What happens when a mom with no food industry experience meets a longstanding market need? For Gail Becker, it meant launching CAULIPOWER, a brand that rocketed to $100 million in under five years.
In this C-Suite to Main Street conversation, Becker sat down with CO—’s Barbara Thau to share how personal motivation, savvy marketing, and resilience helped her build one of the fastest-growing frozen food companies in the U.S.
Jumping on the ‘idea waiting in plain sight’
CAULIPOWER’s story began in 2016, when Becker was struggling to find a gluten-free pizza option for her two sons with celiac disease. While an online search yielded 569,000 cauliflower pizza crust recipes, there were zero convenient, premade options.
“People [were] so desperate for a better version of pizza that they were resorting to spending 90 minutes making it themselves,” Becker explained. “That’s what you call an idea waiting in plain sight.”
Becker decided to take matters into her own hands and launched CAULIPOWER in 2017.
With no food industry experience, Becker hired consultants to teach her the ropes, including finding a manufacturer and understanding the ecosystem she was about to enter. After developing a prototype of her frozen cauliflower pizza crust — the “most expensive sample ever,” Becker joked — she pitched directly to Whole Foods and dropped four frozen pizzas at the receptionist’s desk.
“Two and a half weeks later, I got an … email from the buyer at Whole Foods … who said, ‘We tried your pizzas. We love them. We’re going to bring them into 30 stores,’” she recalled. “It was one of those moments you never forget.”
[Read more: Preparing to Pitch Your Invention Idea: 3 Tips for Success]
Building a buzzworthy brand
Before launching CAULIPOWER, Becker had an extensive background in marketing and communications. She used that expertise to create buzz around the brand, placing clever taglines on packaging to capture the attention of shoppers and make them “smile in the freezer aisle.” The tagline developed at launch is still used today: “Pizza. Your favorite vegetable.”
“It was a bit of a risk, but the great thing about being an entrepreneur is, of course, you’re going to take a risk,” explained Becker. “You’re creating something that didn’t exist, so what have you got to lose?”
Beyond building initial buzz, CAULIPOWER has leveraged data and consumer-led innovation to develop offerings that align with current tastes and trends. This deep research and customer listening led to the development of one of their most unique offerings yet: the dill pickle pizza.
“We have … incredibly generous consumers who always talk to us … and we see what kinds of things they’re consuming and sharing on social media,” added Becker.
[Read more: How to Build Customer Loyalty: 5 Tips for Small Businesses]
Leading through crisis with innovation and heart
CAULIPOWER’s success wasn’t without its difficulties. According to Becker, the business faced its toughest test yet during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to the expected supply chain chaos, CAULIPOWER had run out of money, and 15 new brand competitors had entered the market simultaneously.
“There was no rulebook on how to run a food business during a global pandemic,” explained Becker. “But … that meant that even the big corporate Goliath … didn’t have a rulebook either. And for the very first time, we were almost on equal footing.”
Despite “running on fumes,” CAULIPOWER used this period to streamline its operations and improve delivery processes and communication with retailers.
“The fact that we were young and malleable and could turn on a dime really helped us in that time,” Becker said. “In fact, we had one of the highest supply fulfillment rates in the industry.”
[Read more: How Creative Pivots Can Transform a Small Business]
Having made it through the other side, Becker shared some sage (and practical) advice she wished she knew at the outset:
- Hire the right lawyers early. Becker emphasized the importance of hiring legal professionals for specific expertise, based on your business needs: “If you need a lawyer that deals with contract manufacturing, then don’t use an employment lawyer.”
- Raise more money than you think you’ll need. According to Becker, it’s likely you will need that extra capital. Additionally, she advised not waiting until the last minute to raise funds, as the process can take time.
- Never lose what makes you different. “When you enter an industry … there are certain rules you have to follow … [to] be successful,” said Becker. “But you’re not going to be successful if you don’t break a few rules, too.”
CO— aims to bring you inspiration from leading respected experts. However, before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.