Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding: The Inspiring Journey of a Vegan Cheese Pioneer’s $100K Grassroots Campaign
When Miyoko Schinner announced on November 6, 2025, that she was creating a bid to buy Miyoko’s Creamery and was fundraising through GoFundMe, the plant-based food world watched with anticipation. This wasn’t just another startup story. It was a David versus Goliath tale that captivated thousands of supporters worldwide.
The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign became more than a financial endeavor—it evolved into a powerful movement. Miyoko Schinner mobilized over $100,000 in crowdfunding to win back the vegan cheese brand she founded, demonstrating the incredible potential of community-driven finance for women entrepreneurs.
The Dramatic Backstory Behind Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding
Before diving into the crowdfunding success, we need to understand the tumultuous journey that led to this point. Miyoko Schinner founded Miyoko’s Creamery in 2014 and was removed as CEO by the board in 2022 following disagreements over strategy. The company she built from the ground up suddenly became a business operating without its visionary founder.
The company’s fate took a turn in June 2022, when Schinner was ousted from her role as CEO by the board. At the time, Miyoko’s was worth $260M. However, the brand struggled without its founder’s leadership. The financial difficulties became so severe that California-based Miyoko’s determined that it was “unable to pay its debts in full” and entered an Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors process on October 6.
This bankruptcy alternative would lead to the liquidation of assets—including the very brand name Miyoko had built her reputation on. When she learned about this development, Schinner knew she had to act quickly.
The Launch of the Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding Campaign
Miyoko explained on her GoFundMe page: “I parted ways with the Company I founded in 2022, and now I have an opportunity to buy it back! I learned just about 2 weeks ago the Company is now liquidating their remaining assets”. The timeline was incredibly tight, with bids due by November 7.
The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding strategy was brilliantly grassroots in nature. Rather than seeking traditional investors, she turned directly to the community that had supported her brand for years. “I want it to be a grassroots, crowdfunded campaign,” she explained, emphasizing a collaborative approach.
The Overwhelming Response to Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding
The response was nothing short of extraordinary. Plant-based cheese pioneer Miyoko Schinner raised more than US$100,000 in just two days as part of a grassroots campaign, drawing support from more than 1,600 backers. This rapid mobilization showcased the deep connection between Schinner and her community.
In a sign of Schinner’s enduring popularity, the public came through, demonstrating that authentic leadership creates lasting loyalty. The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign proved that when entrepreneurs build genuine relationships with their customers, those relationships can provide crucial support during challenging times.
Strategic Vision Behind the Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding
What made this campaign particularly compelling wasn’t just the emotional story—it was Schinner’s clear vision for the future. As part of her plans, she formed a group of people who would manufacture the products and run the company, including a co-packer and executives with more than 30 years of industry experience.
Schinner promised a lean, grassroots-style approach if the bid was successful: “The idea is to form an organisation that is more lateral and collaborative than top-down”. This represented a fundamental shift from traditional corporate structures toward more democratic business models.
The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign also addressed broader industry challenges. Schinner wrote on the GoFundMe page: “My hope is to make an impact not just for animals, but the food system – to take it back from the venture capitalists, private equity, and the multi-national corporations”. This mission resonated powerfully with supporters who shared her values.
Market Context for Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding
The timing of the Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign came during challenging market conditions for plant-based foods. According to SPINS data, U.S. retail sales of refrigerated plant-based cheese fell 8.5% to $220 million in the year ending September 7, 2025. These declining sales made the buyback even more risky.
However, Schinner saw opportunity where others saw obstacles. “We have to speak to the early adopters,” she told AgFunderNews. “You’ve got to target the people that are, and they are looking for premium products that are clean label, that are nutritious”. This strategic focus on core customers rather than mass market appeal demonstrated sophisticated understanding of brand positioning.
The vegan cheese pioneer also recognized systemic issues in the industry. Schinner acknowledged “there’s less than 1% market penetration right now and low repeat purchase rates”. Rather than viewing these statistics as insurmountable problems, she saw them as opportunities for authentic brands to differentiate themselves.
The Outcome of Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding
Despite the tremendous grassroots support, the Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign ultimately fell short of its primary objective. Schinner raised $103,000 via GoFundMe in a last minute bid to “reclaim” the company, but told AgFunderNews that she was not successful. The liquidation process required accepting the highest bid, and competing investors could offer more capital than the grassroots campaign generated.
Schinner acknowledged in a LinkedIn post that “It is highly unlikely I will be the winning bidder, as the liquidator has a fiduciary responsibility to accept the highest bid”. This transparency with supporters demonstrated the integrity that made her crowdfunding campaign so compelling in the first place.
However, the “failure” to win the bidding process doesn’t diminish the remarkable success of the Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign itself. Raising over $100,000 in mere days showcases the power of authentic leadership and community building.
Lessons from Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding for Women Entrepreneurs
The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign offers invaluable lessons for women entrepreneur crowdfunding success. First, authentic storytelling creates powerful connections. Schinner didn’t just ask for money—she shared a compelling vision for transforming the food system and returning to mission-driven business practices.
Second, transparency builds trust. Throughout the campaign, Schinner was honest about the challenges and the likelihood of success. She wrote: “There is a bidding process, so there is no guarantee that I will win, but I would like to give it a try”. This honesty strengthened rather than weakened supporter commitment.
Third, timing matters enormously in crowdfunding. The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign succeeded in raising significant funds within an extremely compressed timeframe because it leveraged an urgent, time-sensitive situation that supporters could rally around.
The Broader Impact of Women Entrepreneur Crowdfunding Success
The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding story reflects broader trends in women entrepreneur crowdfunding success. Female-led crowdfunding campaigns were 32% more successful at reaching their funding goal than male-led campaigns, as reported by PWC. This statistic suggests that women entrepreneurs often bring unique advantages to crowdfunding campaigns.
Studies show that women contributors tend to be more supportive of diverse founders, with female backers contributing 40% more to women-led campaigns than male backers do. Additionally, campaigns led by women demonstrate higher completion rates and stronger community engagement. These patterns appeared clearly in the Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign.
The success of raising substantial funds, even without winning the bid, demonstrates how crowdfunding can serve multiple purposes beyond just capital raising. It validates market demand, builds community, and creates media attention that can benefit future entrepreneurial endeavors.
Future Implications for Vegan Cheese Founder Buyback Strategies
While this particular vegan cheese founder buys back company attempt wasn’t successful in terms of asset acquisition, it may have lasting impact on how entrepreneurs approach similar situations. The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign showed that passionate communities will mobilize quickly to support founders they believe in.
Schinner hinted that she may yet embark on a new venture: “Although I thought I wouldn’t consider it, I might yet start something anew – a different sort of food company”. The community built through the crowdfunding campaign could provide a strong foundation for future ventures.
This points to an important lesson: even when crowdfunding campaigns don’t achieve their primary objectives, they can create valuable assets in the form of engaged communities, media attention, and proof of market demand.
Strategic Considerations for Miyoko Schinner Ousted from Company Recovery
The story of Miyoko Schinner ousted from company and her subsequent crowdfunding response offers insights into crisis management and comeback strategies for entrepreneurs. Rather than retreating after being forced out of her own company, Schinner maintained her vision and continued building relationships with stakeholders who shared her values.
The crowdfunding campaign served multiple strategic purposes: it demonstrated continued market support for Schinner’s leadership, generated significant media attention, and created a platform for articulating her vision for the future of the plant-based food industry.
Even though the immediate goal of buying back the company wasn’t achieved, the campaign positioned Schinner as a thought leader who could potentially launch competing ventures or partner with other companies in the space.
Innovation and Technology Vision
Beyond the immediate financial aspects, the Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign revealed exciting technological innovations. Schinner hinted at new technology that would naturally concentrate plant proteins without using isolates — signaling her continued commitment to food innovation. This suggests that future ventures could leverage advanced food technology to create superior products.
The combination of technological innovation with grassroots community support could create powerful competitive advantages for entrepreneurs willing to challenge established industry players.
Conclusion: The Lasting Legacy of Miyoko Schinner Crowdfunding
The Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign represents more than a single fundraising effort—it exemplifies the transformative potential of community-driven entrepreneurship. By mobilizing over $100,000 in just days, Schinner demonstrated that authentic leadership creates lasting loyalty that transcends corporate structures.
For women entrepreneurs facing similar challenges, the campaign shows that crowdfunding can be an incredibly powerful tool for mobilizing support, validating market demand, and maintaining momentum during difficult transitions. The success of raising substantial funds, even without winning the ultimate prize, proves that crowdfunding campaigns can create value that extends far beyond their immediate financial objectives.
The plant-based food industry, and the broader entrepreneurial ecosystem, will undoubtedly continue learning from this remarkable example of how community support can empower visionary leaders to pursue their missions despite significant obstacles. Whether Schinner launches a new venture or finds other ways to contribute to the industry, the Miyoko Schinner crowdfunding campaign has already created a lasting legacy that will inspire future generations of entrepreneurs.
The story reminds us that in our increasingly corporate world, there remains tremendous power in grassroots movements led by authentic leaders who genuinely care about their communities and their missions. That’s a lesson worth remembering for anyone seeking to build something meaningful in today’s business landscape.
FAQs
Q1: How much did Miyoko Schinner raise through crowdfunding?
A1: Miyoko Schinner raised over $100,000 through her GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign in just two days, with support from more than 1,600 backers who wanted to help her buy back Miyoko’s Creamery.
Q2: Was Miyoko Schinner’s crowdfunding campaign successful in buying back her company?
A2: While the crowdfunding campaign was successful in raising significant funds, Schinner was not successful in winning the bid to buy back Miyoko’s Creamery as the liquidator had to accept the highest offer from competing bidders.
Q3: Why did Miyoko Schinner need to crowdfund to buy back her own company?
A3: Miyoko Schinner was ousted from her role as CEO of Miyoko’s Creamery in 2022, and the company later entered liquidation in 2025. She learned about the liquidation process only weeks before the bidding deadline and launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for her buyback bid.
Q4: What made Miyoko Schinner’s crowdfunding approach unique?
A4: Schinner’s campaign was explicitly grassroots and community-driven, focusing on supporters who shared her values around mission-driven business, animal welfare, and sustainable food systems rather than traditional investors.
Q5: What lessons can women entrepreneurs learn from Miyoko Schinner’s crowdfunding campaign?
A5: Key lessons include the power of authentic storytelling, the importance of building genuine community relationships, transparency with supporters, and how crowdfunding can create value beyond just raising money through community building and market validation.
Q6: How quickly did Miyoko Schinner’s crowdfunding campaign raise money?
A6: The campaign raised over $100,000 in just two days, demonstrating the rapid mobilization possible when entrepreneurs have built strong relationships with their communities and supporters.
Q7: What was Miyoko Schinner’s vision for the company if she had successfully bought it back?
A7: Schinner planned to create a more collaborative, lateral organizational structure focused on clean-label, premium products for early adopters, with an emphasis on returning the company to its activist roots and mission-driven values.
