I'm excited to share a project I've been working on for the past year: helping bring wild Maasai honey from Africa into the United States. This one has been close to my heart from the very beginning. The Maasai tribes have access to beautiful, organic wild honey with a rich, unique flavor harvested from

https://youtu.be/hZpyuF4kUX4?si=lHXTOXw6dsRO1dJ_ Importing Food to the U.S.? Your Recipe Is Not the Advantage Early in my career, I was handed a cookie recipe by Wally Amos, the founder of Famous Amos. You would think that was the moment. The secret. The edge. It wasn’t. What I learned that day is something every food entrepreneur

https://youtu.be/vQw1ajc-2Cs?si=W3gxoliWKqEPcB2n If you are building a food brand and thinking about the U.S. market, you are likely asking some version of these questions: Can I get into Costco?How do I respond to a Whole Foods opportunity?What does it really take to export into the United States?Do I need an FDA license?How do I

https://youtu.be/qELofyNYKoc The U.S. food market is one of the largest in the world. In categories like salty snacks alone, Americans spend more than $31 billion annually. Major players such as Frito-Lay control a significant portion of that space. For many international food brands looking to import into the United States, this creates a

https://youtube.com/shorts/cfc8gs4hzFc Growth feels good. New accounts. New regions. More distribution. It looks like progress from the outside. But in the food business, growth without discipline can quietly undermine everything you have built. I have seen brands gain traction, expand aggressively, and then struggle to maintain shelf space because the foundation was not strong

https://youtube.com/shorts/OAKtJyQA4tg?si=5JZI7sSwPOTCDd2_ Raising capital is not the hardest part of growing a food brand. Using that capital effectively is. I have worked with brands that secured significant funding, only to struggle with execution. They expanded too quickly, entered the wrong markets, or failed to build the operational foundation needed to support growth. In one

https://youtube.com/shorts/lneqAmUktGc?si=gzQ-GNefa088rFz7 There is one labeling mistake that can shut down your product faster than almost anything else in the food industry. It is not pricing.It is not packaging design.It is not distribution. It is missing an allergen on your label. When that happens, the FDA does not send a warning letter first. In

https://youtube.com/shorts/_QouwqqLJK0?si=h6S2XCK5CVHmjRYJ One of the most common mistakes I see from food founders is expanding too quickly. The product gains some traction, a few accounts come on board, and the next thought is national distribution. It feels like momentum. It feels like growth. In reality, it often leads to instability. Scaling a food brand

https://youtube.com/shorts/APObVf49b5o?si=XaZZUSGvOLdTcQvQ Importing food into the United States can feel overwhelming for companies entering the market for the first time. The regulatory environment is complex, the documentation requirements are strict, and mistakes can lead to delays at the port or even refusal of entry. However, the process does not have to be confusing or

https://youtube.com/shorts/GUPMAvctScg?si=KBDLjOGLImtPNEzk When a shipment of food is heading to the United States, many importers focus on logistics. They track the container, monitor vessel schedules, and prepare distribution plans. Meanwhile, regulators are examining something far more important. They are reviewing the Prior Notice submission. Prior Notice is a mandatory filing that informs the U.S.