Meet the Founder: The Actually Good Smoothie Firm – Actual Substances, Delivered to your Door

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A blended smoothie is among the best methods to slot in your five-a-day, and take a meal on the go if you happen to’re working quick on time. Nevertheless, nearly all of pre-made smoothies out there on the cabinets of any comfort or health-food retailer are likely to boast as a lot as 500 energy per bottle with over 40 grams of sugar. In order they are saying, if you would like it executed proper, it’s a must to do it your self.

The Actually Good Smoothie Firm helps the on a regular basis, health-conscious shopper create top quality smoothies, with out the stress of deciding what’s in them. With personalised bins of pure elements that may be blended up for a nutritionally full meal in simply seconds, their smoothies are simply that – actually good.

We sat down with founder Vikesh Kotecha to search out out extra.

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What’s The Actually Good Smoothie Firm’s mission in your individual phrases?

There doesn’t have to be a trade-off between an moral enterprise, and a worthwhile one – and we’re making an attempt to carry that to life by enriching individuals’s diets with actually good meals that they’ll belief.

What inspired you to construct The Actually Good Smoothie Firm?

Again in late 2015, I used to be affected by repeated digestive hassle, however refused to take any treatment for my signs. As a substitute, I turned to smoothies as a handy method to improve my fibre consumption. Nevertheless, I rapidly discovered that whatever the model, the ready-to-drink smoothies I used to be shopping for have been chalk filled with pasteurised apple juice, with little or no fibre or dietary worth. 

So, I attempted to mix my very own, however this effort wouldn’t have lasted greater than every week had it not been for my mum who kindly stepped in to organize them for me every morning (I had simply moved again house, so was being somewhat spoilt). I woke as much as six extra blissful months of freshly ready smoothies. When my mum went on vacation with a pal – unwilling to cut and peel elements myself, and unable to search out anybody providing top quality natural elements, in a handy method, I made a decision handy in my discover at my job on the time, and do it myself.

How does The Actually Good Smoothie Firm stand out amongst opponents?

We’re dedicated to solely utilizing 100% natural produce, ready freshly on a weekly foundation. We use chunky chopped, hand ready elements so you may see precisely what you’re mixing. Every recipe is developed by our chef and nutritionist, to make sure it’s adequate as a meal alternative, with balanced macros, and tastes good too!

Our focus is on low GI, vegetable-based smoothies, versus historically extra fruit-based recipes which are typically increased in sugar content material. We now have over 25 recipes, and serve a seasonal weekly menu. It doesn’t matter what their dietary preferences are, we use expertise to make sure all our clients can tailor their bins to satisfy them, giving them full management over their diets.

We supply as a lot of our produce as doable from UK natural farmers, and switch to fastidiously chosen soil affiliation licensed wholesalers for different elements. We at present supply a inexperienced, fruity, or selection field, and inside every you’re capable of charge smoothies based on your preferences, thereby tailoring future bins to your style.

How does The Actually Good Smoothie Firm enchantment to the trendy shopper?

Based on our analysis, one of many key causes customers have been selecting to mix at house, somewhat than purchase ready-to-drink smoothies was transparency. Shoppers now greater than ever need to know precisely what’s of their meals, the place it comes from, and why. The Actually Good Smoothie Co. supplies full transparency, by utilizing chunky chopped elements, and behind-the-scenes footage so you may see precisely what’s in your smoothie, and the way it obtained there. We additionally present a steadiness between “shock and delight” when opening your field, with a seasonal, rotating menu and the chance so that you can personalise what is available in it.

We’re assembly demand throughout a variety of fast-growing sectors together with house supply, subscription, premium frozen meals and wholesome dwelling. 

What has been the best success for the corporate to date?

We have been actually excited to launch Actually Good V2.0. After many months of gathering suggestions and product / software program growth, we launched a brand new and improved service in January 2020, which included new packaging, a brand new worth level, new portion dimension, refreshed recipes, the power to completely personalise bins, and a extra seamless person expertise.

These adjustments have been extraordinarily properly obtained, and we noticed buyer retention improve nearly two-fold over the next months because of this. Now we have grown our subscriber base six-fold since seed.

What new merchandise do you’ve in your roadmap?

We’re at all times engaged on new smoothie recipes, and have round ten new recipes in growth proper now, as a part of a brand new “dessert” impressed vary, impressed by classics reminiscent of carrot cake, chocolate fudge brownie. Regardless of the candy attract, every of those recipes boasts the identical nutritious composition of 100% natural fruit, greens, nuts, herbs and seeds, and nothing else. We’ll even be releasing our re-usable cool bag later this 12 months, and can start providing complimentary liquids reminiscent of coconut milk and almond milk too! Now we have a variety of different concepts within the works, which is able to come to life as we repeatedly hearken to and adapt to the wants of our clients.

How is The Actually Good Smoothie Firm outfitted to scale?

From day one, we’ve centered on constructing our expertise to scale, offering priceless information seize and evaluation for correct forecasting and full traceability. We additionally proceed to put money into expertise to optimise and automate processes permitting us to extra successfully meet rising demand for our product. We’re at present positioned in a manufacturing facility with entry to versatile kitchen house and chilly storage, permitting us to take more room as we develop.

Why are you wanting ahead to bringing on Seedrs traders?

Final 12 months we raised on crowdcube, and it was a tremendous alternative to satisfy like-minded traders who share our imaginative and prescient and fervour for The Actually Good Smoothie Co. We discovered loyal clients, met new mates, and it allowed us to foster a neighborhood whereby we may attain out to obtain suggestions on new concepts and merchandise from such all kinds of expertise / backgrounds. 

How would you describe your crew?

We’re a small (and rising) crew who share a ardour for actually good meals, and see it as our mission to encourage change within the trade for the higher, by offering 100% natural smoothies with no nasties, in a clear and sustainable method

What’s your favorite smoothie mix? 

The Smoothie Spice – the tangy goji berries with fiery ginger is a novel mixture.

What’s your finest life hack to outlive lockdown? 

Outside train! Because it seems, recent air and train is extraordinarily energising, so I gained’t be heading again to the gymnasium anytime quickly!

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To search out out extra about The Actually Good Smoothie Firm, try the pitch.