“Working in kitchens where abusive Was the norm eventually taught me a lot, as about what I should not do and also the type of leader I wanted to be, “Chris Kirby, the founder and the CEO I Ithaca hummusindicate entrepreneur. “Early, I saw how fear and intimidation were created toxic environments where creativity and cooperation really could not exist. “
Image Credit: ITHACA Hummus's courtesy. Founder and CEO Chris Kirby.
Kirby graduated from the Johnson & Wales University of North Carolina and spent the next seven years working in restaurants across the country: in Washington, DC, Las Vegas and Austin. However, at the age of 26, he determined that “harsh living” was not for him. He wanted to start a business From his – but doing so demanded a big difference and swallowing his pride, he says.
aspire He moved to Baltimore to live with his parents and enrolled in business courses at the local community college. Kirby didn't have a car, so he had to make a 15 mile bike on the campus, a backpack full of books. Despite the challenges, Kirby finished the year rightly and was admitted to the Cornell Hotel Administration School.
In his application essay, Kirby wrote that he was “hungry for success” and intended to use his professors as “free consultants” for his business, demonstrating a clear focus and Ambition that he believes he helped him stay away from other applicants. He arrived at campus in 2013 and took place immediately.
“Lightbulb left when I saw that there were no local company Ithaca Hummus.”
His first stop was the local market of farmers to search for a gap in the market; He wanted to know what was not already being done in the city. “Lightbulb left when I saw that there were no local company Ithaca Hummus,” Kirby says, “and I came to action very quickly.” Within a month, Kirby was selling his hummus in the farmer's market. Lemon garlic was the first fragrance of the brand.
“The taste is really everything,” Kirby says. “Then the food spirit. In my restaurant experience, it was always the coolest, simplest, most unchanged recipes that were my favorites. So it was not about, How much can I add this amazing ingredient? Is, What is the smallest amount you can add to it to make it shine? Mother Nature does all the hard work for you; You just have to make it come. “
Image Credit: ITHACA Hummus's courtesy
At first, Hummus Ithaca had no resources or budget to speak but limited money It would say that Kirby had to scrape in what was most important – making it possible the best product, making people enjoy it and sell as much as possible. To this end, he rented a kitchen for $ 250 a month and bought the necessary supplies: giant cooker, a large stick blender, Deli cups, a small digital staircase and ice cream pieces to split the product.
“Interaction every single (client) interaction gave me more and more confidence.”
“I had a manic concentration SALE“Kirby says.” I did humus, packaged it myself, and then spent every weekend selling in farmers 'markets because I liked to see the reaction on the clients' faces when they first tried it. And this reaction acted as a road map for me. Interaction every single interaction gave me more and more confidence to push forward. “
Without a decorated team or manufacturing device, Kirby had to use “a lot of hurry and composition“To execute his vision. Ithaca Hummus continued to sell in the farmer's market every week, and Kirby credit” unstoppable demand “for the quality and ability of the brand to connect with people.
Business scaling MANUFACTURE And the packaging process was one of the biggest initial challenges. At first, Kirby used Deli glasses with plastic lids were probably heat melted with hair dryer, 10 at a time. Then, Kirby moved the operation to his first trading space to maintain the rhythm with its growth and modernized in an automated film packing line, which came “with an extraordinary amount of headaches”.
“I would spend days at a time solving problems, fixing it (and) feeling the pressure.”
Seal would often be broken, and without a quick adjustment or funds to hire a mechanic, Kirby addressed Google and YouTube video research to understand what was wrong. “I would spend days at a time solving problems, fixing it (and) feeling the pressure of (thinking), Minutes minute this device was falling, bills continued to come and we were not producing anything to sell“He says.
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Despite increasing pains, Hummus Ithaca continued to expand, finally sitting on large retail sellers like Wegman and Full foodswhere its products continued to sell well in competitive environments. Brand hit the first year of income with eight figures in 2020 and has seen 40% from year to year gROWTH Since, even selling 10 million Hummus bathtub in 2024. Moreover, the Hummus is on the right track to maintain that growth rate in 2025, which means an annual income of $ 50 million and over $ 150 million dollars of life income.
“I have really worked hard to build a culture that is the full opposite of what I have experienced.”
Through all, Kirby has applied leadership lessons Learned from the days of his restaurant to promote a work environment, where employees feel comfortable enough to be creative-a key to the long-term success of the brand.
“I have learned that real leadership has to do with SENSITIVE, Communication And creating an environment where people feel appreciated and empowered, “Kirby says.” So I have worked hard to build a culture that is the full opposite of what I have experienced in many of those kitchens. I want my team to feel safe to share ideas, take risks and learn from mistakes without fear of being punished. “