Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ashton Yoon, Co-Founder and COO of Antithesis Foods, located in Philadelphia, PA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Antithesis Foods is a food company that makes better-for-you alternatives to classic comfort snacks such as cookies, chips, and crackers. We base all our products on legumes, so they are both nutritionally dense as well as better for the planet. We are food scientists, so we approach food from a nutritional and scientific perspective. Our primary focus is on B2B; we sell to grocery, food service, meal kits, distributors, c-stores, and more. Our customers buy our products, put their own brand on them, and sell that to their own customers.
Tell us about yourself
I grew up in the LA area and was deeply interested in food from a young age. My grandma and mom's cooking, Food Network, and the food culture in Southern California were all influential in the cultivation of my interest. I worked in the fashion industry in LA for a bit after I graduated college, and although I loved the creativity of that industry, I felt like a critical piece was missing in the placement of my skills and interests.
I decided to do a 180 on where my career was headed and went back to school to get my graduate degree in Food Science & Technology from Cornell and met my co-founder in a product development class. We got started as a consumer products company (still based on legumes) and were united by a shared passion to do better in the food industry. Every day, I am motivated by the pursuit of getting better food into the hands of more people faster.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Learning how to reconcile what the market wants with what you want to create. No one is going to eat it if you make something they don't want!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
One of the best parts of being a business owner is the independence and freedom you have to work on things that you personally really care about. The downside of that is when there are bumps and failures (and there will be many!), you feel them very acutely. There is definitely a different level of responsibility you feel overall, which can be difficult during the low points.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Put good out into the world.
- Your customer drives everything you do.
- Remember to enjoy.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.antithesisfoods.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashtonyoon
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashkyyo/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashton-yoon-4556a447/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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