Welcome to the Startup CPG podcast.

We help Startup CPGs grow faster by providing resources, connections, and opportunities

to shine.

The purpose of this podcast is to uncover the nuanced stories and processes behind our favorite new products.

On today's episode, I sit down with Zach in Wizo, the co-founder and head of product for Bissy Energy.

Bissy is creating social equity for smallholder farmers in Nigeria through the use of caffeinated

Kolinut products.

Zach shares the magic of the Kolinut fruit.

What's so special about it?

Some of the rituals that come from West Africa that are being brought into this energy drink.

More than that, it's about how to build a company that's more

than just the brand and product. And passion met with persistence produces results. So your idea

doesn't have to start off as this next big thing. You know, big things often have small beginnings.

Zach wants to bring awareness to West African cooperative farming,

build transparency into the supply chain from the very beginning.

Using our hero ingredient, I think we can further differentiate our brand and speak to more of an African American user base

and continue to build on that culture of black excellence in the

United States and abroad. So without further ado, here's Zach Guinoiseo, and he's going to start

off by sharing the history and inspiration behind Vissy Energy. It's been quite the journey.

My co-founder James and I, we're both former collegiate athletes, and we enjoy staying busy

with sports and projects outside of work.

We started to realize that coffee just wasn't doing it for us anymore as a reliable energy

...