"Together Talks" feature #46: Healthy on the Go presented by KLS, freight company
Some Background on Healthy on the Go
Today's edition of "Together Talks" campaign, KLS had the opportunity to interview Krista Anderson, founder and CEO of Healthy on the Go, an international natural food brokerage and distribution company with offices in the US and France. Healthy on the Go curates healthy snack merchandising solutions for hospitals, universities, airports, and gas stations to help make nutritious foods more accessible to people.
Called to action by Founder & CEO Krista Anderson after a long but victorious battle with stage 2 cancer in 2007, and stage 4 cancer in 2009 when she was given three months to live, Krista became passionate about healthy eating. Her mission is to help create a preventative healthcare system by making healthy foods accessible to the public, both to help fight disease and to encourage and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Krista is the author of, “Claim Your Healing”, buy here and leads a community called, “International Entrepreneurs of Aix-en-Provence” as an effort to help entrepreneurs make the shift to a more balanced life while continuing to pursue their passions.
Conquered and then giving back
The company was founded in 2014 by Krista but started almost a decade prior. While battling and beating cancer on two different instances, Krista made her health and her food choices a priority during her battles. As she told us, she started having her family pack her food to bring to the hospital to guarantee she was properly feeding her body during her fight. This led her on the path to creating change. After beating cancer she told us that one day she stopped at a gas station and when she went in, she realized there was nothing there she could buy that was suitable for her, she shared "I was starving, but I wasn't comfortable putting any of the foods they offered in my body. Right then and there I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to help others and make healthier food choices more accessible". This created the path that Krista would trailblaze. She felt the demand and personally the connection.
Her company provides healthy snacks in merchandising displays in various locations around the country including convenience stores, gas stations, health care facilities, universities, airports, and even corporate offices.
Trailblazer
Krista shared with us that what separates her company from competitors is everything. "There is no one doing what we are doing in the market", she shared. Her company rigorously vets brands to ensure both parties missions are aligned. It is critical that Healthy on the Go is partnering with the right companies to provide truly healthy products which includes manufacturing policies, transparency of ingredients even going down to the granular level to the farmer. She told us her company is not chasing profits, but chasing sustainable change, "Thinking about the health of people and providing them acceptable and healthy options anywhere they may be".
Krista took us back to the origin, her 'pilot test' was with 6 gas stations initially, as she explained "I knew that if I could sell my idea to the unhealthiest place for snacks, then there was proof of concept. Six months later we were in those stores". Krista put an emphasis on marketing by creating stories and advertisements to get from pump to the store for these healthy snack options. Krista knew she had something when one of the locations was doing extremely well, 6-8 months later she received 34 new store requests followed by substantial growth across 12 states of the US. Recently signing a contract with Premier, Inc who manages the purchasing decisions for healthcare facilities across the US. As Krista told us, "This has been my baby. To help hospitals and health care facilities be what they should be, the healthiest place on the planet to help people to heal and prevent future diseases. It took almost a year to close this deal and I'm so excited for the change that is unfolding".
Growing the Reach
Healthy on the Go provides the merchandising displays and plan programs for free, giving retailers everything they need to further increase their market reach and sales. Again it goes back to the mission of not chasing profits, but helping people become healthier.
We did wonder what have been the challenges for Krista and Healthy on the Go, she explained "finding partnerships and platforms to get out our message and my story". Continuing to share the story and thus mission is critical and the key is getting more people on board. She did mention it is a risk getting consumers to dive into plant-based foods, which permits an educational component often. But as the connection to the mission, Krista has the direct correlation to eating properly and healthy with her first-hand experience. The success she encountered during the most adverse of times is again proof of concept.
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Passion and sharing her story
Krista shared the connection she has with the giving back her company participates in. She shared that they make donations to the American Cancer Society. She also is involved with projects concerning soil regeneration, this is a cause that she believes is incredibly important as we continue to move on a path to healthier food consumption. The brand partners of Healthy on the Go collectively give back to 36 non-profit organizations. It's not only a merchandising solution but also a ripple effect of change.
Krista told us that getting her story out is a challenge as she grows the company and the mission, but unsurprisingly it is her story that leads to her getting opportunities to prove the value of what Healthy on the Go provides. She explained, "Accessibility is the key to this goal, as a result long term customers occur more often than not. Healthy eating helped save my life. Because of that life decision I am on a mission to pay it forward. My story, unique to me, is the connection I make with partners to take a chance on our company. I pass them the baton to join us in making lasting change".
Adversity, taking it back
Someone who battled and beat cancer twice, you'd think nothing could shake them, but 2018 proved to be one of the harder times in Krista's life. A company she had partnered with at this time tried to take her business. Her displays were being removed from retailers, her relationships were at risk, she felt betrayed, hurt, and embarrassed at the sudden failure and loss of 80% of her company in a three month timeframe. Krista lost the passion for her dream and decided to take a break from it all. She relocated to the south of France, where she had found so much peace and balance in life when visiting. While living there she developed a better appreciation for the simple things in life and how to live in the moment. She grasped that the work-work-work mentality was not the only path to achieving your goals. She took two years off to focus on reviving herself and to reflect on the next steps.
Then one day out of the blue she received a phone call that changed everything.
This phone call was a game changer and it breathed life into her business. This call was a partner who believed in the message and wanted to support Krista, Healthy on the Go, and the mission to be a part of the change. Krista told us up until this point she was done, she walked away, she was so hurt from losing what she created she even posed the question "why does business have to be about greed"?
She shared with us, "I took so much time reflecting and I was so upset and didn't trust anyone in business. I didn't believe in the idea anymore or if it could work. My joy was taken away, I lost my passion. But with time I grieved. I grieved the loss, the pain, and then realized I can make it better, handle business better, operate better. Adversity and resilience was my focus and I said let's go again.
Extremely insightful especially coming from someone who stands behind the mission so authentically. She explained she felt like a failure, to no fault of her own, but then a friend was diagnosed with cancer and reminded her why she began the fight to change the food system in the first place.
The Future
Krista shared with us the fears she has had since the rebirth of Healthy on the Go, including losing it all again. But this fuels her and drives her to continue to grow and succeed. Also the doubts of being a small business and trying to fight to stay alive. But again adversity and resilience. What makes her company so special is the culture it invokes in consumers, as Krista informed us, "We provide a sense of trust, we are a company that cares about the health of everyone. We are transparent and are working towards prevention".
This effort leads to such a strong relationship with her brand partners as well. Healthy on the Go helps drive incremental sales for health conscious consumers, bringing them into the category. Healthy on the Go manages it for them, follows the trends, oversees distribution, and provides the strongest service.
We asked her favorite aspect of running her company and she told us she simply loves the people. Meeting individuals and building relationships centered around those trying to be a part of the change means so much to Krista. She also exclaimed how she loves the challenge of business now and chasing the wins and appreciating the art of the deal.
There was also a reiteration about the difference she is helping foster in, Krista shared, "the feedback of people keeps me going. Such as, 'thank you for providing products we don't have to check the label, we can grab and go quickly'. To provide these products to keep consumers from being hungry because they have nothing to eat, I'm so grateful".
We ended the conversation with Krista asking her to predict what the future holds for her and it was two main areas she plans to conquer.
Global expansion She is currently working on developing the German and French markets which are # 2 & 3 in the world for organic sales. She is hoping people are more receptive to purchasing healthy foods in these markets, however the reach is different based on the difference in lifestyles.
Developing functional snacks: Krista hopes to develop her own product lines to feature as well. To continue to expand the reach and make the right types of food as accessible as possible by taking over space in stores as well to execute the brand.
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In Closing
KLS wants to thank Krista Anderson, founder of Healthy on the Go for today's "Together Talks" feature. The mission of her and Healthy on the Go is so inspiring, take a moment to learn more about her and her journey and what is next for the company with the below!
Keep up to date and follow along with their social channels below!
Also keep up to date with Krista's journey following the below:
Krista and her company have been featured in the following articles:
And the following podcasts:
Klimson Logistics Solutions - Together Talks feature #46 with Healthy on the Go and Founder, Krista Anderson
*Klimson Logistics Solutions is an Industry Leading Customer Service 3PL. Our focus and commitment to our clients has us striving to be the BEST customer service 3PL for LTL, FTL, Reefer, and Drayage in the country. KLS, freight company, is a 3PL providing nationwide logistics solutions. KLS shipping services include: LTL freight, FTL freight, Reefer LTL freight, Reefer FTL freight, and Drayage. Klimson Logistics Solutions thanks you for viewing our marketing campaign, "Together Talks". If you have any interest in being featured or questions regarding your freight operations please contact us today!
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Let’s breakdown our services more in-depth
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Kehe
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Harris Teeter
Wakefern
NU INC
Long Distribution
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There are thousands for freight brokers and 3PL in our industry. Barrier to entry is rather easy and agents or owners will often hire sales people without any intention of properly training them. It results in high turnover for many freight companies and a forgettable experience for the client. We choose to operate differently through our consistency. We truly care about doing right by our clients and prospects too. While we would love to help provide our services to every company we speak with, that just isn’t realistic. We won’t always be the right fit for every company that moves freight and that is ok. Our authenticity as a shipping company sets us apart from the competition and that is backed up by our testimonials. We also run a marketing campaign bi-weekly called “Together Talks”. We interview, highlight, and promote two businesses every week. Our goal is to grow our network, make new connections, and learn something new with each collaboration. Check it out on our website and if you’re interested in being featured reach out.
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