We are getting fired up for our next Food Prize University mentorship roundtable. In the third installment of our series, we’ll be checking in with three incredibly talented professionals with over 50 years of combined experience in consumer packaged goods. During the panel, we’ll be exploring how to add another source of income to your revenue stream through packaged food products and how to get your product from concept to the shelves.
I had the opportunity to chat with Michelle Breyer, friend of the Prize and one of the panelists for our upcoming event. Named one of the 50 Most Influential People in the Multicultural Beauty Market by Women’s Wear Daily in 2015, Michelle is a visionary entrepreneur who took a personal frustration over out-of-control curls and built it into the largest social media platform for hair. She now serves as Chief Operating Officer at SKU where she helps with curriculum and business development, media outreach and expansion strategy.
Based out of Austin, TX, SKU is the first accelerator focused on consumer packaged goods (CPG) in the nation. The company started in Austin to provide support, mentorship and education to the rapidly growing food and beverage industry in the area. The accelerator is in its 9th cohort in Austin and has expanded to a New York City affiliate, a newly launched Dallas-Fort Worth program, an impact-based CPG program launched in the Twin Cities, and a diversity and inclusion track that just kicked off this past March. Some food brands they have helped evolve include Epic Provisions, Austin Eastciders, and Soul Popped.
Michelle was initially approached to join SKU as a mentor in 2019 for her background in beauty products, founding and running NaturallyCurly. When asked how she felt about the transition from entrepreneur to mentor, she had three simple words… “I love it! It’s amazing to share all the knowledge from building my own company and energizing to be around other entrepreneurs and see such dramatic results in only 12 weeks.” That’s right, each cohort (or class) of early-stage brands that come in get just 12 weeks of intense and focused mentorship to help rebrand, reposition and find new channels for their products. And the results can be incredibly dramatic. Aura Bora, an herbal-flavored sparkling water brand, came in with their product only represented in one store. Today, their anticipated sales for 2021 are projected at $4 million.
When asked what Michelle looks for when evaluating potential brands and new products, she indicated that innovation in a growing category is key. Going to back to Aura Bora as an example, Michelle noted that sparkling water continues to experience growth with more products hitting the shelves, but through its focus on premium botanical and herb flavors and combinations, the brand distinguished itself from its competitors. And of course, what gets Michelle most excited is when the product tastes really good! She cited Green Girl Bakeshop as an example. The company creates plant-based ice creams and ice cream sandwiches with unique combinations of flavors, like cardamom and dark chocolate cookie or golden mylk (turmeric) and ginger cookie– and Michelle boiled it down to one simple word: “Amazing!”
And of course, the reverse is also true. If the product doesn’t taste good, there’s not much SKU can do for the startup. As Michelle recounted, one company has a great name, slick branding and packaging, and a product in a growing market, but when everyone who tasted it spit it back into their napkin, they all knew the company was a pass.
Michelle will join her co-panelists, Travis Rea and James Valone, next Tuesday. If there is one thing she wants attendees to come away with, it’s how much innovation and excitement there is out there for evolving brands. As she said, “There is so much room for founders with interesting ideas and products” and she encourages budding entrepreneurs to “see the opportunities and be inspired.”
To hear more from Michelle, don’t miss Food Prize U’s “Adding to your Revenue Stream” on Tuesday, May 25 at 6:00pm CST. This free and public event is open to chefs, restaurant owners, and anyone in the food and beverage industry interested in elevating their craft as well as Food Prize enthusiasts and supporters. You can find the event via Zoom (click here) and we’ll also broadcast live on our Food Prize Facebook page (facebook.com/lafoodprize)
Also on the panel:
Travis Rea will be sharing his experience developing culinary visions for fine-dining restaurants, retailers, e-commerce and manufacturers. Starting his career as a line cook at San Francisco’s famed Restaurant Gary Danko, he used his culinary training and knowledge managing the Williams-Sonoma Food Development division, developing strategies spanning startups to large corporations, establishing vendor relationships, new product ideation and concept development. As the current vice president of growth marketing and culinary at Brava Home Inc, Travis is focused on the user experience, culinary initiatives, and potential growth and partnerships.
James Valone comes to us with over 15 years in the copacking industry. As the current head of R&D at CoPack Solutions and former executive vice president of R&D for Pelican Bay, Jim has worked with chefs and buyers in the development and packaging design for branded and private label retail sales programs, following projects from concept through development to final packaged product on the shelves. He has launched several lines of products for high end retailers and celebrity chefs.