Today we’d like to introduce you to Hema Reddy.
Hema, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
THE BACKSTORY:
It was 2010, and my son was about a year and a half old. As a working mom, I was finding it difficult to maintain a balance between my responsibilities as a marketing professional at IBM, and my personal life. My husband also had a busy job and we were trying our best to enjoy parenting and manage our careers.
My son couldn’t handle eating a variety of foods, and on the same count, as parents, and the last line of defense, we were also not being careful about our own food choices. We were relying on fast food several times a week or just not being mindful. I recalled how good a job my parents did when I was growing up, when eating veggies was not up for negotiation – it was a must. We ate meat/seafood/poultry once a week – i.e. Sunday.
It was then that I looked at all possible options in the supermarkets that had a good balance of protein, veggies, and grains, and offered a superior taste, without unfamiliar ingredients. The choices were zero.
I started making my own foods in the kitchen, and with my experience as a home cook for two decades, it was easy for me to come up with creative pasta sauces, fish cakes, chicken nuggets – all made with a laser focus on taste, texture, nutrition, and convenience. The family loved them. The friends loved them. The neighbors loved them.
I had found my purpose in life. The mission and fulfillment that I was always looking for, was right in front of me.
In December 2015, I took a leap of faith. I resigned from IBM and started doing my research about starting a CPG company.
I found Sneaky Apron, now known as Crafty Counter.
We had a small scale pilot launch in late 2017 at Austin’s SFC Farmers Market and our own website, plus a handful of stores in Austin. There was an overwhelming positive response from consumers.
I realized that Wundernuggets solve a problem for busy families, that’s very underserved. I invested into better packaging, figured out production, and partnered with regional consumer favorite retail chains like Central Market, National Distributors, and UNFI to build a path to make these available across TX and over time, nationwide.
Available in five diet friendly flavors, each SKU has only a few simple and familiar ingredients that are free from any artificial flavors, preservatives, or coloring.
Although initially made for kids, Wunderuggets have been a popular hit with young couples and millennials that want a simple nutritious and tasty snack. This prompted the team to release two spicy bold flavors as well. I guess, there’s a child in each one of us!
We recently launched in Walmart, in 13 states and gradually adding new distribution. Our journey has just begun, and I am so excited to share Wundernuggets with families across the US, and bring a few minutes of relief during that lunch or dinner time crisis.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road at all (surprise!). The learning curve is steep, as there are no books or courses written on it. Your sources of information are podcasts, networking events and several conversations with experts around you. You have to piece it all together and see what works for your brand. I have gotten good advice and some pretty bad advice.
Manufacturing is a big barrier to entry for your startups.
Getting chicken based products approved by USDA was a very long journey.
The margins on low volumes are unforgiving and make it seem like it isn’t a sustainable business at all.
Please tell us about Crafty Counter.
The goal is simple: Bring taste + texture + nutrition + convenience, all in one serving, ready in minutes. We want to make eating vegetables, fun!
The first of our creations are Wundernuggets, as I knew, no matter what, most kids would always eat a chicken nugget. Therefore, we found a creative way to combine chicken with plant-based protein sources like chickpeas, vegetables, and simple seasonings. Wundernuggets have become a solution for school lunches, a quick dinner rush, after sports practice hunger, and overall hassle-free experience for many families and loyal customers, already!
The Crafty Counter mantra is real food, real ingredients that you know of, with an emphasis on quality and taste. We are dedicated to making real, homemade foods that mothers can trust and rely on to feed their growing families.
We have five SKUs (Top 8 allergen free):
Two chicken based SKUs:
1) Rosemary Chicken – Ingredients: Chicken, Quinoa, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Chickpea Flakes, Sunflower Oil, Spices
2) Cayenne Chicken – Ingredients: Chicken, Cabbage, Chickpeas, Carrots, Chickpea Flakes, Sunflower Oil, Spices
Three Plant-Based SKUs:
1) Minty Lentil – Ingredient: Lentils, Cabbage, Carrots, Chickpeas, Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil, Spices
2) Turmeric Lentil – Ingredients: Lentils, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chickpeas, Chia Seeds, Sunflower Oil, Spices
3) Harissa Bean – Ingredients: Navy Beans, Chickpeas, Beets, Cauliflower, Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil, Spices
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Going to the farmers market with my father and picking up produce. He was such a fanatic about picking the right ingredients for everything we would make at home. If the produce and grains and everything else that goes into the pot is right, combined with a heaping amount of love, the food has to taste amazing, he would say.
Pricing:
- 7.99/bag
Contact Info:
- Website: Crafty Counter
- Phone: 5127434005
- Email: hema@craftycounter.com
- Instagram: @mycraftycounter
- Facebook: @mycraftycounter
- Twitter: @mycraftycounter
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
