Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jet Cessant, co-founder of Tastelli, located in Chicago, IL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Tastelli is a ten-calorie, zero sugar, vegan jelly with collagen, antioxidants, and vitamins. It's made with konjac, an East Asian vegetable used for gelatin and meat substitutes. It is the perfect substitute for those sugary snack cravings.
Our target market is people who love to snack but are mindful of not consuming too many snacks that are loaded with salt, sugar, and excessive calories. Whether going to work or heading to the gym, our consumers are always on the go and enjoy having a snack in a convenient pouch to carry with them. They keep up-to-date with trends and love trying new and international foods.
Tell us about yourself
JK, James, and I met while in business school in Chicago. We founded Tastelli because we wanted to bring healthier snacking trends in Korea to the US. JK and James are both Korean, and I lived in Korea as a Fulbright teacher for two years. As someone who is Black and struggles with hypertension, creating a snack with konjac (which is known to help lower blood pressure) seemed like a perfect fit. We also all have experience with startups and CPG. Our marketing efforts strive to celebrate our unique background as a Black and Asian-owned startup.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Eight months ago, Tastelli had only been in business for around three months. We only had 1 SKU, no followers on social media besides friends and family, and less than $4,000 in monthly sales. Since then, we have had unprecedented growth. We have launched two additional flavors and more than tripled our monthly revenue. We have also gained nearly 40,000 organic followers on Tiktok with 2.3+ million likes and over 2,000 organic followers on IG. We have been featured in Buzzfeed and Blavity.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
One of the hardest things for our business is driving brand awareness for a food product that is relatively unknown in the US. Konjac is popular in Korea, but there is a lot of education needed in our marketing for US consumers to understand what the snack is and what the benefits are.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start a business in something you are passionate about because it is much easier to dedicate time towards an area you can enjoy.
- Always communicate with your cofounders to make sure you are always on the same page, especially when you are struggling
- Find a hobby outside of your startup and stick to it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.tastelli.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrinkTastelli/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinktastelli/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drinktastelli
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.