Q: For so long we’ve blindly accepted that cafeteria food will never be nutritious or delicious. Perhaps it was apathy, indifference, affordability or some combination of all three. When the idea for Revolution Foods first came to you and Kirsten, what was the biggest obstacle that stood between you and a successful launch?
A: From the outset, we were very focused on access for all kids. Our real goal was to be able to bring healthy, delicious, fresh meals to kids every day; kids with the least amount of access. We knew affordability was going to be a big issue. Yet we had to stay true to high food standards to accomplish our mission. We wanted to replace processed microwavable food with real homemade meals. So we knew we had to focus on design through students to create a delicious product that kids loved. To accomplish this we needed an incredibly high quality supply chain that did not previously exist in K-12 meals.
Q: One ingredient can be the difference between a clean plate and a plate that goes untouched. Describe your approach for gathering feedback from your most precious (and fickle) audience.
A: We really started with our students. We started by creating meals in a pilot and taking feedback from students. Food is a very personal thing and there are also key elements of cultural relevance to menus. We have an incredibly diverse group of students to serve across the country. So we had to really listen and design to the desires of the communities we serve. There’s also a misconception with kids and food; the idea that kids love junk food. It’s not true. Chicken nuggets that are partly frozen on the inside? Most students are saying they want better options. They said to us, “If you give me something that looks good, tastes good, I’d be very excited to eat it.” Approaching the process with respect and true listening was how we tackled the challenge and it’s still what we do at the core. It’s one of our pillars.
Q: Your company’s mission isn’t a boilerplate statement on the website. It’s very personal to you and Kirsten, and the oxygen that fuels your growth. What have you done to ensure that every Revolution Foods staff member understands, lives and breathes this mission?
A: We have very strong core values that guide the company. They’re talked about constantly. They’re visible in our culinary centers. They’re talked about in our team huddles. We live the mission. And people come here because of the mission. It’s one of the great things about building a mission-focused company. You attract people with a shared mindset. It’s a big recruiting tool actually and it’s all reinforced through our teams. I take the time to meet with people and conduct town halls around the country, but we also have a strong training program. We make sure our leadership at the local level is completely fluid talking about the mission. The mission has to live through our leadership at all levels in all regions.
Q: You’ve expanded from schools to grocery aisles. How did you know it was time? What key considerations went into that decision?
A: We knew early on that we would go in that direction. We’ve always been passionate about serving families as well as students. We just weren’t sure of the timing. Parents came up to us and said that they would love to bring home our delicious lunch for dinner. Literally, “Can we bring these home?” When you have parents asking to bring home the school meals being served we thought we should actually commercialize this concept. We also had retailers approach us saying that they’re looking for more mission driven brands. Revolution Foods is committed to building lifelong healthy eaters. We knew consumers would be very drawn to our mission.
Q: You and Kirsten endured some hardships to launch a ‘revolutionary’ product, including packing up your young families and moving from the Bay Area to D.C. to get the fledgling school meal program off the ground. What advice would you give a forward-thinking entrepreneur who is blazing new trails and battling years of status quo?
A: Run a pilot. Lots of aspiring entrepreneurs spend a lot of time building a business plan. This can lead to analysis paralysis. The most important thing you can do is pilot your concept. We piloted our concept in Oakland. We got a real sense of what students actually thought of the food. How do we transport it? How do we think about supply chain? What do investors care about? You’ve got to get out of your head early on and figure out a way to get some real market experience and feedback as quickly as you can. Drafting the concept and building the model is important but you’re going to learn a great deal from piloting in the real world.
Also, remember that you’re always fundraising. People often wait too long to get started. It’s better to have this in mind early and build connections. Say you miss out on an opportunity in round one with an investor - that doesn’t mean you won’t get the opportunity to come back and build that relationship. Don’t give up! Make a great impression, keep people educated on your progress. They will end up becoming a partner or investor down the road. This has happened to me many times.
Q: What’s a challenger attribute that sets you apart?
A: Our innovation from concept to shelf can be less than six months. That’s fast. And this type of speed is a very important attribute for disruptors. It becomes harder as companies get bigger. Make sure you fuel that innovation machine.
Q: What’s the one thing you wish you had known when you launched Revolution Foods?
A: Hire earlier than you think you should. As an entrepreneur you’re trying to manage cash and wearing a lot of hats. You make mistakes if you hire too slowly or hire replicas of yourself. You need to understand what a complimentary team composition looks like. Your team is everything. You have to be humble enough to know what you’re good at and where you need experience or help. My advice is to hire earlier than you think you should. When you have a great team that’s when great things happen. And hire people who are not only incredibly talented but also passionate about your mission. This will keep them committed through the ups and downs of company building!
Q: If you could have one do-over, what would it be?
A: There are a lot of those things. I learn a lot more from failure than success. I believe in reflecting on our missteps and not making the same mistake twice. When building a company you make a lot of mistakes. Like a menu going off track because you didn’t take in all the feedback. Little things like that. We also scaled quickly in certain regions and didn’t have the right operational team in place early enough. We could have laid the foundation to scale better. I’ve been reflecting a lot lately. At the end of the day, we’re now tracking towards 150 million in revenue with 2,000 employees. It’s been an amazing journey!