This week I was fascinated to find out about Banza, a new pasta created by Brian And Scott Rudolph in 2014. The pasta is made from chickpeas and has double the protein, four times the fiber, and nearly half the net carbs of traditional pastas. Brian came up with the idea because he loved pasta and wanted one that offered health benefits so that he could enjoy eating it more. He had assistance from Venture for America, a program for recent graduates who have goals to revitalize American cities and communities through entrepreneurship.
Starting from scratch in the brothers’ Detroit kitchen that they shared with eight roommates, they perfected the chickpea pasta recipe. Then they frequented farmers’ markets and offered lots of in-store demonstrations, often jumping out of the aisle to get customers’ attention. “Have you tried this pasta?” they asked.
The pasta is a hit. “It’s been really exciting to see how the product has been resonating with people,” Brian notes. "Not only have we gone from two to 2,000 stores, but we even have some stores where we’re the number one selling pasta overall, which, if there’s anything that proves our thesis that we can actually change pasta, it’s having that happen.”
In addition to the brothers’ enthusiasm and persistence, an aspect of this story is important to every business. The success of Banza chickpea pasta is due to a changing business environment regarding food. More and more consumers are interested in healthy eating. They care about what is in their food. They want to consume foods that are nutritious and tasty.
McDonalds recently acknowledged this trend by testing a version of McNuggets that do not have artificial preservatives. The new McNuggets do not have sodium phosphates, used to keep the chicken moist, and will not be fried in oil containing the artificial preservative TBHQ. The testing began in 140 stores in Oregon and Washington state in March. The company statement called the recipe “simpler” and one “parents can feel good about.”
If your business sells food, you would be wise to recognize and respond to this changing business environment. Even if your business does not sell food, the basic message is the same. Know your customers and what they want. Stay on top of those wants. Find out if these wants are changing. In our fast-paced environment, these changes happen quickly. If you are not making a point to watch them, these changes can sneak up on you and hurt your business before you realize what is happening.
This week's marketing trivia challenge is How have your customers’ wants changed? E-mail me your answer.
Elizabeth K. Fischer
E-sessions help you make your marketing profitable
Starting from scratch in the brothers’ Detroit kitchen that they shared with eight roommates, they perfected the chickpea pasta recipe. Then they frequented farmers’ markets and offered lots of in-store demonstrations, often jumping out of the aisle to get customers’ attention. “Have you tried this pasta?” they asked.
The pasta is a hit. “It’s been really exciting to see how the product has been resonating with people,” Brian notes. "Not only have we gone from two to 2,000 stores, but we even have some stores where we’re the number one selling pasta overall, which, if there’s anything that proves our thesis that we can actually change pasta, it’s having that happen.”
In addition to the brothers’ enthusiasm and persistence, an aspect of this story is important to every business. The success of Banza chickpea pasta is due to a changing business environment regarding food. More and more consumers are interested in healthy eating. They care about what is in their food. They want to consume foods that are nutritious and tasty.
McDonalds recently acknowledged this trend by testing a version of McNuggets that do not have artificial preservatives. The new McNuggets do not have sodium phosphates, used to keep the chicken moist, and will not be fried in oil containing the artificial preservative TBHQ. The testing began in 140 stores in Oregon and Washington state in March. The company statement called the recipe “simpler” and one “parents can feel good about.”
If your business sells food, you would be wise to recognize and respond to this changing business environment. Even if your business does not sell food, the basic message is the same. Know your customers and what they want. Stay on top of those wants. Find out if these wants are changing. In our fast-paced environment, these changes happen quickly. If you are not making a point to watch them, these changes can sneak up on you and hurt your business before you realize what is happening.
This week's marketing trivia challenge is How have your customers’ wants changed? E-mail me your answer.
Elizabeth K. Fischer
E-sessions help you make your marketing profitable
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