How It Started

I grew up on the east side of Detroit, where food was everything — comfort, culture, and connection. I was the kid packing picnics for my friends and hosting schoolyard lunch parties before I even knew what a “business” was.

Years later, Detroit’s small business revival sparked something in me. Inspired by the city’s grit and grounded in my nonprofit roots, I mapped out a way to turn my love of food into something that could bring people together at scale.

Local Soup was born to bring bold, handcrafted soup to markets, shelves, and hearts. Detroit Kitchen Connect helped make it real — along with the incredible community of mentors who saw what I saw: that soup could be a vessel for connection.

Dena Vatalaro-Pryde — founder of Local Soup, Detroit-rooted and flavor-forward.

Today, Local Soup partners with grocers, food service programs, and events across Michigan. Whether it's a custom batch, a seasonal menu, or a shared moment at a market — we show up with flavor, purpose, and a whole lot of heart.

That purpose includes donating hundreds of pounds of soup each year to Grace Centers of Hope and the Capuchin Soup Kitchen — part of our commitment to nourishing community beyond the bowl.

The mission is simple: bring people together through food — and do some good while we’re at it.