20CENT Style Zenko Superfoods
There are products that I would like to see on the shelves because of their history, their quality or simply because they amaze me. Here is one of them for this instalment of 20/CENT Style. In the next lines, I will present you the range of snacks from Zenko Superfoods. When I discovered these snacks, I was quite intrigued since the company is using types of popped seeds and grains which you don’t find on the European shelves so far. But these superfoods and most importantly their end-products are quite surprising and certainly deserve a place on our market. Let me tell you why.
Where it all began
The company was founded in 2019 in Singapore by two Belgians, Jochim Goedeweeck and Wouter Duyck. The mission of Zenko Superfoods is to transform ancient superfoods into healthy, modern, and plant-based snacks. They also have their own processing facility located in India, led by co-owner Basil Tindemans. To guarantee a traceable, transparent, and sustainable supply chain, the company developed a Seed2Snack Model. In their model the company works consciously and directly with local farmers to source its superfood ingredients.
A healthy and most importantly, pleasant portfolio
The company offers quite an original assortment of snacks. You can divide their portfolio in two ranges: Water lily pops and Ancient Grain Clusters.
Water Lily Pops are made from popped seeds of the water lily flower. These plants grow in ponds filled with water from the Himalayas and have been harvested for over two thousand years by local fishermen communities in North-East India. After being collected, these seeds undergo careful selection and processing. Once the seeds are converted into pops, they get roasted and seasoned to get a crunchy and tasty snack. You could compare the product to popcorn when it comes to texture and taste. However, this snack is a healthier version of it.
The second range; the Ancient Grain Clusters, undergo a similar production process but are made of clusters from popped grains of the sorghum plant. It is traditionally known in India as `Jowar` and has been around for thousands of years. This crop is part of what some qualify as the “seven ancient grains”, a group of grains which over the course of time have never been genetically modified.
Both snack ranges are plant-based, gluten free, high in protein and offer antioxidant properties. Obviously, these are all great qualities, but most importantly they also taste great. Otherwise, what would be the point right? Salty, plain, spicy, sweet… there is something for everyone. Personally, I would advise you the Spicy Water Lily Pops or the ones flavored with Himalayan Pink Salt. If you prefer something sweet, the Dark Chocolate Ancient Grain Clustersshould become one of your favorite guilt-free snacks.
My 20/CENT a proof of concept with potential
Honestly, I do believe the concept has serious potential. Of course, the snack category is a tough one. We all know it! But, the ranges from Zenko Superfoods are different than what is currently available on the market. The products are tasty and totally in line with the category trends. The consumer wants to snack, but also desires healthier alternatives compared to the classics. There is a plethora of snacks based on rice, corn, potatoes… The superfoods used by Zenko bring much more variety and jazz to the category.
Furthermore, I believe this company has proven itself over the last couple of years and is ready to conquer Europe. In the beginning, it did what it was supposed to do. It was all about managing the supply chain and its own production facility to ensure quality from seed to snack. But also, Zenko Superfoods has been successfully developing the South-East Asian market. It developed a strong presence in over 150 stores in Singapore and built a loyal community by working directly with consumers through events, influencers, and corporate vending. The company is simply ready to roll out into new markets.
I had the chance to chat with one of the founders and it looks clear to me that they want to continue to grow also in Europe, Middle East and further in Asia. But thankfully, it seems the founders understand that they need to adapt their methods accordingly and must carefully approach each market while taking region specifics into account. Clearly, they understand the task at hand and their ambition is paired with a plan.
To summarize, you have an innovative snack which is tasty and surfs on the current market trends, a sourcing and transformation process which offers traceability and quality, a clear view of how to conquer different markets with an adaptive approach region per region…Zenko Superfoods ticks many boxes of the perfect concept. Hence, in my opinion, this is the kind of story that deserves a place on your shelves.
For those who want to discover more about the company or get in touch with Zenko Superfoods: www.zenkosuperfoods.com or just get in touch with Jochim Goedeweeck via jochim@zenkosuperfoods.com or +32488114972
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