FIRST THOUGHT: An Acquired Taste
Have you ever watched that TV show Bizarre Foods? If you’re looking to shed a few pounds and resist the pantry, one episode will do the trick. The host, a seasoned chef himself, travels the globe discovering unique culinary delights. He happily devours tarantulas in Cambodia and coconut-tree grubs in Peru. There are some eye-opening edibles in English-speaking areas he gobbles up too, like swamp cabbage in Florida and everyone’s favorite Scottish delight, haggis. As they say, you are what you eat, but no matter your opinion of what others chow down on, it’s a great reminder that life is indeed bigger than your bowl of mac and cheese.
WOMEN IN NUMBERS: $1.8 Billion
Some of those so-called weird food products just take a little time and some exposure before they’re accepted widely and then skyrocket to food-fame status. For instance, there’s a beverage crafted by fermenting tea through a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. Any guess what it is? That’s right, it’s kombucha, and this fermented beverage is no longer just for hipsters. Beloved by career women, teenage boys and probably your grandparents too, kombucha is quickly becoming the drink of choice for many, with the kombucha market expected to be worth $1.8 billion by 2020.
WOMAN TO WATCH: Daina Trout, CEO and Co-founder of Health-Ade Kombucha
How do you get a food-and-drink-phobic gal to try something that sounds more like a science experiment than a refreshing beverage? You’ve got to speak her language. Today’s Woman to Watch, CEO and co-founder of Health-Ade Kombucha, Daina Trout, does just that.
Daina’s background is in nutrition and she holds a master’s degree in probiotics, so she knows all there is to know about the fermented stuff. A longtime lover of kombucha, she put her homemade beverage brew up for sale at a local farmers market in 2012. With a voice and a product she believed in, Daina built her company from the ground up. Initially, she maintained her day job while pitching kombucha to every market, retailer, farm stand and human she could.
After getting close to burn out, she quit her job and became devoted to growing Health-Ade. That proved to be a savvy decision, especially since Daina soon added the title of “mother” to her resume, a job she says she couldn’t have embraced if she were still working full time and trying to grow her own business.
Daina’s business savvy and devotion to kombucha definitely paid off. In addition to being able to better manage her responsibilities of motherhood and entrepreneurship, Health-Ade has grown exponentially. The company secured more than $7 million in venture funding, now has more than 100 employees and Health-Ade products can be found in thousands of stores in nearly every U.S. state. In fact, Health-Ade is the fastest-growing kombucha company in the country.
Health-Ade’s rise to domination is grounded in two of Daina’s personal goals. First, there’s her passion to introduce commercial consumers to real food, like the four simple ingredients found in her kombucha. Second, there’s her commitment to cultivating a team that is equally as passionate as she is.
During the past few years, Health-Ade has developed a full line of tasty kombucha flavors, like pink lady apple; pomegranate; matcha and cold-brew coffee; my favorite, ginger lemon; and cayenne cleanse for when you’re feeling extra sassy.
As a successful entrepreneur, Daina has come up against more than a few impediments. But when challenges come her way, Daina does what she knows best: She follows her gut.
QUITE THE QUOTE
Today’s quote comes from Daina Trout herself. She said:
“We believe when you have the courage to bet on yourself, you will win.”
This is Melinda Garvey signing off until next time. Remember, ladies, empowered women empower other women. Share On the Dot so more women can have a voice. Thanks for getting ready with us.
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