Launching a Plant-Based Business with Sri Artham of Hooray Foods
Hooray Foods' Founder Sri Artham is on a mission to create what many have called the holy grail of plant-based meat: crispy, smoky bacon – without the pig. Sri is today’s guest, who tells us more about Hooray, a company that makes delicious plant-based meats designed to look, cook, and taste just like the real thing. Plants that remind you of your favorite meats, made with ingredients you can feel good about? Now that's something to say “hooray” about!
Tune in to find out what sparked Sri’s passion for food and products, given his background in systems design and business, and where the idea for creating his own plant-based meat product came from in the first place. He also shares a bit about his process – from finding a gap in the market and developing the recipe to launching and raising funding for his new food brand – and listeners hear how Sri has used LinkedIn to build his network of collaborators and investors, as well as his team of employees and food scientists. All this and more in today’s episode, including where to find Hooray bacon and how to use it, so make sure to tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
Sri shares a bit about his career arc, from a systems design background to business.
How a belief that business can be a powerful force for good inspired Sri’s work with Fairtrade.
What sparked Sri’s passion for products was learning that food was a force for change.
How Sri became interested in plant-based meat, starting with his love for Impossible Foods.
Where the idea for creating his own plant-based pork product came from – how could he save the world with his stomach?
Finding the gap in the market and deciding to make plant-based bacon.
Developing the recipe for his product without a culinary background.
Sri explains that, when he set out to create plant-based bacon, he had no intentions of starting a company – he just wanted to learn.
Some of the challenges Sri had in launching his own food brand, like fundraising.
The obstacles Sri encountered in 2020 while building a business during a global pandemic.
How Sri has used LinkedIn to build his network of collaborators and investors, as well as his team of employees and food scientists.
Plant-based as a recent trend that Hooray Foods hopes to ride the wave of going forward.
Sri speculates on the future of plant-based products and the growth of cell-based meat and mycelium-based products.
Converting meat eaters versus giving existing vegans and vegetarians a tasty alternative.
What Sri has learned about himself throughout this process – and what he is proud of.
Staying up to date with TikTok trends and how that keeps Sri relevant and evolving.
Where to find Hooray Foods products and his favorite way to use it (in a BLT sandwich!)
Tweetables:
“I had this belief that business is one of the biggest forces of change in the world.” — Sri Artham [0:03:25]
“When I set out to create a plant-based bacon, it was not with the intention of starting a company or even commercializing it. … I just thought I’d go work for some plant-based alternate meat or dairy company and this was a way to learn, but by the time I got to that point I thought, wait, maybe I can start a company.” — Sri Artham [0:12:19]
“Plant-based is growing like crazy right now, and the pandemic has accelerated it.” — Sri Artham [0:21:59]
“My intention when I designed our bacon was that it should be just like real bacon in terms of how you prepare it, how it looks. You shouldn’t have to need instructions.” — Sri Artham [0:32:39]
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sri Artham on LinkedIn
Hooray Foods
Hooray Foods on Twitter
Hooray Foods on Instagram
Fair Trade USA
Impossible Foods
Good Food Conference
Whole Foods
