This week ISB Talks to France Rechichi, founder of The Food Crafters, a brand-new business that offers gluten-free and nutritionally sound cookies as a tasty snack alternative to anything previously on the market.
ISB: Tell us a little bit about the journey that has led to the The Food Crafters.
FR: I ran an Italian restaurant for 20 years in the western suburbs of Sydney. At a barbecue one day I was talking to a fellow guest, David Amar, about the lack of a decent gluten free pizza base I could offer my customers. It transpired David was a food developer, designing products for airlines, schools and so on, and we got together to develop a business – Pizzaiolis – to rectify the situation.
The success of our pizza bases, which became a big hit with wholesalers and popular restaurateurs, got us thinking about developing a high-fibre, low sugar, gluten free and nutritional cookie that tasted great and that everyone could enjoy without feeling guilty because they’re good for them.
ISB: What were the biggest hurdles you faced in taking the cookie business from concept to reality?
FR: The first was sourcing a manufacturer. This wasn’t straightforward as the nutritional value of the product makes it more difficult to produce with a sustainable shelf-life, and we had to spread the net until we found a company in Perth who were prepared to invest the time and expertise into getting this right.
Then we had a problem with packaging. The guy we had used in their previous ventures wasn’t able to help when we went to launch due to illness, we tried three different companies but they all stuffed it up – ultimately our original supplier regained his health and sorted out the mess, but this issue delayed the launch by six months
ISB: How did you fund the new venture?
FR: We only spent $5000 each on Pizzaiolis and that has generated enough revenue to get the The Food Crafters moving. To keep afloat through the development stage I passed my share in the restaurant on to my brother so I could throw my heart and soul into the venture, and I haven’t had a day off since August last year – I work behind a bar all weekend in a bar to keep the cash flowing and I’ve thrown the TV out of my lounge as it now The Food Crafter’s office.
ISB: And how have you primarily marketed and promoted the new cookies?
FR: We have used PR, social media and have shared as many samples as possible out in local cafes and businesses to make people aware of the product. I have a long-standing relationship from my restaurant days with Pacchini & Sons, wholesalers to independent grocers, and they will be sending out their first batch of the cookies in late September. We have also signed with a health product wholesaler in Perth who is going distribute the cookies over there.
ISB: Finally, what is the most important lesson you have learned through developing Pizzailolis and The Food Crafters that would benefit others wanting to start their own business?
FR: Scaling an established business is all about delegation, but at the start you need to oversee, and take responsibility for, every single detail. It’s your idea and you know better than anyone what it looks like ion your mind, so it’s up to you to shape it.
Also, bear in mind that invariably you’re not going to make money in the first four years or so – treat it like a hobby and just enjoy the experience!
