Contestant's Case to Win

HATCH is founded by Michele Wong and Paige Akabane. These entrepreneurial moms formed a company with the goal of creating meaningful, quality products with an emphasis on independence and assisted learning.
My Plate-Mate is their first product to market. The need to create this unique spill guard was inspired by their own children. At the time Michele had 3 youngsters who were very messy eaters. Paige had 2 children, including a toddler who was struggling to learn to eat with a utensil.

My Plate-Mate is a spill-guard that is interchangeable for use with any 8”-9 ½” plate at home, in a restaurant or even at grandma's house. Not only does this product act as a bumper to prevent food from falling off the plate while a child eats, but My Plate-Mate’s innovative design provides a curved wall that helps children scoop food onto their utensil with ease. This promotes independence and minimizes frustrations for a youngster trying to master self feeding.

The toddler market is not the only group benefiting from My Plate-Mate. A second product line was developed for seniors and special-needs groups to help individuals regain or maintain their independence during mealtime. This line is neutral in color to preserve the dignity of the user. Interest in this line of My Plate-Mate has come from a diverse customer base, which includes nursing homes, associations for the blind, adult disabled, and parents of children with special needs.

HATCH is proud that My Plate-Mate is made in the USA using only FDA food approved material that is free of lead, phthalates, BPA, PVC and polycarbonates.

Currently Michele and Paige continue to run all aspects of their business. They launched My Plate-Mate to the retail market in April 2008. Their successful and unique product has won several awards and even caught the attention of NBC's TODAY Show.

My Plate-Mate is available nationwide in retail stores, catalogs and on the company website. My Plate-Mate is also available internationally in Canada and the UK.