Expansion Becomes a Burden
Food52’s troubles mounted after it expanded beyond its core brand, acquiring tableware label Dansk and Portland, Oregon–based home décor company Schoolhouse. According to the bankruptcy filing, managing three distinct brands created complexity with limited overlap.
The company also weathered repeated executive turnover, shifting strategies and ongoing staff changes — all of which strained operations, the filing said.
Leadership Faces a Hard Reset
Food52 operates out of the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where it occupied the entire 13th floor for offices, test kitchens and studios. The company is currently led by CEO Erika Badan, a former Barstool Sports executive who has held the role for nearly two years.
Badan personally submitted the bankruptcy filing, writing candidly that the Chapter 11 process is imperfect but necessary. She said it represents the only route to preserve Food52 as a going concern and maximize its remaining value under the circumstances created by the lender’s actions.
