Why have you chosen to develop products with these specific dietary requirements in mind?
I think more and more people are making the move to clean eating and returning to eating timeless, wholesome ingredients. The approach is very simple: eat fresh, wholesome foods with no additives.
Apart from the very small, but increasing, percentage of people diagnosed with coeliac disease there are huge parts of the population who through personal choice are simply feeling better by moving to either a grain-free or gluten-free diet. In a world where there are so many mixed messages about good nutrition, I think more and more consumers are making their own choices and if they feel better for those then they stick with them.
What are the specific market opportunities you're chasing?
As part of this move to clean eating, wheat free, gluten free and paleo are the biggest dietary groups globally in this area and they're growing rapidly. Our focus as a business is on the breakfast opportunity because when you combine dietary preferences and busy schedules this makes breakfast a particularly challenging time. On top of this I think there's more awareness than ever of what makes good food and flavours, so there's a real opportunity for tasty and convenient breakfast experiences in these categories.
What strategies have you found effective for reaching consumers who are wanting these kinds of products?
The most powerful thing for us has been having a presence at our local farmers' market, La Cigale French Market in Parnell. This gives us a chance in real time to hear consumers share their views, stories and frustrations and also experience first hand how our products can remove many of their tensions, which are mainly around taste and poor nutrition.
What are some other ways you're getting your brand message out there, particularly related to catering to people with special dietary needs?
We're only into our fifth week of trading, so these are limited, but we're also working with Coeliac New Zealand - as a member - to drive visibility of our products. We're also starting to work with a number of CrossFit gyms to get some visibility of our paleo range of products among their members. And we're exhibiting at the Gluten Free Food and Allergy Show in May in Auckland, and The Food Show in Auckland and Wellington, which we think will give us some excellent visibility to the right consumer base.
Social media also plays a key role here in terms of us being able to share information with the online forums dedicated to people with these dietary preferences and the overarching movement towards clean eating.
What have been some of the specific challenges you've faced starting a company in this space, particularly in terms of getting that message across around catering to specific dietary needs?
I think there's a consumer view that any nutritious breakfast cereals lack taste - and this is magnified if you talk in the context of gluten-free or paleo offerings; consumers inherently don't believe it will taste great. So La Cigale has been a great vehicle to get consumers to taste and really understand first hand that taste and good nutrition aren't mutually exclusive.
What's a key piece of advice you'd have for other business owners wanting to get their messages across to consumers with special dietary requirements?
I think Oscar Wilde said it best when he said 'be yourself; everyone else is already taken'. You need to identify your unique selling position, because just being gluten free isn't enough; this is a large and rapidly expanding market, but there are also a lot of large and established global brands playing in it. So I'd advise taking the time to develop your brand and product to reflect your USP and make sure all business decisions keep this in mind.
Coming up in Your Business: Building networks is important to keep connected, get exposed to new thinking, and get leads for new business. Who are some of the great small business networkers out there, what networks do they tap into and how have they made the most of them? If you've got a story to share, drop me a note: nzhsmallbusiness@gmail.com
