meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The Startup CPG Podcast

#93 Creating a More Equitable & Transparent Food System with Amazi

The Startup CPG Podcast

Startup CPG

Startup, Food, Business, Beverage, Cpg, Entrepreneurship

4.9 • 642 Ratings

🗓️ 6 June 2023

⏱️ 52 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Consumers are looking for more and more transparency into the sourcing and production of their products. We’ve had Social Nature on the show to talk about The Modern Wellness Consumer and the data backing their values based shopping, and I wanted to dig into the behind the scenes of a brand building a really transparent supply chain. Renee Dunn, Founder of Amazi, has been in the Startup CPG community from the beginning, and I’ve been following them for a couple of years. Amazi is on a mission to help people snack on purpose with their 100% made in Uganda tropical fruit snacks and are building a more sustainable and equitable supply chain. Earlier this year, the Amazi team posted a reel on Instagram with Joel, their Operations and Co-Production Manager based in Uganda, and I asked Renee if her and Joel would be willing to come on the show and talk about building their transparent supply chain and navigating an operation spanning two continents. Thankfully they both said yes and we had a great conversation that I’m excited to share today.

Listen in as Renee & Joel share about:

  • How Renee got started sourcing products from Uganda and when she met Joel to discuss building a facility and scaling
  • The process of building out a facility in Uganda
  • How Amazi worked with Sprouts to postpone their launch to support getting the facility opened
  • What it looks like to work with local farmers and the process of bringing the fruit to the facility
  • How the finished product journeys to the US and makes it to store shelves
  • Their emerging work in private label and ingredient supplying to create more demand for products from the Uganda facility and farms
  • And more!

Also a quick note that Joel’s audio can be a little tougher to hear at times due to the internet connection, but how cool is it that technology allows us to record podcasts with people across the world! I think you are going to find Joel’s perspective combined with Renee’s so helpful, so let’s dive in.

This episode was sponsored by Shopify. Go to shopify.com/startupcpg.
This episode was sponsored by IFT. Go to iftevent.org.
This episode was sponsored by Promomash + Crisp. Go to promomash.com/startupcpg.

Episode Links:

Shopify Links:

IFT Links:

Promomash/Crisp Links:

  • Try Promomash + Crisp free for 30 days here
  • Webinar recording: Promomash + Crisp Present: The Next Big Thing in WFM Demo Analytics
  • Webinar recording: Distributor Data 101: 5 Things Brands Should Be Tracking and Why

Show Links:

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

That's the sound of another sale on your online Shopify store. But did you know that Shopify powers

0:06.0

in-person selling too? From events to farmers markets to shows, Shopify is the sound of selling

0:12.2

everywhere. I've definitely been selling at an event and struggled between reconciling payment

0:17.2

processors, inventory before and after the event, and easy reporting.

0:25.9

With Shopify, you get a powerhouse selling partner that effortlessly unites your in-person and online sales into one source of truth.

0:28.7

From accepting payments to managing inventory, Shopify has everything you need to sell in person.

0:34.1

Prep for your next event with hardware that fits your business.

0:37.0

Take payments by

0:37.8

smartphone, transform your tablet into a point of sale, or use Shopify's point of sale,

0:42.8

go mobile device for a battle tested solution. Plus, Shopify's award-winning 24-7 help is there to

0:48.8

support your success every step of the way. Sign up for a $1 per month trial period at Shopify.com slash startup CPG, all lowercase.

0:59.3

Go to Shopify.com slash startup CPG to take your retail business to the next level today.

1:06.7

Shopify.com slash startup CPG.

1:12.8

Our existing ingredient partners are companies that make a product that shares the values,

1:19.6

and they want to be able to tell their customers that every single ingredient has been sourced with integrity,

1:24.3

and I think we're seeing more and more of that.

1:26.5

We're very, fruit from smallholder families.

1:28.9

Basically, families that basically produce some fruit for sale and some to keep for themselves.

1:35.7

Welcome to the Startup CPG podcast. I'm your host, Jesse Freytag.

1:40.2

Consumers are looking for more and more transparency into the sourcing and production of their products.

1:46.0

We've had social nature on the show to talk about the modern wellness consumer and the data backing their values-based shopping.

1:53.0

And I wanted to dig into the behind the scenes of a brand building a really transparent supply chain.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Startup CPG, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Startup CPG and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.