A New Chapter For Funky Fresh

Trueman McGee with package of spring rolls at a farmers’ market. Photo from Funky Fresh.

In the decade since its founding in 2013, Funky Fresh Spring Rolls has become a household name throughout Milwaukee—first at farmers markets, festivals and counter-service eateries and more recently as a brand under Palermo Villa.

Earlier this year, the company’s frozen retail line was on the verge of a national debut. But last week, a joint announcement revealed Funky Fresh would pause production, effectively halting the plan for a nationwide rollout.

Founder TrueMan McGee said several factors shaped the decision, including fizzling talks with potential partners and decreased sales at Harris Teeter, an existing customer. “We’d kind of seen some writing on the wall that maybe the spring rolls in their current state weren’t the next move for us,” McGee said. “Sometimes the best ideas don’t come at the best times.”

Palermo leadership acknowledged the shift in a Friday news release, attributing the pause to “extensive retail trials and customer feedback.” Despite consumer testing and multiple reformulations, “the major retail opportunity we anticipated did not materialize and sales at existing accounts did not support the continuation of the line,” said Jasper Fallucca, vice president of corporate development for Palermo. “That said, we remain committed to innovation with TrueMan at the helm as we regroup and look forward to future product developments for the brand.”

McGee also pointed to broader economic pressures, having observed an increasing price-consciousness since the pandemic. As a newer company offering a premium product, Funky Fresh faces competition from established brands with lower prices. “People are pinching their pennies a little bit tighter—there’s a lot happening in the world, in politics,” he said. “I just feel like we had a lot of things working against us.”

While the latest is a change from the earlier anticipation of national growth, McGee isn’t accepting defeat—he’s pivoting. As remaining store inventory dwindles (most product is expected to sell out by year’s end and won’t be restocked) Funky Fresh is returning to its roots as a pop-up.

Its new format, Funky Fresh Virtual Kitchen, offers online ordering for weekly pickup with menu items including classic spring rolls, pizzas and new meal kits such as creamy Tuscan salmon and crispy mushroom tacos. Funky Fresh also plans to appear at special events like the Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market. “It won’t be an every week thing, but we’ll still be active,” McGee said.

Like many in his field, McGee’s entrepreneurial journey has been full of ups and downs—and he has taken a candid approach to both. From the first pop-up to the recent push toward national expansion, transparency has remained a focus. “A lot of times, people romanticize entrepreneurship,” he said. “Sometimes it ain’t a Disney movie—sometimes it’s a horror movie.”

That openness is both natural and intentional, he added, especially when explaining decisions like pricing. “I think when you are transparent you can build customer trust. People want to follow along because they feel like you’re not hiding anything and they also just feel like they’re part of the journey. I embrace it—the good, the bad and the ugly.”

In addition to running Funky Fresh Virtual Kitchen, McGee will continue working with Palermo in a creative culinary role, though the title has not yet been finalized. “They’ve been such great partners to me,” he said.

Last week’s announcement was met with “an overwhelming amount of positive support” from the brand’s fan base, nicknamed Funky Fresh Nation. “People believe in Funky Fresh and believe in what we’ve done. I’m always thankful for that,” McGee said. “I’m going to continue to make those strides to make the best products we can—whether it’s locally at our pop-ups or maybe one day returning on the retail side.”

For updates on Funky Fresh and its upcoming pop-ups, follow the business’s social media. Pre-orders for meal kits, frozen pizzas and frozen spring rolls are available online Sunday through Wednesday.