How a food startup can be successful

 

The food industry is the backbone of our economy. From milk and cheese to fruits, we depend on it for everything from fuel to meals. So much so that even without food, most people would not be able to survive if they did not have adequate supplies. However, as people become more aware of their health and their money, there are some companies looking into developing healthier alternatives to foods. These companies have come up with recipes and ideas for healthy dishes that are less unhealthy but still satisfying for a person’s need for a hot meal. One such company is Oatly, which focused on bringing people to find healthier ways to eat while maintaining an excellent taste experience. This type of innovation is what makes this venture successful.

The idea for Oatly started nearly two years ago in the United Kingdom by James Murphy. He had already been working in other fields in his work and decided to take it to another level. Murphy launched the business after realizing that many of his customers were being misled about eating healthier foods. While the majority of these consumers believe that it is easy to eat healthy foods without making any changes, others believe that you cannot be completely happy without being rich. After having worked as a chef for young kids who didn't want to eat healthily and wanted to go back to things like burgers and fried chicken, he realized that he felt guilty for how poor his children were. That's when he knew that introducing healthier ingredients was something he should do. So, Oatly has set out to develop recipes that will give people a sense of self-control. Through his recipes, customers can try to control their diets while also getting good, comforting food.

Only works by creating recipes that contain fewer calories and fat. Their focus is not only on helping people lose weight, but to give them a great dinner that is pleasing and comforting. They have gone about doing this by starting small, with simple cooking lessons and then incorporating different types of vegetables and herbs into each recipe. These ingredients are all sourced and come from suppliers that provide fresh produce to its outlets. Murphy said, “When I started my first restaurant menu at 3 pounds long. And, that's because I started using vegetables. But, now I just want to make sure that I use a lot of fresh. So, my team is thinking about coming up with new ones each time we prepare a meal for a family." Murphy has over 40 employees but has done away with any idea of breaking the partnership contract, which means no more contracts or partnerships until another year. In addition, Murphy had to look out for any new competitors or any kind of competition that could possibly compete with him. At most, he does not see anything that is challenging him from doing this. According to Murphy, "We’ve got 20,000 customers across Britain, 50 countries around the world and have a thousand restaurants around the world. Our goal is to help people feel confident in taking risks and try different kinds of foods so they don’t end up feeling ashamed of their weight."

To support Murphy and his staff during sales calls, they recently bought a second kitchen. The size doubles their previous facilities but keeps costs down. Having a larger facility allows them to be more efficient and allows them to get more work done. With these extra costs, this comes at a lower price. Oatly offers an array of products including soups, shakes, and salads, breakfast bowls and wraps, and desserts such as chocolate chip cookies covered in nuts. Some of their delicious recipes made for those on a budget include one-pot eggs or pasta sauce. There are dozens of variations on each recipe that may change depending on the season and the ingredients used. Their best-known range to their customers is oatmeal with dried fruit, berries, bananas, grilled salmon, and grilled cheese. Due to the growing popularity of these recipes, even McDonald's and Starbucks have joined in on this list of places to enjoy the deliciousness. In addition, Oatly also provides samples for anyone who wants to experiment to see what they like. For the past six months of 2018, Oatly has been featured on BBC's Today Show where they showed recipes and discussed why they are such a good partner to those who may need inspiration during tough times. Since the launch of its website, Oatly has received over three million visits. Along with it, most of the reviews written by guests show that this recipe is true, the perfect solution, and a must-have food. As it stands, most chefs say that they do not think of themselves as a chef or meal makers. Instead, they see themselves as someone to inspire and motivate others to achieve something amazing. Most are quick to point out they do not know how to cook but that they do know how to solve problems and they know when to stop and when to start. Another example is when guests ask Murphy how he could improve the quality of food on his menus, whether it's through giving his customers better ingredients or substituting some for others. It can be hard for a customer to trust a chef when they were raised on fast food and processed foods so Murphy answered questions and taught them the important steps to try instead with a meal that tastes wonderful. This product takes place within the world of Oatly, which brings people together. No matter how rich or poor someone is, they have not been put down because of their weight. They can have a slice of whatever they want, without worrying about not being beautiful or skinny.

To bring this innovation to life, Murphy took on the role of manager, who oversees all aspects of production from sourcing fresh ingredients to packaging and marketing. While he knows how difficult it will be to convince people to try this, he believes that a change is needed. Within the last few weeks, Murphy has seen positive results through the increasing number of inquiries and orders. By next week, people will be excited about trying their favorite recipes, which they believe may not be as popular and well known as the original product. Additionally, the amount of people who have started following their diet and losing weight is staggering. Everyone wants to know others who have tried their new diet before, whether they have lost weight or not. On top of that, Murphy said that the response he got showed he should not give up. When you read their reviews, you can tell it is hard. You want to hear the good news and that one day I'll get healthy too.