Q&A with Grow-NY Mentor Heather Saffer

Grow-NY finalists regularly meet one-on-one with mentors before pitching their businesses at the annual Grow-NY Food & Agriculture Summit. Mentors connect finalists with resources and potential partners during business development trips to the Grow-NY region. Mentors also serve a vital role in preparing entrepreneurs to deliver polished pitches at the Summit, where finalists vie for a $1 million grand prize. 

Many Grow-NY mentors have founded successful startups in the food and ag space themselves. Such is the case for new mentor Heather Saffer, who founded a frosting company called Dollop Gourmet. While CEO of the company, Saffer won the Food Network’s competition show Cupcake Wars, published cookbooks, and appeared on Shark Tank. Ever since Dollop Gourmet was acquired in 2019, Saffer has mentored entrepreneurs in many different advisor and Entrepreneur in Residence roles. 

We recently met with Saffer to learn how her own entrepreneurial experience informs her approach to mentorship and how she got involved with Grow-NY. 

Question: What is your experience in the food and ag space? 

My experience comes from building, scaling, and selling my own food company. I founded Dollop Gourmet, grew it into thousands of major retail stores nationwide, and ultimately exited the business through acquisition. Along the way, I innovated with clean-label, vegan, allergen-friendly products before those trends were mainstream, and I learned firsthand how to navigate co-packing, supply chains, investor dynamics, and national distribution. Since then, I’ve mentored founders who have raised millions, helping them go beyond product passion to build scalable, investable companies. I know what it takes to turn an idea into a high-growth food brand because I’ve lived every stage of that journey. 

Question: How do you think food and ag startups benefit from launching within the Grow-NY region? 

The Grow-NY region offers something rare: global reach with local accountability. Between world-class agriculture, Cornell’s research power, and an ecosystem designed to support high-growth companies, startups here have every resource to scale. But what makes it truly special is the expectation that winners deliver real impact — jobs, innovation, and roots in Upstate New York. That accountability fuels lasting growth. And personally, I see a huge opportunity to grow businesses tied to sustainability and animal welfare, which is a passion of mine. 

Question: What should food and ag startups keep in mind as they begin to grow? 

Growth is about systems, not just stories. Getting on the shelf is one thing, but what matters is velocity, margins, and the ability to execute at scale. High-growth startups need resilient supply chains, tight unit economics, and a clear path to profitability. At the same time, values drive today’s biggest brands — tying growth to purpose, whether that’s sustainability, equity, or in my case, animal welfare. When your systems and mission align, growth becomes unstoppable. 

Question: What are you most excited about mentoring a Grow-NY finalist this year? 

What excites me is the chance to help founders on the edge of breaking through become category leaders. Grow-NY attracts startups tackling global food challenges, and I bring both the playbook of scaling and selling my own company and the scars from mistakes I had to learn the hard way. My goal is to help finalists accelerate their growth curve, sharpen their investor story, and maximize impact. And if I can also spotlight founders innovating in animal-friendly and sustainable ways, that’s the kind of growth I want to see multiplying across this region. 

The 2025 Grow-NY Summit will take place November 12-13 at the Hotel Canandaigua in. Canandaigua, NY and virtually. Register today at cvent.me/E10znv.