Complex to Convenient with Paul Schiefer of Amy’s Kitchen
In this conversation, Paul Schiefer, president of Amy's Kitchen, shares the inspiring founding story of the company, which began with a quest for better frozen meals. He discusses the innovative approaches to product development, the importance of company culture and values, and the value of embracing complexity in business. Paul highlights Amy's commitment to sustainability and their B Corp status, emphasizing the impact of organic and vegetarian practices. He also shares insights on the future vision for the company, the importance of curiosity and passion in entrepreneurship, and personal reflections on food and life.
Takeaways
Amy's Kitchen was founded out of a need for better frozen meals.
The original pot pie was a key product that launched the brand.
Innovation at Amy's focuses on quality and culinary techniques.
Company culture is deeply rooted in the founders' values.
Sustainability is a core principle of Amy's business model.
The future vision includes generational sustainability and growth.
Curiosity and passion are essential for success in business.
Amy's Kitchen embraces complexity in food production.
The company aims to make healthy food accessible to all.
Doing good in business leads to long-term success.
Sound Bites
“He started looking for some frozen food options to bring home and feed the family, and just frankly was disappointed.”
"The original recipe was Rachel's mom's Elinor. It was kind her pot pie that helped inspire the start of the company"
“I think what Amy's has done really well is accept that complexity is actually valuable.”
"Doing good is good for business."
“We want to protect our mission in part by continuing to be a really profitable and efficient company.”
“We're also trying to think about this more on a generational timeframe, not just on like a three to five year timeframe.”
“It was such a novel idea to create an organic vegetarian fast food restaurant that, before we knew it, we had a line that literally went across the parking lot.”
“We’re buying a hundred plus million pounds of organic agriculture every year and supporting thousands of farmers.”
“I’m proud of the fact that we have scaled that type of [impact] business model.”
Chapters
03:00 The Founding Story of Amy's Kitchen
06:01 Innovation and Product Development at Amy's
09:03 Cultural Values and Company Evolution
11:47 Navigating Growth and Market Challenges
15:00 The Drive to Create Quality Fast Food
17:47 Maintaining Independence and Company Values
31:10 Launching a Unique Concept
33:06 The Importance of Sustainable Growth
35:43 Commitment to Impact and B Corp Status
40:04 Holistic Approach to Sustainability
44:47 Future Vision for Amy's Kitchen
52:24 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
