultures.
To connect with Ling, visit her LinkedIn profile.
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Siena F. LaPlume serves as the Chief of Community Impact and Engagement for Mindy’s Kitchen. With a Bachelors in Social Work from Sacramento State (2020) and a Master’s from Columbia University (2023) specializing in Leadership, Management, and Entrepreneurship for Social Justice, Siena combines academic rigor with hands-on expertise in disability advocacy, food justice research, and mental health services.
At Mindy’s, Siena spearheads social impact initiatives, ensuring our mission of accessible, healthy plant-based options reaches and empowers diverse communities. In her spare time, you can find her adventuring in antique stores, trying different foods, dreaming of community gardens, or watching cozy content on YouTube.
To connect with Siena, visit her LinkedIn profile.
About
The name Mindy’s Kitchen of California comes from the founder's mother, Melinda. She was given the nickname "Mindy" in college by her classmates. The founder, Melissa, was raised Seventh-Day Adventist which reinforced a primarily vegetarian diet. It wasn't until college that Melissa began to explore other food options and meals. During the founder, Melissa's, final year of college she experienced an extended menstrual cycle after requesting to be placed on birth control. Her menstrual cycle led her down a six-month menstrual cycle with various ongoing side effects. After feeling hopeless, she reached out to a family friend who worked as a Nurse and recommended that she explore raw veganism due to her symptoms resembling that of "fibroids."
In a matter of weeks, Melissa eliminated her symptoms and found medical resolve. This led to the founder exploring plant-based foods and options over time and finally deciding to remain plant-based in 2016. After making this decision, Melissa realized how hard finding plant-based food was while at work, school, and play. When she did find food options, they were more vegetarian than vegan and were very expensive. She decided that when the time was right, she would create an on-the-go plant-based food option for people like herself - a working professional on the go who wants to make strong dietary decisions. This is the foundation and birthing place of Mindy's.
For more information on the founder, you can follow her and/or Mindy on Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin, and Threads @mindyskitchen_ca. Stay tuned for our Summer 2024 tasting tour registration! To stay updated on all things Melissa Muganzo is doing in the world, follow her on social media @muganzoentertainment.