In this ongoing series, we're sharing tips, advice and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.)
Give us the elevator pitch for ALOHA.
ALOHA is an independent, employee-owned company dedicated to creating delicious, nutritious, plant-based foods that make people feel good. Our award-winning bars, powders and drinks are high in protein, low in sugar and made with USDA Organic, Project Verified Non-GMO and Certified Vegan ingredients. We're also proud to be climate neutral and B Corp certified, which means we use our business as a force for good. We are consistently the fastest growing food company in our category across all channels, online and offline. With this growth, we knew the time was finally right to launch our new “Deliciously satisfying” campaign. Our goal now is to make ALOHA a household name.
Related: When Daymond John knocked on his door, this entrepreneur knew he was onto something
Can you talk about the struggles you faced when you got ALOHA?
My passion is building and scaling Better For You brands, namely in fashion and food. I have held key leadership roles at brands such as Under Armour, KIND Snacks, Nature's Bounty and Chobani; all brands that challenged the status quo and asked, “Can we do better?”
When I took over ALOHA in late 2017, the company was in a tough spot. After raking in and losing over $65 million in just four years, it was on the brink of collapse—financially unsound, with no product-market fit and low morale. I knew rebuilding was the only option. Over the course of 18 months, we reformulated the entire product line, rebranded to stand out in a crowded market, and built a team of employee-owners who shared “my vision for excellence.” in applied lessons I had learned at Chobani and Under Armor to build a healthier, more sustainable business. Today, ALOHA is a $100 million brand and the fastest growing in its category.
Credit: Aloha
For CPG startups, what's the most important thing they should focus on?
A great product is your number one priority. If you're a food company, that means taste and flavor. No matter how “new” your ingredients are, or what diet trend you're riding, if your product doesn't win over your consumer at first taste, you're a one-hit wonder. A company may have great marketing or a charismatic founder or a key influencer who sees their products, but if a customer buys just once, it's over. Your product is your lifeline, so invest in making it the best it can be. Don't skimp or cut corners. Once you lose trust, it's twice as hard to regain it. In competitive categories, a “good” product isn't enough—it has to be amazing. If it's not an exposure clip, go back to the drawing board.
Can you give advice on getting on the store shelves?
Understand what “win” means for your key constituents. For retail partners, focus on what matters to them, namely the growth and productivity essential to each shelf group. Emphasize how your brand and product will drive incremental sales and exceed their existing benchmarks. Make them partners in your success, with a clear plan to drive awareness and targeted testing once your product is on the shelf. To anchor the classic CPG hegemony, packaging matters…a lot! Finally, demonstrate how your products address a clear customer need or create a new opportunity. Think about what your brand does “better” (notice I didn't say “novel” or “different” necessarily) than the existing players. Make a retailer's job easier by providing information they may not already have.
Should new brands focus on in-store DTC or give equal weight to both?
Getting to know your community is key, and today, the best way to do that is digitally. It was critical and purposeful for Aloha in the “re-establishment” era. Balance the holistic digital ecosystem (DTC, Amazon, Walmart.com, Thrive Market) with intentionality as a tool to shape your target consumer profile and, thus, your retail strategy. In the food business, overextending into traditional retail too quickly can be an extremely expensive mistake. You only get one chance at launch at a given retail opportunity, don't waste it! And when you start, it has nothing to do with Number of shops but qualitativey of the relationships you build. For me, digital is the great equalizer between big and small companies, so it will always be the first of our 1-2 punch.
Credit: Brad Charron, CEO and “Re-Founder” of ALOHA
Can you describe your problem-solving and decision-making process?
As CEO and “re-founder”, I see my role as an orchestra conductor most days, keeping the company focused but driving creativity. To do this well, I keep four main things in mind every day:
- Listen: open-minded. If I think I might disagree with an approach on the surface, I still go into every conversation ready to learn something new and challenge my conventions.
- Adaptation: Don't be afraid to modify your playbook mid-stream. Companies that can move quickly and act on new ideas often gain a first-mover advantage.
- Pace matters: Prioritize simplicity and take incremental steps. Doing too fast rarely works. Sustainable growth is the key to long-term success. Momentum is a powerful force to maintain.
- Face reality: Facts are facts. Period. Instead of trying to change what happened, I focus on learning from it and orient myself to stay the course, even if it means overcoming unexpected challenges.