DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / January 23, 2023 / The food industry is booming right now with tons of small brands making better-for-you bites and sips, but it can also be a daunting place for new entrepreneurs to explore. What starts as a passion project can transcend into a viable business when done correctly, or it can easily tailspin into an expensive hobby. That's where Sari Kimbell comes in.
Kimbell has the first-hand experience and expertise to help navigate the process from idea to launch and then scaling for growth. As a business coach, she works with early-stage entrepreneurs to identify the next steps to grow their business at the right pace for them. It isn't about every owner selling their business for big money for Kimbell. It is important that each founder designs a business that works their lifestyle, and is profitable, whether that is at a farmers market, e-commerce or wholesale.
Kimbell learned the ins and outs of starting and growing a food business from working for an organic farm, operating her own farmers market, purchasing for Whole Foods Market, and helping hundreds of foodpreneurs inside Food Business Success® since 2019. She leverages her hands-on insights to advise her clients on exactly what works and doesn't work in the food Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.
Credit: Sari Kimbell
"A food business is about creating a delicious product, of course, but is also about overseeing the financial and operational aspects and getting your product into the hands of customers," says Kimbell. "The courses, membership and one-to-one strategy coaching I offer supports all these aspects so you can turn your passion into your profitable business. Too many people start their business only wanting to make their product and share it with people, which can lead to failure quickly."
Having a food business can be a great way to make some extra money as a side hustle and it can even replace a full-time job when done properly, or it can turn into a very expensive lesson, or worse, if done incorrectly. "I've heard some pretty sad stories of money basically being thrown away and people close to shutting down because they thought they could figure it all out on their own; and then they find my help and we get to work together to steer the ship back on course," Kimbell remarked.
Food businesses are relatively easy to start these days, sometimes even from your home kitchen, with access to local farmers markets, ease of setting up an online store, and store buyer interest in small, local brands. Kimbell sees a big surge of eager entrepreneurs enter the market during a downturn in the economy. Unfortunately founders usually end up struggling with the challenges of competition, pricing models, and finding consistent customers. Food-focused businesses also have a unique challenge because the industry is highly regulated in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which is cumbersome and confusing to navigate.
Kimbell worked for a local organic farm in Colorado that ran the largest community supported agriculture program (CSA) in the US and also supplied major retailers with produce. Her role was to sell farm products directly to restaurants and independent retailers. She also worked at Whole Foods Market as a buyer and in marketing and community relations for the third largest store in the Rocky Mountain Region. While there, Kimbell learned what buyers look for and played a key role in onboarding new vendors. Her first priority was helping local makers get their products off the shelves and into customers' carts.
Her knowledge of the food industry includes the financial side of capital to the marketing and adoption of working with retail stores to stock products on a large scale. Margins are very thin, she says, so all aspects of the brand need to be highly professional and consistent.
"It can be really challenging for a small brand to suddenly find themselves in a large store," she explained. "Gone are the days of lovingly making each product by hand for the farmers markets in favor of efficiency and consistency."
With a savvy approach and accessible tools and guidance, Kimbell helps early-stage entrepreneurs manage their time and mindset when going from hobbyist to business owner. It is possible to have a really successful business at every level - the farmers market, online and in stores. "And we partner on how to have fun along the way; because if it isn't fun they won't want to keep doing it," she concludes. "That's the frosting on the proverbial cupcake."
About Sari Kimbell Coaching
Sari Kimbell Coaching is a full-service agency that has guided over 200 clients through the process of starting or growing a CPG food business from the nuts and bolts of licensing and labeling to branding and marketing, financial profitability, wholesale and distribution, and sales strategies. She is also a certified life coach and has found that combining the aspects of business strategy, brain science and mindset is what gets her clients the biggest results. Clients include CPG food, body care, pet treat businesses and solo entrepreneurs in any industry wanting to achieve big goals and get to the next level in their business.
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SOURCE: Food Business Success