Chilau Foods
Award-winning better-for-you soups with BOLD southern flavor and nationwide distribution
$112,750
Highlights
Featured Investor
“I ordered the Chilau Foods product the first time April 2, 2020. Little did I know the Variety 4 Pack I got would send me into a cooking frenzy! This product was so good, like slap your mamma good, I immediately ordered more to keep my personal pantry stocked. The Chilau Food product line has become a favorite for many of my friends and family. The Recipes they provide on the website are to die for, and for me, a person who loves to cook and explore my culinary creativity, have had so much ...”
Our Founder
Pitch
*Our boil base is the "first-of-its-kind" to the best of our knowledge; there could be an earlier product that we are unaware of.
The Discovery Phase
Chilau's journey to becoming a celebrated retail brand began with a crucial Discovery Phase, where we meticulously developed our brand and product assortment over years by actively listening to customer feedback in the direct-to-consumer (D2C) space. This customer-centric approach led to significant accomplishments, including serving over 20,300 customers online, earning 1,100 five-star reviews, and building a strong social media presence with 30K followers. Notably, we achieved a 20% repeat customer rate, underscoring the loyalty and satisfaction of our customer base.
Before introducing Chilau as a retail brand, founder Michael attentively waited for the signal from our customer faithful. It was their enthusiastic endorsement that propelled us into the retail space in 2023. This transition from discovery to retail launch represents a pivotal moment in Chilau’s history, driven by a deep understanding of our customers' desires and the readiness to meet their needs on a larger scale.
Retail Traction Summary
Since its debut at the Winter Fancy Food Show, Chilau Foods has seen remarkable traction in the retail sector. Our journey began with the Specialty Food Assoc. awarding Chilau 'On Trend Product', which set the stage for a series of successful IN/OUT promotions with major retailers like Hy-Vee and Market District. This momentum culminated in our retail launch in October 2023, where we launched with leading grocery chains such as Winn-Dixie, United Grocers, Albertsons Market, and Market Street.
Impressively, in less than 10 months from our introduction to retail, Chilau has secured distribution with anchor accounts at the two largest distributors in the country - UNFI and KeHE. Additionally, we have captured Food Services Distribution through Performance Food Service, whose chefs have tested the product and expressed excitement about the opportunities ahead in 2024. Chilau’s rapid growth and expansion into these significant channels underscore the brand's potential and the enthusiasm for our products in both the retail and food service sectors.
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