EXT. MONTANA WILDERNESS - GOLDEN HOUR

NARRATOR (in a calm, rhythmic tone):

In the quaint yet sprawling landscape of Montana, where the mountains seem to whisper secrets and the fields hum with quiet, industrious life, there are two Vanessas—yes, two. And when you say “Hey Vanessa!” in the presence of Farmented Foods, both heads will turn, both sets of eyes will meet yours, and you will realize that you’ve stumbled into a most peculiar, wonderful story.

CUT TO: A CLASSROOM AT MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY, 2016

NARRATOR:

It was here, amidst the chalk dust and the scent of fresh textbooks, that Vanessa Walsten—who hailed from the wilds of Kalispell—and Vanessa Williamson—from the farmlands of Eastern North Dakota—met by a twist of fate, or perhaps by the cunning design of the universe.

CUT TO: WALSTEN AS A CHILD, RUNNING THROUGH FIELDS WITH HER SIBLINGS

NARRATOR:

Vanessa Walsten, the second youngest of seven, spent her childhood chasing sunsets and dreams through the vast, uncharted territories of her home state. She learned early on that the land was both a canvas and a treasure chest, each season revealing new colors, new possibilities.

CUT TO: WALSTEN, NOW 26, STARING AT A COMPUTER SCREEN, DESIGNING A LOGO

NARRATOR:

By 26, she was a graphic designer—a creator of order, beauty, and meaning from pixels and vectors. But something was missing—a yearning for more. And so, she packed up her dreams and headed to Bozeman, MT, where a new chapter awaited.

CUT TO: WILLIAMSON AS A CHILD, RIDING A FOUR-WHEELER ON THE FAMILY FARM

NARRATOR:

Vanessa Williamson’s early life was a blend of farm dust and family ties, her father’s footsteps leading her through fields of golden wheat and the rhythms of rural life. Though the kittens and four-wheelers held more charm than the harvests, she absorbed the lessons of the land—its cycles, its challenges, its rewards.

CUT TO: WILLIAMSON, NOW 18, STANDING IN FRONT OF MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY’S BUSINESS COLLEGE

NARRATOR:

With the allure of Montana in her heart and a keen mind for business, she enrolled at Montana State University, where she set her sights on a degree in Business Marketing. And in 2017, with diploma in hand, she was ready to conquer the world—or at least a corner of it.

FADE TO: A CLASSROOM, FALL OF 2016

NARRATOR:

In the Fall of 2016, the two Vanessas found themselves in an interdisciplinary course titled “Farm to Market,” where fate, or perhaps a mischievous professor, paired them together. What began as a simple class project soon grew into something much more—a shared passion, a wild idea, and the seeds of a business.

CUT TO: THE VANESSAS IN A FARMER’S FIELD, EXAMINING CROPS

NARRATOR:

Their mission was clear: create a value-added product for a local farmer. But the Vanessas, ever the overachievers, saw an opportunity to tackle a problem plaguing farmers everywhere—what to do with the so-called “ugly” vegetables, the ones that never make it to market?

CUT TO: A KITCHEN, JARS OF FERMENTING VEGETABLES LINING THE COUNTERS

NARRATOR:

With Walsten’s love for fermentation leading the way, they concocted not one, but three brilliant products: Radish Kimchi, Dill Sauerkraut, and Spicy Carrot Chips. Their creations were vibrant, flavorful, and—most importantly—a solution to a problem they couldn’t ignore.

CUT TO: A LOCAL MARKET, CUSTOMERS TASTING THE PRODUCTS

NARRATOR:

After countless hours of market research, taste tests, and late-night brainstorming sessions, Farmented Foods was born. In December 2017, the first jar was sold, marking the beginning of a new adventure.

CUT TO: A MAP WITH EXPANDING LINES ACROSS THE U.S.

NARRATOR:

Today, Farmented Foods can be found in stores and restaurants across the nation, their network of partner farmers growing like vines reaching for the sun. With four products on the shelves and more in the works, the Vanessas are on a mission—to #savetheveggies, one imperfect produce at a time.

FADE OUT: THE VANESSAS STANDING IN A FIELD, THE SUN SETTING BEHIND THEM

NARRATOR:

And so, two Vanessas, with a shared dream and a dash of audacity, transformed the ugly into the extraordinary—creating a business rooted in the land they love and the people they cherish.