Today we’d like to introduce you to Nadeem Srouji.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Nadeem. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started the company in Jordan in 2016 out of my kitchen, essentially to have a truly healthy and tasty snack for myself, family, and friends. When people started asking to buy them, I realized we were on to something special. Added small dehydrators and quickly grew out of my little space. We had the idea of servicing the Middle East and Gulf markets, and with the help of my two brothers, we hit the ground running. There are no kale chips in the Middle East, which was an advantage and a challenge at the same time. We had to educate the consumers (on the benefits of kale, and dehydrated vs. baked and fried) and essentially create a market for our kale chips. Jordan was sort of a test market for our products, and we were able to expand into most retail stores and start exporting to the region. We found that with our product, we were able to reach much more than the small niche segment of vegans and vegetarians, it was anyone that wanted a healthy and delicious snack for any occasion.
Started the US Company about a year ago, having proven the concept in the Middle East. We chose San Diego because of the health-minded culture and small community feel. People are wonderful, very supportive of local startups, especially ones that provide a product that’s good for the environment as well as your body. We focused initially on farmer’s markets and small shops, eventually expanding into retailers and specialty shops (Cafe’s, bars, nutrition shops, Juice shops). We expanded into Los Angeles as well following the same template, focusing on specific neighborhoods such as Silverlake, West Hollywood, Santa Monica, West LA, and expanding from there. We also worked on our online D2C and Amazon business and that has added a good amount of volume and exposure across the nation.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I don’t think it’s ever easy launching your own business. Initially, our main issue was capacity, since equipment for dehydrating kale chips is expensive and not readily available, in addition to the lack of co-manufacturers and high cost. So we basically had to set up our own manufacturing. We also had some challenges that also surprised us. In Jordan, we quickly realized many consumers weren’t even familiar with kale, so the number of educational and informational sessions and customer interactions we needed to get the word out were significant, but we eventually created a market for our kale chips.
In the US, where Kale Chips have been around for many years, we realized that the concept familiarity and market penetration weren’t where you’d expect them to be. Many customers were either not familiar with kale chips, had never tried it, or had a bad perception regarding the taste and texture. Many of the first timers ended up loving it and buying it, which meant that there is a very big opportunity in the market to convert snackers into kale chips lovers, particularly Kips.
In terms of luck (good and bad), I’ve been very lucky to be able to start a business with family and friends, about a product I’m very passionate about, and to start introducing it on a global scale. In terms of bad luck, we’ve certainly had our share… However, every bit of bad luck provided a unique opportunity to shape our business into what it is today. We’ve had challenges with money, since we relied on self-funding versus investors to keep the company vision and mission intact. We’ve dealt with a trademark lawsuit, equipment challenges, relationships issues with factories, product issues, differentiation challenges, price point obstacles, you name it, we’ve likely dealt with it at some point in this journey, but we’ve been able to come out better on the other end.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Kips Dehydrated Foods – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Well I’m most proud about staying true to our mission, which is bridging the gap between healthy and tasty, especially when it comes to snacking, on a global level, so everyone can have a delicious snack that’s also good for their bodies. It’s a tasty snack that everyone can enjoy. You don’t compromise on anything to snack healthy – from the flavors to the texture and crunch, it’s just an enjoyable and delicious experience.
The product also checks all the boxes in terms of what’s important to our customers:
i. Superior taste
ii. Unique flavors
iii. Nutritional content
iv. Unprocessed/all natural
v. Hitting on the important trends for our consumers – Gluten Free, Nut Free, Paleo, Vegan, Keto options which are not available currently in this format, as well as a dessert chocolate flavor that is a new concept in the category as well
We are also introducing our kale chips in situations were healthy snacks were not available before, such as cafes and bars. I know several people (including myself) prefer a tasty and healthy snack with their coffee, beer, wine, etc… It’s about balance and that’s what we hope to provide.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
As mentioned we are introducing three Keto flavors into our lineup, including a keto vegan dark chocolate product with no sugar added. They are delicious and low carb to cater to people on the Keto diet as well as anyone looking to reduce their sugar intake without compromising taste. We have also expanded our capacity sourcing new equipment and getting into a new manufacturing location providing us with over 10 times the current capacity. So we’re very excited to be able to bring Kips Kale Chips to many new consumers all over Southern California and the nation, and we’ll be doing a very special promotion starting January 2020 where people can try our Kale Chips for a reduced price!
We will also be signing up with local distributors and getting into larger retail stores including Erewhon, Sprouts, Bristol Farms, and some interesting restaurant such as Real Food Daily.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2911 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92104 - Website: www.kipskalechips.com
- Phone: 858-429-9361
- Email: info@kipskalechips.com
- Instagram: kips_kale_chips
- Facebook: kipskalechips
Image Credit:
Reem Zeine
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