Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Funwi Tita, Co-Founder of Better Greens LLC., located in Buffalo, MN, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a proud grower and supplier of quality, organic, healthy, and nutritive ethnic vegetables. We make available scarce ethnic-oriented vegetables available to communities of African origin. All of our products are locally grown on our farm here in Minnesota.
Tell us about yourself
When I moved to the United States, my family and I always craved to eat the vegetables we grew up in Africa. Importing them was a challenge, given the proximity and import restrictions. So we decided to have a garden in our backyard where we grew these greens. The harvest was great, and we shared the excesses with family and friends. Then we noticed that other folks were asking to buy these vegetables, and the demand kept growing. That was when we, as a family, decided to start a business called Better Greens LLC.
What motivates us is the unique niche that we serve in the communities of African and Hispanic immigrants here in the United States. Our customers tell us how consuming our products provides them with good nutrition and the experience sort of activates memories of their culture and past experiences of life back where they grew up. Our business provides for a critical need to people in need. This gives us the motivation to grow and provide these ethnic vegetables to these communities every year.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Our biggest accomplishment is being able to build and sustain the production of these vegetables for six years now. We see consistent growth in quality, availability, and distribution each year. The brand has taken roots within our customer base and continues to grow as we seek to grow and improve our products and services.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Being an emerging farmer from a minority community comes with some difficult challenges. First of all, accessing funding to grow and scale the business is a big challenge. As first-generation immigrants, we do not have the kind of network and support system that natives here in America have. There is a high demand for our products but accessing capital is our biggest challenge.
Secondly, getting access to the supply chains is also a challenge. Most of these vegetables are not found on the shelves of major grocery stores, and getting them to be sold in those facilities is a pain. The bureaucratic process is daunting and discouraging when the data is there to support a strong presence of shoppers who fall in the category of our customers. A good supply can inevitably create a strong demand which can help us scale. Also, access to farmland is a challenge.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Make sure this is something you are passionate about. Then you do thorough research and possibly develop yourself to have the knowledge and skills necessary to become successful.
- Make sure that the service or product you are providing meets a need or solves a problem. This will ensure that there will be demand for your product or service.
- Learn to be resilient and open to learning, especially from your mistakes. Remember that when your business fails, it's because you quit. Be consistent and keep improving, and success will come.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.bettergreensllc.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/organichealthyvegies
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bettergreensllc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalis-tita-3233688/
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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