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Rachel Irons, left, and her business partner, Verity Noble, on��Shark Tank in March 2026.

In a strip mall near Boulder’s 30th and Walnut Streets, it’s common to spot shoppers ferrying totes filled with glass jars to and from��. The jars, brimming with locally sourced produce, pantry staples and pre-made meals, are a major part of the zero-waste market’s mission. In an effort to help eliminate single-use packaging and elevate sustainable sourcing, shoppers can either bring their own containers or rent them from the store and return when empty.

At the center of Nude Foods’ ethos is co-founder��Rachel Irons (EBio, EnvSt’15), an entrepreneur whose path from CU student to local entrepreneur reflects her curiosity and sense of urgency when it comes to environmental sustainability.

The idea first took shape far from Colorado, while Irons was hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2016. On the trail, she began thinking about how difficult it is for everyday consumers to make environmentally responsible choices.

“I had been vegetarian since I was 15, so I was trying to think about how companies and consumers could source and use meat sustainably,” she said. “There are a lot of solutions out there to our environmental problems and how that relates to our food system, but they can be really hard to find. They’re spread out everywhere.”

Irons’ time at CU played a critical role in shaping this perspective. As a double major in��ecology and evolutionary biology ���Ի���environmental studies, she was exposed to both the scale of environmental challenges and the potential for actionable solutions. A marine biology-focused��study abroad program in the Caribbean introduced her to the idea that communities can help manage invasive species by incorporating them into the local diet, a concept that later became central to Nude Foods’ offerings.

When Irons and her business partner, Verity Noble, co-launched Nude Foods in 2020, along with Matt Arnold and Jimmy Uvodich, it focused solely on the delivery of pre-filled jars during the COVID-19 pandemic. The�� opened in 2021 and continued to offer goods in prefilled jars, rather than following a traditional bulk food model.

“It’s a lot more accessible,” Irons said. “Customers can shop just like they’re at any other store. The only difference is they bring back the containers when they’re done, and then we wash them and refill them.”

This model allowed Nude Foods to expand its offerings, ranging from pantry staples like nuts and pasta to a�� that features dishes such as pad thai and Buddha bowls. Today, about 20% of the store’s products are made onsite by a full-time chef who prepares the meals and other items, like sauces or juices.

Among the most talked-about items is one that reflects Irons’ original inspiration: wild boar. Because wild boar is an invasive species, featuring it in their food offerings aligns with the store’s sustainability mission, while also offering customers something unique.

“We do a lot with it — burritos, jerky, sausages,” Irons said. “People love it. Finding feasible solutions that are easy and actually make sense is exciting.”

For longtime customer Bob Bernier, who saw the “zero-waste” sign when the market was under construction, Nude Foods has become a staple in his life.��

“I was there the week it opened. I had to learn more,” said Bernier, who shops at the store multiple times a week.

Beyond the products, he credits Irons’ hands-on approach for building trust with customers.��

“I don’t have to worry about where the food comes from, or the quality,” he said. “Rachel goes to the farms herself to see how they grow their vegetables and treat their animals.”

The connection also extends beyond transactions. “When I’m in there, I feel like a part of a community,” Bernier said. “We all chat about stuff — it’s a very friendly group of people.”

As Nude Foods continues to grow — the company opened a�� in 2024 and appeared on an�� this spring — Irons is focused on scaling the model without compromising its values. Her vision includes a centralized production facility that could support multiple storefronts across Colorado and, eventually, beyond.

“We’re really trying to create a new food system that’s based on health and sustainability and regenerating the environment,” she said. “We’re trying to make it the norm.”

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Photos courtesy of Rachel Irons