An Interview With Martita Mestey
Don’t be afraid to say no — Strategy is about choice. When you’re first starting out, you’re building this business likely with limited resources, time and money so it’s natural to be protective of those things. If you’re not satisfied with your options — whether that’s vendors, price quotes, quality of work, etc. — don’t rush into a decision, instead take the time to research and make an educated decision. If it’s not to your liking or you don’t think it will benefit the company, I encourage you to simply say no and move on.
As a part of our series called “5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Food or Beverage Brand”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ahmed El Azizi.
Ahmed El Azizi is an internationally seasoned executive, with vast multi-cultural experience across 4 continents with Fortune 500 companies, coupled with start-up entrepreneurial experience. He is currently the CEO of Innoviom, a global innovative food and beverage platform, and helps bring new products like TranQuini and NaturGeeks to market. El Azizi is a passionate leader with decades in Big Bev (PespiCo and Coca-Cola) as well as start-ups. He is skilled in introducing new innovative ideas and products that deliver sustainable business results across multiple markets, categories and geographies by developing consumer centric strategies and executing them with excellence.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?
I had a very multicultural upbringing. I was born in Egypt, raised in the UK and US, and then returned to Egypt for university, so I was able to experience a lot of the world at an early age. Being exposed to so many different cultures, countries, and languages really influenced who I am and how I approach life, and I was excited to continue broadening my horizons after graduating university. As I entered the workforce, I found myself seeking opportunities that allowed me to travel and see new places — I worked and lived in Egypt, Spain, Canada, Ukraine, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, United States, UK and UAE (Dubai) which expanded my understanding and gave me the privilege of seeing how business is done across cultures.
From childhood into adulthood, living in an international environment was something that my family and I prioritized and has shaped my focus both in my personal and professional life. I strongly believe that diversity is the key to success and in order to understand your consumer, you need to first understand their culture and their needs.
Can you share with us the story of the “ah ha” moment that led to the creation of the food or beverage brand you are leading?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Even with products I love, it’s my instinct to think about what they could be doing better or where the gap in the market is and what kind of brand could solve for that.
After many years in the corporate world working for major beverage brands, I was tired of the meetings, internal presentations and mostly tired of watching opportunities pass by due to the “size of prize.” I was in a meeting one day when it dawned on me that every conversation was about driving growth with what we have vs. thinking about how to build for the future. Big companies can get sucked into a dangerous cycle of taking the easy road with the only goal of maximizing short or medium term returns. As a result, there is a lot of innovation that is disregarded — I wanted to break this cycle. It was then that I decided I wanted to create, build and scale a business centered around functional food and beverages that provide real value to the consumer.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
During our early days at Innoviom, we were gearing up for our very first product launch. We had just produced our first batch of NaturGeeks Immune shots so the energy was electric, the entire team was excited to have a product ready to go to market and eager to get our brainchild out to consumers.
Unfortunately, we must have been a little too eager, and despite multiple rounds of review, there was an obvious typo on the label. I had made the assumption that our co-packer quality team gave a final check before going to print and only after having to scrap more than $5,000 worth of labels did I realize just how important it is to have multiple eyes on a project before it goes out.
While it wasn’t funny at the time, I’m able to look back now and realize that every minor detail counts and no steps should be skipped throughout the review process.
What are the most common mistakes you have seen people make when they start a food or beverage line? What can be done to avoid those errors?
The beginning of starting a food/bev company is extremely exciting, but I always remind others that achieving success takes time. You come in with all of these big ideas and plans, but there are a lot of small details that need to get done, too. It’s important to harness that energy and make sure you’re thinking long-term. This isn’t a race, it’s a marathon.
Supply chain, in particular, can be much more difficult than expected, especially when there are unanticipated obstacles like a global pandemic. Even now as we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel from COVID, there are still trickle effects slowing down supply chains. If you don’t have your process in place, that’s okay, but work to scale your business to ensure you’re still seeing growth during this time period.
Lastly, all businesses want to make money, but sometimes the saying “you have to spend money to make money” isn’t that far-fetched. There are definitely going to be moments when you’re investing dollars into your business and aren’t seeing return as quickly as you’d like, but the key to navigating this situation is to understand your cash-burn rate by the cash-collection cycle. That’s not to say you should be spending money you don’t have, but know that there will be ebbs and flows and sometimes you’ll have to make executive decisions about what parts of the business or what projects are worth the investment if you know it’ll help turn a larger profit down the line.
Let’s imagine that someone reading this interview has an idea for a product that they would like to produce. What are the first few steps that you would recommend that they take?
Coming up with an original idea is the fun part, now you’re in store for a bit of legwork, but don’t let that deter you.
First, you have to test out the idea and see if you can actually bring it to life. Step one is to create a prototype — try to use ingredients and packaging as close to what you’d want to see in market. This way you can ensure the flavor, consistency, and beyond are exactly what you envisioned. Your friends and family are a perfect test group to start, source your prototype out and ask for honest feedback.
If all is going as planned, trademark and patent your idea. You’re going to thank yourself later for getting this done early.
Next is expanding consumer feedback outside of your inner circle. Produce a small batch of your product and hit the pavement in your local town. It doesn’t have to be a huge sampling, but hearing from unbiased consumers will help you evolve and adapt as needed.
Lastly, start making those retail relationships. Conduct outreach to a local store or two to branch out and get some distribution going. Not only will this help increase brand awareness, but you’ll also get a feel for how your pricing works. Hearing chatter that customers aren’t buying your product because it’s too expensive? Cross-compare with competitors and play around with your MSRP to entice more buyers.
Most importantly, just stick with it. There is going to be a lot of trial and error, but as long as you’re learning from your hurdles, you’re already succeeding. Rinse and repeat this process in a few different stores, try areas with diverse clientele and if all is working well you’re ready to start selling on e-commerce!
Many people have good ideas all the time. But some people seem to struggle in taking a good idea and translating it into an actual business. How would you encourage someone to overcome this hurdle?
First off, congratulations! It takes a lot of courage to venture into starting a business. Making the jump from brainstorm to business is the hardest part and can be intimidating, but there isn’t a “right” way to do things.
My biggest piece of advice here is to build a network of other entrepreneurs and learn alongside each other. Reach out to people who have done it before or are currently building a brand, we are stronger together and can learn a lot from our peers.
Specifically though, foster a group and gather advice from others in the start-up space. Don’t look at the big players as they are today, have the aspiration to be them, however focus on how they achieved that, what you can learn from that and apply that to your current situation. And remember — they were you at one point and It wasn’t always easy for them either.
Maybe you don’t have a go-to rolodex of entrepreneurs to tap into yet, don’t worry. Luckily, we live in a digital age where help is only a click away. Uplevel your personal LinkedIn profile and make a page for your brand and start outreaching. The start-up world is small and most people know from experience that it takes grit to make it in an overcrowded space and are extremely welcoming and willing to help.
There are many invention development consultants. Would you recommend that a person with a new idea hire such a consultant, or should they try to strike out on their own?
Sourcing advice and making the right hires can be tricky when you’re first starting out because there is so much information to choose from. My recommendation is to utilize your own network first. Leverage expertise from people you know (even if that is limited to only “knowing” them online), crowdsource advice and suggestions from others who’ve walked in your shoes — but do not hire consultants.
You are the idea generator, which means you are the best person to bring your business to life. Especially in the early stages, you don’t want your dream to get diluted because of others’ input.
Once you’re more established and it’s time to scale upwards, that is another ball game. This is where you can start to look outwards. If you don’t have the funds yet from family and friends or angels, and/or don’t have the expertise needed to grow in your category, then I’d suggest you team up with the right people — not consultants, but CO-FOUNDERS. You want your team to be equally as invested in the success of your brand as you are, so choose partners that have strengths in areas you’re lacking and can help take things to the next level.
What are your thoughts about bootstrapping vs looking for venture capital? What is the best way to decide if you should do either one?
Where you find your funds is all dependent on what stage your company is in. As you’re first starting out, bootstrapping is part of the process. There’s a major learning curve happening here and you want to make sure all of your details and logistics are squared away before bringing outside money in.
Then, once you’re in-market and ready to scale, graduate to raising funds from family, friends, and angels. You’ll know you’re at this point when you’re expanding distribution, executing marketing strategies and taking on projects that need a higher investment threshold. Your product has performed well and now you’re building brand awareness and moving into e-commerce.
Finally, when you’re ready for the big investments, it’s time to seek out venture capital. Your brand is becoming more mainstream and needs more funding to keep up with demand.
Can you share thoughts from your experience about how to file a patent, how to source good raw ingredients, how to source a good manufacturer, and how to find a retailer or distributor?
When you’re first starting out, building a business can be expensive and you may feel inclined to cut corners or look for budget options. While that is completely understandable, there are certain areas that you’re going to want to make sure you invest in and do right.
Filing for a patent is a prime example of this — hire a lawyer. Do not do this yourself. There are so many details and nuances involved, having a professional who is familiar with the process will streamline it and confirm accuracy.
Raw materials is another area that is worth the time and energy to find the right vendor. Only use certified and audited companies. At the beginning, as you’re learning how food and beverage companies operate, use a manufacturer that is FDA approved and has ISO certifications. This will reduce the stress of quality control and responsibility from your side and most approved manufacturers will have an existing raw materials process to support you.
Finding a retailer or distributor can also feel overwhelming, but this is something you can do yourself with a little patience and a lot of research. Think about who your competitors are or similar sized products. Where are they sold? Look at your product and your brand intrinsically. Who is your target consumer and where are they shopping? Once you’ve come up with a list of target retailers, reach out to your network to see if anyone has connections or can coordinate a meeting for you. This is where LinkedIn can be really impactful. At the beginning, it is all about getting a foot in the door and getting in front of retailers so a single meeting can go a long way.
Here is the main question of our discussion. What are your “5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Food or Beverage Brand” and why?
- You need an idea anchored in consumer insights — Why would consumers want to buy your product? There are a lot of great ideas and great tasting products out there, but not all of them survive. So what sets your product apart from competitors?
When Innoviom first launched TranQuini, we had to ask ourselves the same question. After a lot of research and consumer surveys, we realized there is a gap in the market for functional, non-alcoholic beverages that support relaxation. Non-alcoholic beverages were trending but there weren’t many that offered similar benefits — a great tasting, no sugar, adaptogen infused beverage that promotes relaxation — which is exactly when we knew we were able to solve a problem. We had insights that backed up the fact that buyers wanted this product that didn’t exist yet and we had the capability to bring that to life.
2. Find the balance between functionality and flavor — It feels like common sense to say that your product needs to taste good. Trends are showing that consumers aren’t just looking for a quick bite anymore. They want functional nutrition and benefits to what they’re putting in their body but unsurprisingly, they also want to enjoy what they’re snacking or sipping on. Here’s where trial and error comes into play as you’re determining ingredients and flavor profiles for your brand.
TranQuini was an excellent idea that was more difficult to bring to life for this reason exactly. We knew what we were trying to achieve, what the health benefits were, and how we saw consumers incorporating the product into their daily routines, but the recipe took more work to perfect. Our team was adamant that we only wanted to use natural ingredients, no sugar added and calories to a minimum, but we also knew that it had to taste good so that consumers would want to drink it. Ultimately, we reworked the product until we found our unique blend of herbal adaptogens and natural flavors that struck the perfect balance of function and flavor.
3. Surround yourself with people who will help you succeed — You are only as strong as those you choose to surround yourself with, point blank. No matter what your team looks like, it naturally becomes an echo chamber. Meaning, if you have a group of pessimists, that outlook will permeate and suddenly everyone will be expecting failure. But, if you bring in people who are excited about the company and are dedicated to success, it’s easier to inspire and lift the entire group.
I learned this the hard way when Innoviom was first getting started and had to make a lot of difficult hiring decisions. To this day, our team is small but mighty. I wholeheartedly believe that every member of our team shows up ready to contribute, problem solve, and seek out opportunities for the wellbeing of the company.
4. Narrow your focus — There are a lot of decisions to be made as a small business, many of those simultaneously, but don’t forget to keep your overall goal in mind with every decision made. Sometimes it may take narrowing your focus to achieve that and making sure you’re doing one thing really well vs. a lot of lower quality things at once.
For example, at Innoviom we want all of our products to sell out everywhere, who doesn’t? But based on our research and experience in both markets, we’ve realized that we have higher success when we focus on expanding key retail distribution in the UK, but in the US our focus is e-commerce followed by select regional retail rollout. Each market is different and it’s important to adapt. As a result, we are honing our efforts in the US specifically to e-commerce and have a recently updated Amazon storefront, direct to consumer buying options on our website, and are growing our social presence to engage with that audience on a more regular basis.
5. Don’t be afraid to say no — Strategy is about choice. When you’re first starting out, you’re building this business likely with limited resources, time and money so it’s natural to be protective of those things. If you’re not satisfied with your options — whether that’s vendors, price quotes, quality of work, etc. — don’t rush into a decision, instead take the time to research and make an educated decision. If it’s not to your liking or you don’t think it will benefit the company, I encourage you to simply say no and move on.
Any of my team members will tell you that I am known for exploring options. If someone presents an idea or we receive an inbound proposal, I will always listen to a pitch. If someone is excited about an idea that might help me and my company, why wouldn’t I want to encourage that? There is never harm in considering. But, if it doesn’t feel fully fleshed out or maybe it isn’t the right time, or we don’t have the right budget for a project of that size at the moment, that’s okay. It doesn’t always mean it’s a no, but it might just be a no right now.
Can you share your ideas about how to create a product that people really love and are ‘crazy about’?
Always come back to who you’re selling to and what they need. If you and your close circle are excited about your idea, that’s a good sign but then take that broader. Look into what your ideal consumer is saying they need, do some digging on buying behaviors, insights into what gaps are in the category you’re innovating in. A good product will be something the consumer wants, but a great product is something a consumer needs.
That being said, innovation is always better than imitation. If you’re only entering the market because you think you can make a better version of an existing product, you’re already setting yourself up for some major competition. Think outside the box, if you’re the only one providing a certain flavor, benefit, or product you’ve got a much wider pool to target.
My final piece of advice is that to thrive in food and beverage, you have to be nimble. Being able to pivot will be your biggest strength. Consumer trends and habits change and if you have a finger on the pulse and can quickly adjust to their needs, you’ll be in a great position. Pay attention to what your audience is consuming, why they are consuming it, how they consume it and if you’re able to create something that delivers on every aspect of those needs, you’re bound to succeed.
Ok. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
I’m still striving to make this impact myself — what I’m trying to do within my scope and my abilities is to ensure that all brands and products we create at Innoviom add value to the consumer and are intrinsically built to help them lead a healthier life. I want to know that everything we make and sell is supporting our consumers on their own personal health journeys. All of our products are low or no sugar, all natural, no preservatives, and have functional ingredients backed by science.
In addition to the actual products, something I am very passionate about is building an ecosystem at Innoviom that celebrates diversity and supports other like minded small businesses that are also working to help people, and are minority-owned, women-owned, start-ups.
You are an inspiration to a great many people. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Believe in yourself. A lot of people will try to tell you that your idea won’t work, you’ll never succeed, or you don’t have the expertise to make something big. There will be hard days, but stay persistent and have faith in yourself throughout the entire process.
Not every business starts flying on Day 1, and not all ideas will be billion dollar ideas, but stick with it. We all fail at some point, but try to learn from your mistakes and be open to criticism.
Most importantly, enjoy the ride!
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Ahmed El Azizi Of Innoviom On 5 Things You Need To Create a Successful Food or Beverage Brand was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.