Business Description
In my busy life as a lighting designer and part time fitness professional, I was always looking for healthy, gluten free food options to take with me on the go. The options were pretty bleak. Then, in 2011, I sampled BudiBars at a charity event. I became an instant fan and monthly subscriber, receiving a case of bars every month. They were the perfect food to toss in my briefcase and, along with a bottle of water, kept me satisfied and going strong for hours.
Fast forward to January 2015, and the day I received an email notifying me that my subscription had been cancelled. I panicked. What would I eat now? I went straight to my local gourmet store and bought the 100 bars they were storing their freezer. That kept me going for a few months – just long enough to develop a plan to buy BudiBar from its original founder.
By the time the deal was closed, the bars had been off the shelves for 7 months. The biggest challenge was getting that shelf space back – from small independents like my local gourmet store to institutional accounts to Whole Foods. But the response was uniformly positive – people were so excited that BudiBar was back! Last June, we signed on with Gourmet Guru, a well-established natural foods distributor based in NYC. Just this past Friday 9/16, we launched the brand in the tri-state area. In addition to our New England retailers, BudiBars will soon be available all over NYC, Long Island, New Jersey, and southern Connecticut!
BudiBars fit easily into the current trend of food label awareness and the increasing commitment to an “eat clean” lifestyle. They are a natural choice for consumers looking for healthy grab-and-go food options that satisfy very specific dietary needs and healthy living goals.
BudiBars are different from all other bars on the market. Enjoyed with a glass of water, the chia and hemp seeds expand to keep you full for hours. The antioxidants in dark chocolate, coconut, nuts, and seeds contribute to enhanced brain function – that’s why we call them “Food for Thought”. With two servings per bar, they can be a snack, a quick pick-me-up, or a full meal replacement. We’re very proud of our simple, natural ingredients and the benefit that these superfoods afford the body and mind. As a multi-year winner at the New England Dessert Showcase, you’ll find BudiBars bridging the gap between health and great taste!
What is the purpose of this loan?
With a comfortable level of inventory on hand, we will solve one of our most pressing problems – we are constantly running out of stock! Nearly every bar is sold before we even take delivery of a bake. With $4000, we will be able to finance a par inventory system with our commercial co-packer. Demo programs are crucial to BudiBar’s growth. $1000 would be devoted to staffing and samples for these in-store events.
Unless the raw ingredient inventory problem is solved, we cannot expect to keep up with the new demand fueled by the NYC tri-state brand launch. Revenues can only increase If we have a certain supply of bars in stock and ready to sell to our retailers, small wholesalers, and new distribution partner. As we buy in larger quantities to satisfy demand, our raw ingredient costs will go down and our profit margins will increase.
I have been bootstrapping this business for over a year, and have been so gratified with the response of both retailers and consumers. They love the bars, and I love making sure they remain available for all to enjoy. This small loan will be leveraged into a substantial return on investment. It will allow me to focus on developing more distribution channels, instead of worrying about how we will pay for operating expenses until our revenues increase and cash flow eases. Will it impact my family’s life? Just ask my daughters how hard I’m always working and I’ll tell you how reducing the cash flow stress will allow me to share more of my life with them.