The way of business solutions www.insightssuccess.com FEBRUARY - MARCH 2017
THE
10
Brew
WINE SUTRA: THE ART OF MAKING WINE
FOOD & BEVERAGES ENTREPRENEUR TO WATCH IN
2017
Appetite UNDERRATED FOODS….WAIT… REALLY?
Photo Courtesy: TASHANA KLONIUS
Melissa Myer A Steadfast Leader
Rice
A Wonderful Taste of Nature
www.honicombgroup.com
Editorial
T
his is an era where value-based healthcare has taken precedence. Health has now become a socio-economic efficiency criterion. However, we are a society of fast-paced, quick fix, immediate satisfaction people, and with that comes quickfix, immediate satisfaction, fast-paced “meals”. Fueling our body with processed food, sugar, fat and calorie-dense foods affects our ability to pursue dreams and aspirations. Progressive health consumers have become influential in redefining the food industry. Therefore, trends in healthcare have far-reaching implications for the food and beverage industry. Increased demand to continually upgrade the quality of food and services while accommodating and reducing costs have long been the hurdles facing by healthcare food service operators. Traditional food industry faces a call to action to bring a new pace of innovation, collaboration, and understanding of the digital consumer.
Health & Wellness Driving Food Industry Trends
The organic label is the new ‘defacto’ in food safety label which has established itself as a key trend today. According to the Organic Trade Association’s 2016 Organic Industry Survey, total organic product sales is hitting a new benchmark of $43.3 billion, up a robust 11 percent from the previous year’s record level and far outstripping the overall food market’s growth rate of 3 percent. Fulfilling this big surge in demand for organic and natural products is the key to going forward in the long term for food manufacturers and providers. Latest data indicates that vegan food trend is going mainstream now and demand for alternative sources of protein is growing. Vegans were once considered a small niche market, with only about 6% of Americans identifying as vegans, which has now become huge, and this trend represents a growing opportunity for high-quality meat alternatives. The current trends influenced by health and wellness are crucial for food makers of all sizes. Those who are not willing to take changing consumer demands for account are likely to fall behind.
Sugandha Sharma
Editor-in-Chief Pooja M. Bansal Senior Editor Ariana Lawrence Managing Editor Sugandha Sharma Co-Editors David Smith Abhijeet Parade Stephanie Andrews Sagar Bhattacharjee Visualiser David King Art & Design Director Amol Kamble Co-designer Alex Noel Picture Editor Harmeet Singh Art Editor Vinod Alhat Business Development Manager Eric Mathew Andy Mitter Marketing Manager Chris Clark Business Development Executive David, Peter, John, Brian, Nick, Mike Research Analyst Jennifer Circulation Manager Robert Database Management Steve Technology Consultant Vishal More sales@insightssuccess.com
March, 2017 Corporate Ofď€ ces: Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin, OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602-1754 Email: info@insightssuccess.com For Subscription: Visit www.insightssuccess.com 7
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Cover Story
8
Melissa Myer A Steadfast Leader
24 - Brew Wine Sutra: The Art of Making Wine
32 - Appetite Underrated Foods.. . Wait.. .Really?
CXO Standpoint
22
Innovative food and beverages From farm to fork
42 Westfalia Technologies, Inc.:
Contents
46 Eatfresh’s journey towards success in the food industry
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Joe Blauert: A Mission-Driven Successful Pioneer & ‘Pursuer of Excellence’
Delivering Unparalleled Solutions in Automation
36
Mark Fachler: Transforming People’s Lives with Satisfied Palate
Interview with Insights Success
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Young Lee: A Maintainer of Good, Quality Food that Transforms Customers Quality of Life
Role of Food Industry Becoming Indispensable in the Modern World
I
n the development of a community, the food industry plays a socioeconomic role cardinal in expanding economic opportunity. The primary role of the food industry about the provision of foods encompasses four main goals, customer satisfaction, food safety, providing product information and the maintenance of commercial viability. Among these, the principal task is to improve the quality of food and services. Till 2015, the total retail and food services sales in the United States had crossed 5.35 trillion dollars. As statistics reveals the big surge in sales, many factors heighten the demand in the global food industry like population levels, wealth distribution, health awareness and types of varied lifestyles. To satisfy the requirements of consumers, healthcare sector, the industry will need creativity in both technological innovation and adaptation of new ideas. The importance and usefulness of the culinary industries have made us shortlist “The 10 Food and Beverage Entrepreneurs to Watch.” In this edition, we have enlisted ten talented and most creative outstanding leaders who are changing organizations scenario in the businesses, by satisfying the requirements of the consumers and by representing their spirit of enthusiasm visions, and inspirational leadership to build excellent businesses. Our cover story Melissa Myer, CEO of Espresso Parts, is an energetic, focused, well prepared and disciplined entrepreneur who is passionate about staying true to her core values. Espresso Parts, one of the stars in the culinary world, and offering a curated selection of the highest quality coffee brewing supplies in the market. They are committed to the craft and are providing the best customer service in the world. It is always interesting to know the story about every company we have listed. Insights Success Magazine, after indepth research and studies, has shortlisted; Natasha Case: Taking Pride in Delivering Excellent Quality of Ice Cream, Chris Bowler: A Passionate Foodpreneur and Accomplisher, Manny Wong: A pioneer in the Sprouting Industry by helping to develop Procedures for Food Safety, John W. Roulac: The Organic Super-Foods Provider, Joe Blauert: A Mission-Driven, Successful Pioneer & ‘Pursuer of Excellence’, Jason M. Frank: A Supplier of Dairy Products, Young Lee: A Maintainer of Good, Quality Food that Transforms Customers Quality of Life, Mark Fachler: Transforming People’s Lives with a Satisfied Palate, Westfalia Technologies, Inc.: Delivering Unparalleled Solutions in Automation, considering the companies that are forefront in recognizing their best innovative culinary solutions with excellence while setting the industry standards. While flipping the pages of the Insights Success Magazine, do not miss out ‘Underrated Foods….Wait…Really?’ and ‘Wine Sutra: The Art of Making Wine’ from the editorial desk. Innovative Food And Beverages ‘From Farm To Fork’, By - Severin Weiss, CEO at SpecPage, from the Thought Leader. Eatfresh’s journey towards success in the food industry, By - Rajiv Subramanian, Founder of Eatfresh, from Interview with Insights Success. Hope you are ready to start off!
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Company Name
Management
Brief
Coolhaus www.cool.haus
Natasha Case Co-founder & CEO
Coolhaus is an all-natural, super premium and awesome dessert company known for its unique ice cream sandwiches, pints and bars featuring sustainably and locally-sourced ingredients.
Creminelli Fine Meats, LLC www.creminelli.com
Chris Bowler Co-founder & CEO
Creminelli Fine Meats produces handcrafted Italian salami products. It offers tartufo, barolo, casalingo, soppressata, piccante, mortadella, and milano salami meats, was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, UT.
Espresso Parts www.espressoparts.com
Melissa Myer CEO
Espresso Parts, offers a curated selection of the highest quality coffee brewing supplies in the market. Committed to the craft and to providing the best customer service in the world.
Fullei Fresh www.fulleifresh.com
Manny Wong CEO
Fullei Fresh is a sprout growers specializing in over a dozen varieties including alfalfa, beet, broccoli, clover, crunchy mix, daikon, mung bean, snow pea, soy, spicy, sunflower, and wheat grass.
Nutiva, Inc. www.nutiva.com
John W. Roulac Founder & CEO
Nutiva® is the world’s leading brand of all-organic hemp foods, coconut oil, red palm oil and chia seeds, all are the values-driven brand, dedicated to “Nourishing people and planet.”
ProcessPro Software www.processproerp.com
Joe Blauert General Manager
ProcessPro provides comprehensive ERP solutions for Food and Beverage Manufacturers that encompasses every aspect of business, from selling to planning production, to managing to manufacture, to shipping.
www.sunshinedairyfoods.com
Jason M. Frank President
Sunshine Dairy is a dairy supplier in the Kerns neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, US, founded in 1935. Also produces almond milk, and soy and coconut yogurts at its processing facility at Northeast 84th Avenue and Halsey Street in Portland.
The Flame Broiler, Inc. www.flamebroilerusa.com
Young Lee Founder and CEO
Founded in 1995 with 185 units strong and growing, The Flame Broiler provides healthy meal featuring four proteins of your choice that anyone can eat on the go.
Veestro, Inc. www.veestro.com
Mark Fachler Founder & CEO, Monica Klausner Co-founder
Veestro provides the newest concept in Food Commerce, offer gourmet, organic prepared meals, delivered straight to your door anywhere in the continental US. No more shopping, chopping, cooking or cleaning. Just heat and enjoy!
Daniel Labell President
Westfalia Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of logistics solutions for manufacturing facilities, warehouse and distribution centers, with over 100 installations in North and South America, Westfalia provides solutions for companies in the food, beverage, chemical and other major industries.
Sunshine Dairy Foods
Westfalia Technologies, Inc. www.westfaliausa.com
O
riginally a Korean immigrant, Young Lee, Founder and CEO of The Flame Broiler, had an epiphany of eating healthy. His intuitive perception that productivity depends on what you eat was a revelatory moment. Suddenly, all those pieces tied together in one moment of inspiration – make delicious and healthy food accessible to everyone. ‘It is not a short term diet, it’s a long-term lifestyle change,’ is the formula of Young’s life and has become a key to wellness for everyone is his dream. His inspiration continues today with 185 The Flame Broiler Restaurants in California, Arizona, Florida, Nevada, and Oklahoma.
Young Lee: A Maintainer of Good, Quality Food that Transforms Customers Quality of Life
Journey from Conception to The Flame Broiler Young’s journey was never an easy one, but one on which he has enjoyed every step of the way, giving his best in everything. His underlying mission is to bring healthy fast food to everyone, if possible, in a convenient and affordable way. Young came to the US with his family at a very young age. After graduating from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), he joined the workforce of a life insurance company in a sales position that required him to be on the road during meal times. As a result, Young ate unhealthily at every fast food chain imaginable. Soon after, he fell ill, and numerous medical professionals were unable to diagnose his ailments. Shortly after, he decided to leave his position and start eating right, and immediately saw a change in his health. Still needing to support his family, and with his recent health issues on the forefront of his mind – Young saw an opportunity in the fast food industry for a healthy, quick-serve alternative. In 1995, he went on to open the very first The Flame Broiler restaurant in Orange County, CA with the goal of making a living by helping others and improving people’s overall quality of life through their eating habits. Young says “with that primary goal in my mind; I would say that the word that best describes me is ‘compassionate,’ as I often find myself concerned about the well-being of others more so than myself.” The Flame Broiler: We Are Committed to Your Health Founded in 1995 by Young Lee, The Flame Broiler provides a healthy, on-the-go meal for everyone. The company is strong and growing, with a goal of hitting 200 units by the year’s end. Their commitment to friendly service, a clean and inviting environment, and healthy food served fast has already won the approval of their customers of all ethnicities. Also, for health’s sake, they will continue looking for ways to improve the quality of their food. Not perfect, but always working towards perfection!
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The Flame Broiler stands apart from the rest because it provides a unique concept not very well-known to the fast industry. From day one The Flame Broiler is, and will continue to work to be, entirely healthy. While others are just now making the transition to healthier options, The Flame Broiler started with this notion. The Flame Broiler doesn’t advertise and instead relies on brand fanatics to open stores if they have the passion for it. The Flame Broiler is best known for their brown or white rice bowls, featuring all the protein sources of your choice (charbroiled tofu, chicken, or beef), blanched vegetables and topped with green onions. From there, guests can add five unique sauces of their choice. Flame Broiler’s bowls start as low as 140 calories and use no dairy, trans-fat, skin, fryers or HFCS. This practice is something that a lot of the food industry is now turning to, but something they’ve
implemented from the very beginning. Turning Hurdles into Opportunities The DNA of The Flame Broiler is their family values. The Flame Broiler is a family-run business, with Young’s son Daniel at the helm of their marketing team, and his wife and their children very much involved in day-to-day operations as well. They fully trust each other and have an honest and open working relationship. Consumers get the benefit because they trust someone who’s already been through it themselves. More than anyone, Young’s family knows the benefits of eating well and healthily, and what it can do for your mind and your body. Being a family-run business, the biggest challenge for Lee’s family is coming home after work and falling back into business mode instead of spending quality time with one
The Flame Broiler Is Dedicated To Serving You Delicious, And Fast, In A Healthy Way! 20
|FEBRUARY 2017
Young Lee
Founder & CEO The Flame Broiler, Inc. another. Because of this, they’ve designated dinner a “business free” zone. Young’s advice to the families looking to go into business together is never to do anything that would create resentment or have an impact on personal relationships. Young’s Leadership Skills and Achievements “I owe my success to hard work and faith, applying ‘care’ to everything that I do. The Flame Broiler’s success is due to the countless hours I put into the concept when it was first starting out. It was a risk I was willing to take, and one that fortunately paid off for me,” assures Young. He continues, “My leadership skills entail me to work every day to set the best example for everyone involved in The Flame Broiler - from each franchise to managers to my family and beyond- making wise choices and using my past mistakes to avoid future ones. I want to set a good example, and try to live my life in a way that those who work for me are proud of and copy. A great achievement is that what started as one shop in Orange County has now grown to more than 185 locations in 5 states.”
succeed. Whether it’s providing healthy meals for a family, providing a healthy lunch choice or providing a nutritious after-work out meal, our goal is to promote healthy choices, with the convenience of quick service. Many people use the convenience of fast food as an excuse to not eat well, and we’re hoping that by making The Flame Broiler an option, we’re encouraging consumers to make better food decisions. “I think 2017 will continue to see restaurants in the midprice range fail, while fast-casual concepts with a lower cost will continue to thrive. Reasons for this surge in fastcasual chains includes lower price points, but also better food quality for the price. The convenience of getting in and out quickly - while also eliminating the possibility of bad service, plus the guarantee of a good meal is too good to pass up and keeps our customers returning. People want the most benefit for their dollar, and with concepts like ours, they’re getting that,” says Young.
Flourishing Future The best part of the company is their goal of helping others
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CXO Standpoint
INNOVATIVE FOOD AND BEVERAGES FROM
FARM to FORK
F
rom strict regulatory requirements, increased consumer awareness, market consolidation and more complex supply chains, food and beverage (F&B) manufacturers face constant challenges today to deliver innovative products more efficiently to the retail market and consumers. Successful businesses need to be able to react quickly to specific market demands, ensure their products meet the highest quality and security standards, and keep development and administrative costs minimal to increase profit margins. The F&B industry is characterized by complex product structures and production processes, making a processoriented concept in product development indispensable. Companies need to maintain and manage comprehensive, coherent and accurate product data in all internal systems and exchange information with trade partners as required. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) manages data for all stages and areas of the product lifecycle, integrating them into a single solution and facilitating efficient and transparent information management. This comprehensive and cross-functional solution can streamline and improve company-wide processes that are associated with the development, production and launch of products, allowing producers to drive innovation, minimize costs and risks, and eventually gain a competitive advantage in the market. SpecPage, a global provider of integrated data management and compliance software, understands the needs of the
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recipe-based manufacturing industry and has extensive experience in developing cost-effective solutions to address the challenges in this field. The return on investment for a PLM software can be quite impressive as it leverages productivity and reduces risks, ensuring long-term success and profitability for F&B producers. Research has shown that by adopting a PLM approach the efficiency of engineering and formulation solutions can be doubled. To date, many manufacturing companies manage product information isolated in different departments and do not create company-wide visibility. They are therefore not able to utilize existing resources and expertise; nor are they able to control the entire product lifecycle efficiently, which slows down projects and delays product launches. Within R&D departments, data is often recorded several times instead of updating and modifying existing product specifications and recipe formulations. Manual data entry and modification can result in high costs and inaccuracies, and may also lead to missed market opportunities as companies are not able to react to customer demands in time. Industry experience has shown that formulation software can save >56% of the development staff’s time by reusing resources and avoiding the creation of duplicates. With the help of PLM solutions, businesses can develop innovative products optimally, boost efficient production and enhance their performance. An integrated solution can create a global project framework that can easily be adapted |FEBRUARY 2017
CXO Standpoint
to regional and local requirements. Besides effective cost management, quality assurance plays also a critical role in ensuring company success. Packaging and labeling processes are a substantial part of the product lifecycle and are receiving more attention than ever before
not least due to the increasing regulatory requirements and demands from trade partners. Designing informative and appealing labels involves the work of engineers, design and marketing managers, and compliance specialists, where keeping information in data islands can slow down the time-to-market. Manufacturers need to fully integrate quality assurance processes in product development and management, and ensure compliance across the entire product lifecycle to mitigate risks and avoid product recalls. The implementation of a PLM solution helps companies to proactively and transparently manage information throughout the product lifecycle and supply chain. Standardized processes enable traceability, and ensure quality, safety and regulatory compliance. By preventing lost, misplaced or unapproved documentation and records, 20% of the development staff's time can be saved. A PLM software investment is often initiated by a single department such as product development or quality assurance, however the financial benefits are visible across the entire business. SpecPage’s PLM software Return on Investment (ROI) calculator has been programmed on the basis of best practice and successful projects over the years. With minimal data input, the ROI calculator produces clear outcomes using easy steps to measure financial benefits that can be achieved with the help of SpecPage’s solutions for product development and information management. These have been developed to meet the specific needs of the F&B industry, and can easily and quickly be implemented and deployed; specific functionalities like nutritional databases, global compliance and label support are available out of the box and offer users great value.
Severin Weiss CEO SpecPage
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To cope with the growing challenges in the industry and to remain competitive, F&B manufacturers must take an integrated approach in product development and quality assurance, managing all phases of the product lifecycle - from concept to marketplace. This enables them to use existing resources and expertise efficiently and drive innovation. PLM is becoming a standard in the industry and is a crucial step for long-term success.
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Brew
W
ine making is an art and so is tasting, from ancient ages brewing and tasting wine, is considered to be a privilege. The elite class feel of tasting exotic wines can be summed up with three words; “Smell, Swirl and Sip.” On the part of brewing, often a wine maker's touch is considered to be a divine touch which can greatly affect the resulting flavor and aroma of the wine. Grapes are considered to be the heart and soul of wine making, besides the quality of grapes, aging also plays an important role in bringing out the best quality wine. The oak barrel aging process is considered to be the most authentic process of wine making. The first and foremost thing which comes to our mind when we hear the word “Wine” is ‒ Red wine or White wine? Though both red wines and white wines contain the same acids, tannins, glycerine and alcohol, the biggest difference is in the way they are made. The white wines are generally made with the light colored grapes and only
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grape juice is used to ferment and extract alcohol from them. But in case of red wine darker grapes are used with a huge amount of pigment still present in them, generally for making red wine grapes are often crushed with their stems still intact with them, the grapes are fermented with huge chunks of grapes matter and skin, later they are removed after fermentation. As a result two different wines are produced, the white wine with crystal clear transparent texture and tangy aroma, and for red wine it is dark and heavy in texture and have fruity aroma. Let’s focus on some of the terms, so next time you plan to visit a winery it would be easy to understand the wine maker's goals and the different styles of brewing wine before you taste them. Harvesting Sensing the right time to pick up the grapes is considered to be a big deal. The moment the grapes are picked, they decide the quality of wine to be made. Picking up earlier tend to produce wines with higher acidity and lower alcohol giving out green flavours
and acidic aromas and may also produce bitter tannin. Where as picking up later in the season tends to produce wines with much lower acidity and higher alcohol and more subtle tannin. A cooler climate with no rain, produces the best grapes with the perfect balance of acidity and alcohol. Choosing the Right Fermentation Technique Choosing the right fermentation temperature is an important technique which plays a crucial role in developing the flavours, colour and aroma in a wine. There are two techniques namely: Hot Fermentation: In hot fermentation the temperature can go up to 80 – 100 °F, where yeast metabolizes to produce alcohol. Warmer fermentations are significantly used for red wines for increased color and tannin. Cool Fermentation: Cooler fermentation technique is generally practiced for producing white and rose wines in cooler temperatures |FEBRUARY 2017
42 – 50 °F, which help to lock the delicate aromas of white wines. Delicate aromas are volatile in nature and at high temperature reaction happen faster and they evaporate. This is probably the main reason to opt for cool fermentation for producing white wines. Wine Aging As the saying goes, “Wine gets better with age” so, aging plays a vital role in determining the quality of wine. Oak aging is one of the most famous ways of traditionally aging of wine. It’s a myth that oak only adds vanilla flavor to the wine, rather it increases the wine’s exposure to oxygen during the aging process. Oxygen helps in decreasing tannin and help the wine to reach its optimal fruit quotient. Wines aged for several years in oak barrel develop woody, piney and subtle aromatic flavor and gives the ultimate richness to its taste. Another modern and easy way of fermenting wine is through the usage of steel tanks. Steel tanks are handy and are user friendly. Steel tanks limit the oxygen exposure to wine and keeps the wine fresh for a longer time. Bottling While buying a wine bottle, a customer often goes through a dilemma, whether to buy a bottle with screw cap, or a bottle with cork stopper? Cork stoppers gives more authentic and rustic feel, but they have their demerits too. Being porous in nature, corks allow unpredictable amounts of oxygen into the bottle which affects the taste and flavor of the wine. Where as screw caps are more practical and doesn’t allow oxygen to affect the wine inside the bottle. Wine making is all about passion, so covering everything in one article is quite impossible. So this insight would put some light on making wine rather than defining it fully.
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Joe Blauert: A Mission-Driven Successful Pioneer & ‘Pursuer of Excellence’
Joe Blauert, General Manager ProcessPro
“My overriding goal is to continue to grow ProcessPro by delivering world-class solutions and services to our target customers. Everything we do as a company is done with that end in mind”
T
oday’s food industry is experiencing new growth opportunities, as driven by consumer tastes and demands. But, taste is not the only thing this industry has to fulfill. The focus of food manufacturers has been refined by food safety and compliance as per the recent FSMA roll-out and the instant and global nature of today's media. As the consumer base is largely global,
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serving the customer while maintaining compliance is a challenge requiring manufacturers to keep a pulse on: deployment options (On-premises, SaaS, Cloud), meaningful analytics based on ever-increasing access to data, and the ability to consume information on mobile platforms that are changing the way people access and utilize business systems.
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With this intuitive perception, Joe Blauert, General Manager of ProcessPro comes with a mission to provide a comprehensive ERP solution for Food and Beverage Manufacturers that encompasses every aspect of business, from selling to planning production, to managing to manufacture, to shipping. ProcessPro has been on this journey for over three decades, building experience with process manufacturers and expertise in the ERP marketplace. Coming into this business, Joe strived to best leverage these assets by fine tuning the focus and industry expertise to better differentiate them in the market. What success means to Joe? “I think the best word that describes me is curious, and that trait is probably the biggest reason that I’ve been successful,” says Joe. Joe is driven to learn more about how the world around him works, and that has taken him across a wide variety of roles over the last 30 years in the software business. He held
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positions that span sales, operations, and finance, and that breadth of experience allows him to coordinate the efforts of every part of the business better and eliminate the internal “silos” that can keep a company from being successful. That curiosity is also what attracted him to ProcessPro and the solutions they provide for food and beverage manufacturers. As General Manager of ProcessPro, his primary focus is to ensure the company’s continued growth and evolvement to meet the vital needs of its clients and the ever increasing demand for its products and services. Joe has a robust and in-depth knowledge of ProcessPro's business as he has managed sales, business and product development, and operations. He is a strong leader with an open door policy and brings cohesive leadership across the entire organization. Previously, Joe held senior executive roles in sales, operations, and finance with HighJump Software, ADP, and
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Honeywell. He has a proven record of outstanding performance that includes being a significant contributor in building a business from $10 million to $90 million through organic sales growth, acquisitions, and international expansion. Joe’s leadership success has been driven by his ability to balance often opposing factors, such as strategic vision with day-to-day execution, and new customer acquisition with financial discipline. ProcessPro: A Complete Suite of ERP solutions for Food and Beverages Manufacturers ProcessPro provides comprehensive ERP solutions for food and beverage manufacturers that encompass every aspect of their business, from selling to planning production, to managing to manufacture, to shipping. Along the way, they provide the solutions needed to manage this complex process while meeting FDA requirements for cGMP’s, food safety and product traceability. Simply put, no one does this
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“Speaking your Language, Understanding your Needs” better than ProcessPro. The company delivers the software and tools they need to manage recipes, lot tracking, quality, and expiration of all ingredients and finished products, and meet recall requirements. Additionally, their most innovative solution provides manufacturers access to all data relating to sales, production and food safety; organized in intuitive visualizations, dashboards, KPI’s and reports, that can be viewed anywhere on any device.
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“Our success as a company is based on the focus I have described. My individual success is based on making sure everyone at ProcessPro maintains that focus” Teamwork makes the Dream Work “The best part about ProcessPro is truly the people - the heart and soul of the company.” Joe proudly quotes, “All software is an intangible product that is merely a digital representation of the knowledge, skill, and commitment to quality of the persons who develop it. Without these people and their dedication and commitment, ProcessPro and their customers would not be as successful as they are today.” Joe’s greater Intent towards his Customers While asking about objectives towards his clients, this is what Joe says, “As I learn more about the complexity and challenges our clients face, and how we as a company are uniquely qualified to solve them, I become more intrigued by how we could provide additional value. We deliver a comprehensive set of industry specific solutions to this ever-changing, dynamic market, and we’re looking forward to furthering innovation, and that is what drives us as a business and me as its leader.” ProcessPro’s team DNA comes from the core values of their organization. Namely “Customer Focus,” “Constant Improvement” and “Sense of Urgency.” These phrases provide them inspiration for what they do every day. They permeate ProcessPro from individual actions, through company meetings, through their performance appraisal process, and help direct their actions to improve their business and strive to make their customers more satisfied by providing the solutions they need to run their business better. Delivering those benefits ultimately comes to a full circle and makes them more successful as a result. Joe’s prelude and strategies which make them outstanding The primary strategy behind the success of ProcessPro has been to focus intently on a few wildly important goals, ensuring they do them extremely well, and never stop improving. The work they do for process manufacturing companies in highly regulated environments drives ProcessPro to excel in delivering FDA compliant solutions to food and beverage manufacturers. That strategy will not change. Therefore ProcessPro will continue to offer innovative ERP solutions into this market. Many software
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companies try to be everything to everyone, and that results in mediocrity for everyone involved. Their success lies in their singular focus and the depth of expertise that they obtain by doing so. That is what makes them the best at what they do! Bigger the Challenge Bigger will be the Achievement Joe’s favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur is the opportunity to lead people, and share his experiences with employees and customers. “My experience is fairly broad, and that breadth combined with an understanding of how all the pieces of business best fit together as a whole is one of the cornerstones of my success.” The other he believes is the employees of ProcessPro, as they indeed solve the problems the business faces. Their biggest challenges are the obstacles, both internally and externally, that get in the way of accomplishing their job. “My most important job is to remove those obstacles, allowing them to drive the success of the business. I believe achieving that with ProcessPro has been my biggest success,” asserts Joe. In today’s market, it is important to be ever vigilant in assessing what has made your business successful to date and what will continue to make you successful in the future. Therefore, in some ways, ProcessPro will not change, and in some ways improve significantly to keep pace. They will not alter their company focus on doing a few things very well, but their continued success will provide for expanding the opportunity globally, with larger companies and with the breadth of offerings they can deliver to their existing markets. The key to their future success is their ability to continue delivering value to the food and beverage marketplace through both software and industry knowledge. “As the leader of this business, I will continue to foster an environment where our employees can thrive and do what they do so well. Through identification and removal of internal and external barriers, I can help ensure the success of our employees, which makes ProcessPro successful and ultimately our customers as well,” asserts Joe.
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“Food is e ‘Memory’
Eat Better Love More Live Happier”
Appetite
T
he biggest term that is shaping the wellness ambit, ‘Superfood’ is just another lavish word for a downright amazing piece of food. Full of solid nutrients such as vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, Superfoods are nature’s offering for optimal health. These powerful foods are helpful in improving overall health by increasing energy, boosting the immune system, decreasing inflammation, supporting the body's detoxifying processes, and generally helping to balance the body. Kale, pomegranates, and acai berries are some of the superfoods that have been taking the spotlight for a while now. Nonetheless, there is one group of foods that is so good, if not better, and yet is highly underrated.
Hemp
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L u cu m a
R
e i s hi
Appetite We have thus, enlisted the most underrated superfoods that you should begin including in your diet from this very moment.
Hemp The hemp seed (when consumed raw) which is small yet mighty, is a foremost source of protein. Truthfully, it is the purest form of protein and perfect for those who don’t eat meat. Additionally, the balance of omega 6 and 3 acids, makes the hemp seed more beneficial for your heart’s health. What's more, the studies have actually proved that Hemp seeds can slow or stop cancer as a standalone treatment!
Blue Green Algae Although, blue green algae sounds scary, it is a magical salt water plant full of indispensable nutrients. Blue green algae that contains B vitamins, proteins, and irons, has been used to improve memory and energy in addition to treating several health weaknesses including anxiety, depression, and ADHD.
Lucuma An antioxidant-rich plant, mainly found in South America, Lucuma has a high percentage of beta-carotene and vitamin B3, and contributes to a well-rounded vegetarian diet. It’s naturally low-glycemic (i.e. low in natural sugars) and sweet, thus making it, a great sugar replacement (for diabetics and even for those who are sugar-sensitive). Want to maintain its health-boosting properties? You have to enjoy it raw.
Reishi Mushroom The endless healing benefits make this incredible fungus, “the medicine of kings.” These mushrooms are full with antiaging properties. Although, all types of mushrooms have many health benefits, it’s the reishi that gets used in Eastern medicine as a medicinal mushroom to help cure a number of conditions including high blood pressure, lung issues and neurodegenerative disorders.
Maca Maca that hails from the mountains of Peru, is a root vegetable popular for its great vitality control. This healing root has various health advantages such as endurance, increased energy, libido, strength, memory, and fertility. Although it’s beneficiary for all, maca is a boost and blessing for women’s health.
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Appetite Camu Berry Camu berry is one of the healthiest fruits in the world, and yet it's not familiar to many. A mysterious berry from the Amazon, Camu berry contains potassium, beta-carotene, and best of all, has the highest percentage of vitamin C on the earth. Couldn't get any better, it is said that Camu Berry is one of the most natural energy enhancers and antidepressants.
Sea Vegetables Some of us might know that the piece of seaweed we’ve been eating with our sushi has some serious health advantages. Let us think of some sea vegetables such as kelp, nori, and wakame – they all are rich in many nutrients including vitamins A & C, calcium, and iodine. These vegetables help regulate the thyroid and hormones, cleanse the body and reduce the risk of cancer.
Rhubarb This multicolored plant is not only a beautiful addition to your garden, but is a forerunner in your diet. Packed with potassium, fiber, calcium, and vitamin C & K, rhubarb has some serious nutrients hidden under its pretty stem. This beautiful plant improves circulation, helps promote bone growth, and is great for vision health.
Cacao The best has been left for the last. Delicious and decadent cacao that contains the highest proportions of antioxidants alongside a number of complex vitamins is one of the most nutritious foods out there. Boosting energy levels, mood, and libido, cacao is an all around happy food. Moreover, it helps in improving heart health, regulating blood sugar, and is anti-aging. Above listed are some of the most underrated superfoods that can improve our health, boost our moods, improve energy, regulate blood sugar and so on. The benefits that these foods provide are not getting recognized and thus, making it underrated. So, why not make these superfoods famous and give them the recognition they deserve, what say?
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On the Go.... With Organics The Way of Organic Living Make organics, a part of your life and get out of the maze of pesticides and animal byproducts. Make the 4 NO's a new food statement, NO Pesticides! NO Chemicals! NO Health Hazards! NO Environmental Hazards!
Mark Fachler Founder & CEO Vro, Inc.
Mark Fachler: T ransforming People's Lives with a Satisfied Palate
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experience in food preparation, manufacturing processes and e-commerce.
Monica Klausner Co-founder Vro, Inc.
Inception Story Every business has a story to tell, and the story behind Veestro starts from the childhood of Mark with his sister Monica Klausner (Co-founder). As Mark quotes, “growing up as brother and sister in a big family in Costa Rica we always loved the social aspect of sharing a great meal together. And we still look forward to those special times surrounded by friends and family and home-cooked food.” After relocating to the US for college, fast food became quick and easy to eat between classes and studying. As time went by, Mark struggled to find healthy and convenient meal options and working in banking for long hours only left him with little time to spend on cooking or grocery shopping which resulted in his every day meal being expensive as well as detrimental to his health. After much research, he realized that many people struggle with these same issues every day. People who were looking for solutions that best fit their lifestyles inspired Mark, and that’s how Veestro was born, right at the intersection between health and convenience. As a first step, Mark joined forces with a world-class gourmet chef who was born into a vegetarian family in Bolivia and perfected the art of plant-based dining. The chef’s culinary style was inspired by fresh cuisines from across the globe, yielding an eclectic set of flavorful vegan and vegetarian dishes. Veestro: Delivering 100% Plant-Based Food Veestro is a pioneer in the plant-based meal delivery space, which has emerged as the newest concept in Food
I
“
t is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind,” says Albert Einstein.
“We and out through The meal delivery space has been growing at an accelerated the quality of our meals pace, especially the plant-based and health segments. It’s been fascinating to see the level of innovation the industry (made from the freshe, locay has experienced over the last few years, whether it's food technology or packaging technology. sourced organic ingredients) Mark Fachler, Founder, and CEO of Veestro is a passionate “foodpreneur”, who comes with a mission to and our top-notch cuomer service” provide fully prepared gourmet meals with all-natural ingredients, no preservatives or animal products. Mark is an authoritative insider in the health-food space with ample
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Commerce. The company offers gourmet prepared meals, delivered straight to the door anywhere in the continental US, which means no more shopping, chopping, cooking or cleaning. Just heat and enjoy! Mark proudly states that “Veestro’s meal plans have changed people’s lives, and will change yours too,” He adds, “You can eat our meals knowing that you’re enjoying all-natural, preservative-free food that’s high in protein and fiber, packed with nutrients and simply delicious — straight from your refrigerator or freezer. Veestro is part of a movement that proves you don’t have to sacrifice taste and convenience for healthconscious, nutritious food. Enjoy!” Through their website, the company offers more than 45 different products to choose from, and customers have the option to order a la carte, meal packs designed for specific goals or subscribe to their service to receive automatic shipments. Mark has made great strides since the company’s launch to provide people with what they want: great tasting, chef-crafted and sustainable plant-based meals delivered straight to their doors, anywhere in the country. “Our end goal is to help people incorporate more vegetables into their diet, improving their health and lifestyle,” says Mark.
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Veestro’s Success Attributes Passion is the most important quality that Mark looks for their growing team. They strive to provide their customer with convenience and health packed in a delicious chefcrafted meal, complemented with information that will lead them to make smarter eating choices and create healthier habits. Veestro’s success can be attributed to a series of factors: Branding: A beautiful brand with a consistent voice and great values. Quality: High level of customer satisfaction results in positive reviews and high reorder rates. Topnotch customer service: Creates customer loyalty. Creating The Change The industry is changing rapidly, and the people at Veestro are always working hard to maintain the Veestro brand relevant. They accomplish that by being a part of the conversation. Over the years, they’ve participated in a
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variety of organizations, ranging from Plant Based Foods Association which educates the public on the importance of plant-based products and boosts consumer acceptance; to PETA who encourages plant-based nutrition with the purpose of minimizing animal consumption. Dreaming High, Achieving Big The best part of Veestro and the main reason it was founded was all about improving people's lives. Veestro management’s primary objective is to ensure that they remain at the forefront of the plant-based movement as it transitions into the mainstream. At Veestro they lead by example. As an entrepreneur,
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it’s important to understand every aspect of the business. Since the business was founded, Mark has taken part in every process, which has allowed him to find efficiencies in every task. As the company continues to grow at an accelerated rate, it’s crucial to have a set of best practices in place that can be adapted as volume increases. In less than four years, Veestro has achieved year over year growth of +200% and re-order rates that are considerably higher than the industry average. As of Q1 2017, the company is shipping 60,000 meals per month. www.veestro.com
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Healthy Oil, For a Healthy Living
Rice Bran Oil: Eat Healthy, Be Healthy Intend to reduce weight, lower your cholesterol or improve skin health? Then switch to Rice Bran Oil. Often termed as the substitute to olive oil, Rice Bran Oil is the one to take care of all your health concerns without burning a hole in your pocket.
A liquid hug for your Brain &
A perfect
Day
starts with a cup of
Coffee
Westfalia Technologies, Inc.: Delivering Unparalleled Solutions in Automation “Trust defines the core value that Westfalia was built on, the trust in our people, our products, and our customers. Earning this trust is not only achieved through the solutions we provide, but also by honoring the commitments we make to each other and our customers”
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estfalia Technologies, Inc.: Delivering Solutions with Passion Headquartered in York, Pa., Westfalia Technologies, Inc. a leading provider of logistics solutions for manufacturing facilities, warehouses and distribution centers, with over 100 installations in North and South America is proud to announce its 25th anniversary. Since 1992, Westfalia has been helping companies in industries such as: food, beverage, chemical and others to optimize warehouse processes and maximize storage efficiencies and savings. Westfalia is a global leader in the dynamic and rapidly growing automated materials handling industry and logistics business sector. The company is committed to serving as an industry expert in warehouse automation and leads by example through its commitment to continuous improvement of its products and solutions. The key here is to “lead by example.” This means Westfalia executes well and their reputation ultimately defines their report card. Westfalia is also a global leader in the automated parking sector, along with sister company, Westfalia Logistics Solutions in Germany, the combined companies employ approximately 300 individuals around the globe that embody the customer service experience that is intentional, consistent, differentiated, and valuable for each and every customer. Services Propound Westfalia’s expertise in combining software development with automated equipment manufacturing is the cornerstone of their ability to deliver turnkey solutions that meet each client’s specific needs with unsurpassed quality and control. Westfalia is committed to providing innovative and customizable logistical solutions, by utilizing both
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Daniel Labell President automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and conventional material handling equipment. Westfalia provides a variety of material handling solutions for their clients including: AS/RS, Savanna. NET®
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‘‘
Our mission is to deliver unparalleled warehousing solutions by earning the trust of our customers, understanding their business needs and honoring the commitments we make. Our business is about solving problems for our customers and building successful relationships with them
‘‘ Warehouse Execution System (WES) software, conveying equipment, order fulfillment solutions, pallet flow systems, automated parking systems, and automated self- storage systems. Westfalia has decades of experience designing and installing customized automated warehouse solutions throughout the world, encompassing multiple industries, including: food, beverage, chemical & industrial, paper & publishing, self-storage, third party logistics, and parking. When asked what key phrase would help to describe Westfalia’s operations, Daniel Labell, president, Westfalia Technologies, Inc. stated, “Innovation applied to common sense solutions. Our solutions are designed and built to meet customer’s specific business needs. We value the time spent in getting to know our customers and
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Westfalia provides to their customers are matched only by the innovation of their products. Their warehouse automation technology, is truly industry leading. Today, some of the most prominent manufacturers and distributors rely on Westfalia’s solutions to improve efficiencies, maximize space, raise throughput, streamline materials handling, and cut costs within their warehousing operations. And, unlike many technologies that quickly become obsolete or outdated, Westfalia’s solutions are designed for long-term use. Their quality, reliability, and flexibility give customers the ability to adapt to changing market conditions now and in the future. Westfalia Technologies, is a market leader in the automated parking industry as well. This forces the company to continuously think outside the box, creating custom solutions for each client’s specific needs with standard, innovative US manufactured products and solutions. ‘Working Together to Achieve Greatness’ “As president, I’ve seen our company develop its products and services over the past 25 years. Our employees have made that possible, and it’s been a joy to watch their success, motivation and self-development,” says Labell.
building a relationship to ensure we produce an innovative solution that will build upon their success now and in the future. We continuously evaluate our products and look for “what’s next” to stay at the top of our industry by providing world-class solutions.” Westfalia’s Unique Values Westfalia was built upon a set of core values: committed people and products that stand the test of time. These core values have led them to become a successful company and permeate through every aspect of the business, including the mission, vision, and commitments they make to each other, their customers, the industry, and the planet. The word ‘partnership’ is a key element of the Westfalia culture. Through their commitment to their customers’ success, Westfalia is an active partner in every stage of the project: planning, design, manufacturing, installation, testing, training, commissioning and service. All of the work put into each project is structured around meeting their customers’ specific business needs. “We respect our customers, and they do the same for us, through open and honest communication. This provides the path for a solid reputation in the industry,” assures Labell.
Recently, the company has undergone an internal restructuring, moving from a more traditional top-down organizational structure to a more employee-focused, empowered, and bottom-up structure. This “inverted pyramid”, as it is known to Westfalia, puts the emphasis on employees to help lead the change. Their commitment is to empower each employee with the knowledge, tools, and skills to make great decisions quickly – decisions that serve their customers, both internal and external, exceptionally well. They want to build strong relationships and powerful products that will stand the test of the time. Further, Labell said, “Keeping with our core expertise in warehouse automation, we seek continuous improvements for all of our products. We are always looking for ways to improve upon our existing solution designs and functionalities.” To demonstrate this commitment, Westfalia recently completed the development and installation of an in-house, multi-million-dollar testing/training facility. This facility allows the company to test equipment improvements and new software features that better their solutions, thus allowing them to stay at the forefront of technology. It also serves as a training facility, providing customers and employees with a hands-on, improved training experience using an AS/RS and WES.
Road to Future The personalized support and customized solutions that
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Interview with Insights Success
Eatfr h’s journey towards succ s
Q. Running a B2C venture is said to be challenging, it is also said that seeing success in food business is also not easy What made you start Eatfresh and how has your journey been since? In 2015, we had built out Ovenfresh, a 50 outlet bakery chain in Chennai and Bangalore, and were serving over 8000 customers a day. We observed the emergence of online ordering among Indian consumers, and realized that we unique a unique advantage to capture consumer needs given our operating experience and learnings at Ovenfresh. We knew from our experience building a proďŹ table business, that the economics of this space would work only for a full-stack model where gross margins would be higher than 50%. The decision to launch Eatfresh was a straight forward one, given our strengths and scale of the opportunity. This has held us in good stead to emerge as the fastest growing breakout player in the full-stack space. The last ten months with Eatfresh have been exciting and with the efforts of a strong team, things have worked out very well for us. Eatfresh is growing at a fast pace, with over 10X growth in sales and 11 hubs added in Bangalore since inception. We have served over 50,000 customers since our launch in August 2015.
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in the food industry Q. Explain what do you mean when you say Eatfresh is in the ‘food technolgy’ business - we are sure it is not as simple as putting a website and have people order in and the food is delivered? FoodTech or food-commerce is a very unique e-commerce business. Our product catalogue changes daily, the inventory is replenished on an hourly basis, we produce what we sell, and deliver in under 30 mins. That’s little crazy for an ecommerce business isn't it? Unlike traditional e-commerce, we have two huge spikes of order volume one around 12pm for lunch and 8pm for dinner. And, delivery has to be done within 20-30 minutes. So, imagine a system that has to orchestrate taking 100s of orders each hour, routing it to the delivery hub closest to the customer, then helping the team prepare and pack the right food for the right order, and then having a rider get it to the customer, all within 30 minutes or so. From the very start, we have been focused on building a business that outlasts individuals. Which means we have to constantly maintain a balance between efficiency and hyper growth. Rich data helps us in all aspects; for example, in market it helps with deciding what the referral reward program should be or which locality we should do our leaflet distribution. We use predictive analytics to manage production on an hourly basis across all delivery hubs. We mess up one in every few thousand orders; but, it works mostly because we work around how tightly our systems are integrated, facilitating seamless data flows from one app to another. Order and other consumer data flows seamlessly through to planning, sourcing of each ingredient, and to production control as all our recipes are 100% system integrated. Q. Your counterparts have opened (and shut) their service in more than one city - you have been in the game for 10 months and are still in one city - Why so. We have been running multi-city operations for our Oven Fresh brand in Chennai and Bangalore for the past three years. Based on this experience, we believe that achieving in-city penetration is a true proof of scale, and is our current focus. In addition, ground work for expansion of Eatfresh into Chennai is being laid. We have recently signed up 16,000 sq ft space in Chennai to expand our operations there. Q. In our research and even talking to you, you stress on ‘Chef Made Meals’ - explain it to us Eatfresh.com is an online food commerce platform, serving a daily changing menu of chef-made meals, salads, desserts and beverages. Our technology-led full-stack approach combines quality supply, scalability & great unit economics. Our curated, 5-star quality chefs operate from our commercial kitchens and we control the supply chain from procurement up to last mile delivery. Our model differentiates itself by being Chef-centric in approach -They are recognized both on our site and on each meal box served, fostering a relationship of feedback and curation between the customers and the Chefs.
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Q. In our conversation you shared that team ‘Eatfresh’ is not regular - How do you hire? For managerial levels we look for individuals who are passionate about the business model and what we want to achieve. We have found that self-starters with an ability to function independently work best in our setup. For junior levels, a good attitude and a desire to learn are key areas we measure for. Q. According to you, what is the future of ‘foodtechnology’ business in India? Proof of scalability in the full-stack space already exists - Jubilant Foodworks (Dominos India) became a unicorn long before the word was in vogue, and similar opportunities abound in virtually every food vertical in India. The secret ingredient that dramatically changes the economics of the space is the ‘Full-stack’ approach to on-demand food. Full-stack food players operate a tightly controlled supply chain, managing everything from cloud kitchens right up to the last mile delivery to the customer. By doing so, we at Eatfresh are able to control and guarantee every aspect of the customer food experience, from ingredients, hygiene, packaging to delivery times.
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www.nestle.com