Kola Goodies’ Sajani Amarasiri On Sri Lanka, Side Hustles & Supply Chains

Radio Cherry Bombe

The Cherry Bombe Podcast Network

Restaurants, 591312, Business, Arts, Food Radio, Interviews, Kerry Diamond, Female Chefs, Radio Cherry Bombe, Entrepreneurs, Society & Culture, Women, Careers, Women In Food, Food, Cherry Bombe Magazine, Talk Radio, Chefs, Restaurateurs

4.6 • 592 Ratings

🗓️ 18 July 2022

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Sajani Amarasiri was born to launch her own business. She was entrepreneurial as a child growing up in Sri Lanka, studied supply chain management in college, and pursued numerous side hustles as a young adult. While working at Microsoft, she had the idea to launch the first networking and co-working space in Sri Lanka. Called Colombo Cooperative, the concept was embraced by the emerging entrepreneur community in her native country. Around the same time, back in the U.S., Sajani couldn’t help but notice how Southeast Asian traditions and ingredients were influencing the wellness world, so she decided to launch her second bootstrapped brand, one that would pay homage to the Sri Lankan practices she and her family hold dear. That brand, Kola Goodies, earned Sajani the Cherry Bombe Women in Food Award as part of the Foxtrot Market 2022 Up & Comers competition. Her prize includes a monetary award, marketing support, and a spot on Foxtrot’s shelves. Sajani joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about her journey, the situation in Sri Lanka, how to survive and thrive in a corporation, and what’s next for Kola Goodies. To learn more about Kola Goodies and try them for yourself, visit Foxtrot’s online store. Radio Cherry Bombe is recorded at Newsstand Studios at Rockefeller Center in New York City. Our theme song is by the band Tra La La. Subscribe to our newsletter and check out past episodes and transcripts here! More on Sajani: Instagram, Kola Goodies More on Foxtrot: Locations, Online Shop

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, everyone, you're listening to Radio Cherrybaum, and I'm assistant producer Jenna Sadoo coming to you from San Francisco.
0:24.4	Each week, we talk to the coolest culinary personalities around, the folks shaping and shaking up the food scene.
0:30.5	Where's Carrie, our regular host, you ask? She's out with COVID. I know, I know that stinks. She's doing better, but she still has a bit of laryngitis.
0:40.8	Fortunately, last month, she recorded the interview you're going to hear today. It's with Sajani Amara Siri, the founder of Cola Goodies, a wellness brand featuring powdered lattes and teas, inspired by Sajani's Sri Lankan Heritage.
0:57.5	Sejani is also the winner of the Cherry Bomb Woman and Food Award, which was part of the Fox Trot Market Up and Comers competition.
1:00.5	Sejani's prize included a cash award and marketing and PR support,
1:05.0	plus, her cola goodies are now sold at Fox Trot Markets and in their online store.
1:10.0	The goal of the Up and Comers program this year was to support more female makers,
1:15.0	which we love and we're happy to get behind.
1:17.9	You can learn more at FoxTrackco.com backslash up andcomers
1:21.7	and maybe even pick up a little something from Sojani.
1:25.1	I think Carrie could use some of those wellness drinks.
1:28.8	Just a note, Carrie and Sajani spoke before the recent political upheaval in Sri Lanka.
1:34.1	They do discuss the situation in the country, but not the most recent news.
1:39.2	Now, let's check in with Sajani.
1:42.4	Sajani and Mara Siri, welcome to Radio Cherry Bomb.
1:45.7	Thank you. It's so excited to be here.
1:48.4	Congratulations on winning the Fox Trot Cherry Bomb Award.
1:51.9	I am so excited and it's such an honor when I heard about it.
1:56.5	It beats so much to be, especially from Cherrybaum, which is such an amazing publication.
2:03.0	You've always been about raising women's voices and food, and it's such an honor.
2:07.9	So thank you.
	...

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