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In this episode, Nick talks with Peter from Family Foods in Toronto, Canada, who shares his journey of unexpectedly growing his business during the pandemic. Peter, a professionally trained chef, began making patties and pot pies at home as a project during the pandemic. The business took off after a popular Toronto blog featured them, leading to nearly a thousand orders in three days. Peter discusses how this unexpected boost compelled him to pursue the business full-time.
Peter on his Online Food Business
A blogger unexpectedly featured Peter's food business, leading to a surge of thousands of orders over a weekend, totaling around 30,000 patties. At the time, Peter was handling about 20 orders per weekend while working full-time in demolition. The influx forced him to quickly find a commercial kitchen, acquire necessary tools, and figure out packaging and logistics. Initially, he used a CRM system for home services to manage orders and delivered them himself. This transformation turned his small pandemic project into a full-time business.
The Importance of Talking to Customers
Peter had to accept long delivery times, with customers waiting up to four months. Despite delays, customers were happy when reminded of their orders. Personally delivering products helped Peter understand customer needs and refine his brand presentation. Although not scalable, this early personal touch was crucial. His wife’s tech and design skills contributed significantly to their professional branding and website, which features bright blue and yellow, matching the product's look.
How Do You Bring Your Brand To Life?
To convey the sensory experience of taste through branding, Peter hired a professional to design their color palette and fonts, ensuring they matched the vibe of their products. Despite initial personal preferences, the focus was on what would attract and resonate with customers. This approach has been crucial for the success of their business, as it creates positive associations even when customers aren't physically tasting the food. Hiring professionals for branding helped present the business in a way that appeals to customers, proving more effective than relying on personal taste alone.
How to Sell a Food Product on Shopify
Since the early pandemic days, Peter's business has evolved significantly. Today, they use Square for online orders and focus on making the purchasing process easy. Despite having an online store, most sales happen in their storefront. Key to their success is excellent customer service and continually improving product quality. Peter personally ensures each customer feels welcomed and acknowledged, emphasising the importance of positive interactions. This approach, combined with consistently high-quality food, drives repeat business and strong word-of-mouth recommendations.
The Best Ways To Use Social Media For Your Business
Peter's business has tried various marketing strategies, finding success in social media and email campaigns when executed well. He stresses learning from experts and consistently improving content. For those struggling, he suggests collaborating with influencers. His main focus is on creating engaging content that attracts and retains customers.
Check out the full online food store podcast here.