Strong Roots founder Sam Dennigan shares how his frozen plant-based food company expanded from Ireland to the U.S. with private equity backing. Learn about key market differences in private label vs. branded goods, and how the company rapidly pivoted to direct-to-consumer delivery during the pandemic in response to in-store sampling limitations, offering crucial lessons in agility and market adaptation for food brands.
Key takeaways
Understand the distinct competitive landscapes in different markets; private label strength varies significantly (e.g., UK/Ireland vs. US for natural foods).
Be prepared to rapidly pivot business models in response to external shocks; Strong Roots shifted to D2C food service delivery via platforms like Uber Eats when in-store sampling became impossible.
Leverage significant private equity investment for aggressive market expansion, especially when entering new international territories.
Explore partnerships (e.g., Ghost Truck Kitchen) to quickly launch new offerings and distribution channels, particularly for direct-to-consumer strategies.
Sam Dennigan launched Strong Roots with a single item -- sweet potato fries -- in Ireland in 2015.
The frozen vegetables company has since raised $18.3 million from private equity firm Goode Partners to expand into the U.S., where Dennigan is now based. His experience on both sides of the Atlantic helps him highlight some of the competitive differences among markets.
"The key difference between the U.S. market and the U.K. and Irish market is the fact that private label is much stronger in natural foods in the U.K. and Ireland whereas brands lead the way with natural food in the U.S.," Dennigan said on the Modern Retail Podcast.
The pandemic has proven to be a boon for staff productivity, he said, and has also forced the company to branch into making ready-to-eat dishes available for delivery.
"That was in response to not being able to sample in stores. That's something that's not going to come back for some time with the risks around cross-contamination and infection," he said about his collaboration with Ghost Truck Kitchen in Jersey City. "We've pivoted into being a food service offering that you can order direct to the home through Uber Eats and Seamless and Door Dash."
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Understand the distinct competitive landscapes in different markets; private label strength varies significantly (e.g., UK/Ireland vs. US for natural foods).
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Be prepared to rapidly pivot business models in response to external shocks; Strong Roots shifted to D2C food service delivery via platforms like Uber Eats when in-store sampling became impossible.
What does this episode say about dtc strategy?
Leverage significant private equity investment for aggressive market expansion, especially when entering new international territories.
What does this episode say about finance & fundraising?
Explore partnerships (e.g., Ghost Truck Kitchen) to quickly launch new offerings and distribution channels, particularly for direct-to-consumer strategies.
