Genius Gourmet with James Vas Dias feature 15 of Together Talks
- KLS
- Apr 11, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
"Together Talks" feature 15: Genius Gourmet presented by KLS, freight company.
Some Background on Genius Gourmet
Genius Gourmet started with a singular mission in mind: Deliciously Smart Keto Snacks created for the whole family. Their passion lies in the development of cutting-edge products with low sugars, and minimal carbs, that anyone can enjoy! After years of painstaking experimentation with wholesome ingredients and tasty flavor, they have cracked the code to give you keto snacks that both taste great AND help you on your journey to better health. We had the pleasure of speaking with James Vas Dias, head of sales in this week's "Together Talks" feature.
The Start
The company was founded by Lance Rankin. Lance is familiar in the space as he previously co-founded Premier Nutrition. Upon selling that over a decade ago, he waited and watched as he figured out his next venture. Lance settled on entering the bar sector specifically in the Keto department. The company was founded in June 2019. Almost four years later the company is growing year over year and excited about what the future holds! The company currently has seven employees.
The company started with 2 SKUs. They are now over 11! They recently just launched a lemon bar and also an entirely new bar line (Crispy protein treat), which James described, "mimicking the rice krispy style consistency". The company is retail concentrated mainly in the northeast but expanding as the quarters pass by. They also can be found in Costco, Amazon, and their website.
The Difference
Lance mentioned that the company entered the market at a great time as Keto was really starting to take off. They were able to make an immediate impact due to their slick packaging when customers saw their product on the shelves. However as more and more people find the Keto diet helps them lose weight and improve their lifestyle, it has provided Genius Gourmet with an incredible opportunity. They continued to innovate and stand out from the competition due to their superior quality.
We asked James, how the company differentiates from competitors..."Many bars primary focus is on hitting certain nutrition macro thresholds. They try to hit certain numbers and as a result, the taste and texture get sacrificed." In years past many consumers would settle for average to above-average taste in order to reap the benefits of what they were consuming. However, in recent years, many companies such as Genius Gourmet have raised the stakes by offering cleaner products that just taste better overall. A recipe for success indeed! James said, "People are so surprised when they try our bars because it isn't dense, chewy, dry, there isn't a bad aftertaste. They are actually enjoying what they consume."
The Impact
The company while small in numbers, is big in presence and output. James was quick to mention that everyone there grinds and contributes to the brand and company, growing. There is personal ownership within each individual role to continue on the journey. But when we asked him to describe the culture, he smiles and said "fun".
He stated that he enjoys going to work every day. He works with his brother, Peter Vas Dias, who is the President of the company, and other friends. Getting to celebrate their wins so often has enabled the team to come together even more.
One example of this was when we asked James his singular favorite moment so far. "About a year and a half into starting we got into Costco. The company took a trip to see the product on the pallet in the store in person in the northeast. We also visited one of our other regional partners, Wegmans, out there. We were seeing the data, customers sharing their experiences, and celebrating the wins in-house, but that moment of being able to actually see, touch, and experience it in real time was incredible. We knew we were building something that had some real traction, but that moment we got to celebrate together seemed to put it all in perspective."
The company also is proud to partner with VerifyPass in which any order is subject to a 10% discount to military and first responders. They also aid their regional partners which allow them to sponsor many different causes.
The Future
When we asked James what the upcoming goals for the company are he stated "more of the same. We are thrilled with where we are at, but we want to keep growing." They currently are in 3 of the 8 Costco regions, hoping to expand on that reach. They also are looking to build on regional partnerships with chains. The ultimate goal is nationwide rollout.
We were curious if when James joined this brand new start up if he could have envisioned this level of success this early. He told us, "I was cautiously optimistic. I believed in the product and our team. But any good success story needs timing and a little bit of luck. We were fortunate with both of those aspects and we have capitalized on the opportunities to get where we are." It seems like there is no slowing them down either!
We always ask, what is your pitch? How do you sell your product. For James he said it is easy because it is the same whether a consumer or a buyer. "Try our product. That is all I need you to do, just try it. Because I can show you the numbers as to how it will sell better than any Keto bar being carried, heck it sells well for any bar frankly. Our bars just provide a different experience with taste and texture. Just try it!"
In closing
Genius Gourmet is an incredible story and we were so fortunate to get the chance to learn about this company. We owe a special thanks to James for allowing us the opportunity to share their story. Genius can be purchased at many retailers but also the following locations:
Continue to follow Genius Gourmet's story with their many social media accounts below:
KLS thanks you for joining us for this edition of "Together Talks".
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