Meet the Founders of I AM NUT OK, Nivi and Angela: “More daring than dairy!”
1. Describe your startup in two sentences.
I AM NUT OK’s goal is to inspire people to make more sustainable food choices by daring to be different. Through innovative recipes using nuts and plant-based ingredients, the company offers a diverse range of flavorful, dairy-free cheeses. Its mission extends beyond food, advocating for wellness and sustainability.
2. What gave you the inspiration?
Our passion for design and food brought us together, wanting to combine the two into something unique, bold, and tasty! That’s why we decided to start I AM NUT OK. We were a bit fed up with the bland alternative available in the market (back in 2016 there wasn’t anything worth raving about), where boring design and unflavoured rubber cheese alternatives were dominating the market. We quickly realized there was a huge gap in the market for something more exciting and started I AM NUT OK, a company that’s more daring than dairy!
3. How did you meet?
We (Angela + Nivi) met on Tinder, and after joking about starting a taco truck powered by solar panels, we both found out that we profoundly loved food (cheese especially), graphic design, and had passion for entrepreneurship; it was the perfect recipe for I AM NUT OK.
4. What has been your greatest success to date? And your greatest challenge?
Great success comes with great challenges, so we have a singular answer for both questions. The answer would be the entirety of 2023 - it was a trial by fire. Since starting the company 6 years ago, we’ve been able to grow the business exponentially and profitably without investment. Year after year, there has been a growth in sales despite the challenges - Brexit, Covid, energy crisis, and cost of living crisis to name a few. This year has felt the most challenging so far, but we still saw a growth in sales thanks to sheer passion for our craft and dedication to our vision.
5. What kind of impact is your business having and how do you measure it?
We can of course analyze the raw numerical data, but for us, having an impact is something less tangible and more organic. Having the ability to inspire curiosity in people and getting skeptics to change their mind about vegan cheese is what we feel to be our most significant accomplishment. For example, when doing live sampling with pizza chefs notorious for hating vegan cheese, they end up being pleasantly surprised and choosing our ‘Bluffalo Notzarella’ over the standard every time. It not only underscores the significance of the need for quality vegan cheese, but it also illustrates the impact we've begun to make within the realm of plant-based cuisine. The remarkable growth of our business has been achieved without a marketing budget, only organic growth with an almost fervent following. Regularly receiving messages from people expressing their gratitude for our products serves as a driving force to propel us forward and validates the very reason for our being. It evokes a sense of pride within us every day and it's this continuous encouragement that fuels our determination to achieve more.
6. When you were little what did you want to be when you grew up?
Nivi: I honestly wanted (and still dream about it) to be a football player! Angela: I wanted to be a handywoman and fix things!
7. If you weren’t doing this, what would be your plan B?
Nivi: Definitely work as a designer and creative director, since that’s my background and what I studied in university. But I’d also like to venture in the film industry, as one of my dream is to become a director. Angela: Sustainability marketing and communications for an NGO.
8. What would you save in a fire?
Nivi: Angela, Cliff (our dog), and some of my favourite vintage shirts! Angela: Nothing, let it burn baby.
9. Who is your role model/ greatest influence? And why?
Nivi: David Lynch and Federico Fellini for their visionary and surreal way of portraying our mind and dreams. Angela: I don’t believe in superlatives!
10. What is your happy track?
Get It On by T.Rex
11. What’s your motto?
Luck is an attitude.
12. What are you most looking forward to in the next year?
Seeing our products making it in the EU and US market, that would be the dream!