Three Wishes是一種全新的谷物類食品:它標榜自己既保留了那種“兒時記憶中的美味”,又更加健康。Three Wishes打出的廣告是高蛋白、低糖、無麩質和無谷物。這幾乎就是為所有年齡段的孩子——以及那些永葆童心的成年人——量身定做的。
這家初創公司成立于2019年10月——就在新冠疫情爆發前的幾個月。但是,該公司的關注點不在直接面向消費者,而是將零售商的數量擴大了一倍,這項策略也確實讓它們收獲頗豐。Three Wishes表示,通過與Sprouts、全食超市(Whole Foods Market)和韋格曼斯(Wegmans)等全國零售商的合作,它們去年的銷售額實現了“從零到百萬級”的增長。該品牌計劃在2021年年底之前,讓其盒裝谷物食品覆蓋大約1,500至2,000家門店。
Three Wishes還是谷物類食品賽道中第一個由女性創立的品牌,并為此而自豪。該公司稱,這一行業有史以來一直由男性主導。首席執行官瑪格麗特?威辛格勒是兩個孩子的母親(今年,她既為事業奔波,又生了一個孩子),她自己也出身于一個移民家庭。
最近,《財富》雜志采訪了Three Wishes的聯合創始人瑪格麗特和她的丈夫伊恩,和他們聊了聊,建立和經營一家食品初創公司是一種怎樣的體驗。
以下采訪內容經過精簡和編輯。
《財富》雜志:你能否跟我們分享一下在成立Three Wishes之前的背景?
伊恩:在推出Three Wishes之前,我經營著自己的一家品牌推廣和廣告機構,服務的客戶既有像美國電話電報公司(AT&T)、帝亞吉歐(Diageo)和雀巢(Nestle)那么大的,也吸引了一些最有趣的初創公司。瑪格麗特是“參謀長”。我們的一生都在為各種各樣的品牌提供創意,并一直想著有朝一日,也能夠為自己的品牌提供創意。
是什么促使你們成立Three Wishes的?
瑪格麗特:我們的兒子埃利斯。當我第一次做媽媽時,我對寶寶食品的每種成分都非常挑剔。人們向我推薦谷物食品時,我突然間有了靈感:市面上沒有一種真正讓人放心、對人體有益、讓我愿意給兒子吃、也愿意自己吃的谷物。而如果找不到的話,我就自己做了。
走進全美各地的大多數超市,可供選擇的谷物食品多種多樣。是什么讓Three Wishes與眾不同?研發過程是怎樣的?為什么選擇了這些口味和成分?
瑪格麗特:在開架類谷物食品中,Three Wishes是唯一只選用一顆谷物中最好的部位、擇去不好部位的產品。對谷物類食品來說,這一點是革命性的。人們可以選擇一種由麥麩制成、但營養成分不足的產品,也能夠選擇相反的產品——我們打造了一種無麩質、但營養豐富、成分干凈的谷物,口感絲毫不受影響。我們一直致力于讓自家產品吃起來和傳統谷物類食品一樣,從味道到泡了牛奶之后的口感,甚至是可以讓牛奶變成什么樣的顏色。
我們花了兩年多的時間研發這款產品,確保它吃起來能夠讓人聯想起兒時的最愛。我們有肉桂、蜂蜜、不加糖、可可、水果和撒了糖霜的口味。我們的兒子埃利斯提出更多口味上的要求,我們就根據他的意見選擇了最終的配方和產品。
你們是在新冠疫情爆發前的幾個月成立Three Wishes的嗎?疫情對你們的商業計劃產生了怎樣的影響?你們必須做出哪些改變?比如供應鏈和分銷模式等。
瑪格麗特:我們很幸運,我們有周密的計劃,與零售商建立了穩定的合作關系,并且碰巧做好了準備。我們的許多競爭者都專注于直接面向消費者,但我們一直都是專注和零售商合作的全渠道品牌,一旦在大流行期間谷物消費激增、供應鏈受影響,這種模式就會大獲成功。
我們一直計劃要做一個全渠道品牌,重點關注實體產品。疫情讓我們迅速重新評估了電商計劃。在三周內,我們就重新上線了一個購物體驗更好的新網站。人們也可以通過線下零售商的“電商平臺”找到我們,例如亞馬遜(Amazon)、Thrive和Fresh Direct。一夜之間,疫情改變了消費者在電商平臺的購物體驗。我們也立即在Instacart和亞馬遜等平臺上投資。消費者們不再在超市里轉來轉去,看看能不能發現什么新鮮的東西,所以我們必須發揮創意,讓人們了解我們的品牌,然后直接在商店里去找產品。
展望未來,你們對Three Wishes在未來五年內的發展有怎樣的愿景?
瑪格麗特:我們在建立客戶聲譽和信任方面投入很大。我們只想成為一個憑借消費者的口碑而家喻戶曉的品牌。我們也正在努力創新,讓我們成分優質、口味出眾的新產品更受歡迎。(財富中文網)
編譯:陳聰聰
Three Wishes是一種全新的谷物類食品:它標榜自己既保留了那種“兒時記憶中的美味”,又更加健康。Three Wishes打出的廣告是高蛋白、低糖、無麩質和無谷物。這幾乎就是為所有年齡段的孩子——以及那些永葆童心的成年人——量身定做的。
這家初創公司成立于2019年10月——就在新冠疫情爆發前的幾個月。但是,該公司的關注點不在直接面向消費者,而是將零售商的數量擴大了一倍,這項策略也確實讓它們收獲頗豐。Three Wishes表示,通過與Sprouts、全食超市(Whole Foods Market)和韋格曼斯(Wegmans)等全國零售商的合作,它們去年的銷售額實現了“從零到百萬級”的增長。該品牌計劃在2021年年底之前,讓其盒裝谷物食品覆蓋大約1,500至2,000家門店。
Three Wishes還是谷物類食品賽道中第一個由女性創立的品牌,并為此而自豪。該公司稱,這一行業有史以來一直由男性主導。首席執行官瑪格麗特?威辛格勒是兩個孩子的母親(今年,她既為事業奔波,又生了一個孩子),她自己也出身于一個移民家庭。
最近,《財富》雜志采訪了Three Wishes的聯合創始人瑪格麗特和她的丈夫伊恩,和他們聊了聊,建立和經營一家食品初創公司是一種怎樣的體驗。
以下采訪內容經過精簡和編輯。
《財富》雜志:你能否跟我們分享一下在成立Three Wishes之前的背景?
伊恩:在推出Three Wishes之前,我經營著自己的一家品牌推廣和廣告機構,服務的客戶既有像美國電話電報公司(AT&T)、帝亞吉歐(Diageo)和雀巢(Nestle)那么大的,也吸引了一些最有趣的初創公司。瑪格麗特是“參謀長”。我們的一生都在為各種各樣的品牌提供創意,并一直想著有朝一日,也能夠為自己的品牌提供創意。
是什么促使你們成立Three Wishes的?
瑪格麗特:我們的兒子埃利斯。當我第一次做媽媽時,我對寶寶食品的每種成分都非常挑剔。人們向我推薦谷物食品時,我突然間有了靈感:市面上沒有一種真正讓人放心、對人體有益、讓我愿意給兒子吃、也愿意自己吃的谷物。而如果找不到的話,我就自己做了。
走進全美各地的大多數超市,可供選擇的谷物食品多種多樣。是什么讓Three Wishes與眾不同?研發過程是怎樣的?為什么選擇了這些口味和成分?
瑪格麗特:在開架類谷物食品中,Three Wishes是唯一只選用一顆谷物中最好的部位、擇去不好部位的產品。對谷物類食品來說,這一點是革命性的。人們可以選擇一種由麥麩制成、但營養成分不足的產品,也能夠選擇相反的產品——我們打造了一種無麩質、但營養豐富、成分干凈的谷物,口感絲毫不受影響。我們一直致力于讓自家產品吃起來和傳統谷物類食品一樣,從味道到泡了牛奶之后的口感,甚至是可以讓牛奶變成什么樣的顏色。
我們花了兩年多的時間研發這款產品,確保它吃起來能夠讓人聯想起兒時的最愛。我們有肉桂、蜂蜜、不加糖、可可、水果和撒了糖霜的口味。我們的兒子埃利斯提出更多口味上的要求,我們就根據他的意見選擇了最終的配方和產品。
你們是在新冠疫情爆發前的幾個月成立Three Wishes的嗎?疫情對你們的商業計劃產生了怎樣的影響?你們必須做出哪些改變?比如供應鏈和分銷模式等。
瑪格麗特:我們很幸運,我們有周密的計劃,與零售商建立了穩定的合作關系,并且碰巧做好了準備。我們的許多競爭者都專注于直接面向消費者,但我們一直都是專注和零售商合作的全渠道品牌,一旦在大流行期間谷物消費激增、供應鏈受影響,這種模式就會大獲成功。
我們一直計劃要做一個全渠道品牌,重點關注實體產品。疫情讓我們迅速重新評估了電商計劃。在三周內,我們就重新上線了一個購物體驗更好的新網站。人們也可以通過線下零售商的“電商平臺”找到我們,例如亞馬遜(Amazon)、Thrive和Fresh Direct。一夜之間,疫情改變了消費者在電商平臺的購物體驗。我們也立即在Instacart和亞馬遜等平臺上投資。消費者們不再在超市里轉來轉去,看看能不能發現什么新鮮的東西,所以我們必須發揮創意,讓人們了解我們的品牌,然后直接在商店里去找產品。
展望未來,你們對Three Wishes在未來五年內的發展有怎樣的愿景?
瑪格麗特:我們在建立客戶聲譽和信任方面投入很大。我們只想成為一個憑借消費者的口碑而家喻戶曉的品牌。我們也正在努力創新,讓我們成分優質、口味出眾的新產品更受歡迎。(財富中文網)
編譯:陳聰聰
Three Wishes is a new kind of cereal: one that touts to be healthier but still tastes like a childhood indulgence. Advertised as high in protein, low in sugar, and gluten and grain-free, Three Wishes is meant for kids (and kids at heart) of all ages.
The startup launched in October 2019, just months before the pandemic broke out. But instead of focusing on delivering direct-to-consumers, the company doubled down on retailers—and saw huge payoff in the launch strategy. Three Wishes says it went "from zero to multi-millions in sales" in the last year thanks to national retail accounts like Sprouts, Whole Foods Market, and Wegmans. The brand plans to have its cereal boxes on the shelves of roughly 1,500 to 2,000 stores by the end of 2021.
Three Wishes also prides itself as the first female-founded brand in the cereal aisle, which the company says has been historically dominated by men. CEO Margaret Wishingrad is a mother of two (she gave birth to both her business and a child this year), and a daughter of immigrants.
Fortune recently spoke with cofounders Margaret and her husband, Ian, about what it's like establishing and running a food startup.
The following interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
Fortune: Can you share a bit about your professional background prior to launching Three Wishes?
Ian: Prior to launching Three Wishes, I ran my own branding and advertising agency working on clients as large as AT&T, Diageo, and Nestle, to some of the most interesting startups. Margaret was the Chief of Staff. We’ve spent our whole lives coming up with big ideas for brands and always wanted to create one for ourselves.
What inspired you to launch Three Wishes?
Margaret: Our son, Ellis. When I became a mama for the first time, I was so picky about every single ingredient that I would feed my little one and when cereal was a recommendation for introductory finger foods I had my a-ha moment. There was no clean, truly better-for-you cereal on the market that I was excited to feed my son and also consume myself. If you can’t find it, make it.
Walking into most grocery stores anywhere in the U.S., there is no shortage of options in the cereal aisle. What makes Three Wishes different from the rest? What went into the research and development process for the chosen flavors and ingredients?
Margaret: Three Wishes is the only cereal on shelves that takes the best parts of cereal and subtracts the worst parts; it’s revolutionary for the aisle. We were able to take a product that is nutrient deficient and grain-based and turn it around. We created a grain-free, nutrient-dense, clean ingredient cereal without any compromise on taste. We worked tirelessly on being able to replicate the traditional grain-based cereal experience from the way it tastes to the way it soaks in milk, or even turns your milk a fun color.
We spent over two years developing the product to make sure that it reminds you of your childhood favorites. We offer cinnamon, honey, unsweetened, cocoa, fruity, and frosted flavors. We knew we landed on our final recipe and product when Ellis asked for more.
You launched Three Wishes just months before the pandemic? How did that upend your business plan? What kind of changes did you have to make, including along your supply chain and distribution models?
Margaret: We were lucky that we planned well, secured solid relationships with retailers, and were coincidentally prepared. A lot of our competitors focus on direct-to-consumer, but as an omnichannel brand dedicated to our retailers, it paid off in spades once cereal consumption exploded during the pandemic and supply chains were thrown.
We always planned to be an omni-channel brand with a heavy focus on brick and mortar, the pandemic made us quickly reassess our e-comm plans. In three weeks, we relaunched a newer website with a better shopping experience. We became available in grocery "e-tailers," such as Amazon, Thrive, and Fresh Direct. Overnight the pandemic transformed consumers' comfort with online grocery shopping. We immediately invested in platforms like Instacart and Amazon. As consumers ceased wandering in the aisles of supermarkets looking for new things, we had to get creative with how people would discover our brand and then look for it in store.
Looking forward, where do you want to see Three Wishes in five years?
Margaret: We’re investing a lot in reputation and trust from our customers. We’d love nothing more than to become a household brand, born of that trust. We are also working on innovating to be able to deliver new products filled with great ingredients, macros, and flavor.