Welcome to our exclusive Q&A Interview series in the run-up to Eco Life Scandinavia and the Nordic Organic Food Fair which return on 17-18 November 2021. we’ll be speaking to some of the biggest names in the natural health, beauty, sustainable living and the organic food and drink world. You’ll find out how they adapt to the current climate, their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Plus, what they are doing to support their teams and local communities.
We spoke with Jesper Schmith Kampmann, CEO of Feel Good Company ApS, the creators of RATION snack bars.
Jesper is a creative entrepreneur with a passion for food business and fmcg retail, specialising in go-to-market and scaling businesses. He founded Feel Good Company in 2016 with clinical Dietician Ginny Rhodes in 2016, and created RATION snack bars as ‘the healthy food bar of the future’.
How did you get into the natural sector?
When designing a totally new product from scratch, it was very obvious to us that it should be 100 % all natural, without artificial stuff and of course suitable for vegetarians, just to mention a few details. But to be quite honest (which we prefer), that’s not the most interesting bit about us.
You see, RATION isn’t a regular snack bar, but developed by dietitians and athletes. Nutritiously made according to the official Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR). This means a healthy, tasty, snack, full of apple and oats, packed with fiber and wholegrain, giving you something to chew, but also providing stable energy and blood sugar. So whether you’re at work, school, out running or exercising or just hungry, you will experience that RATION is the healthy good for you source of fuel for body and mind.
Can you tell us a little bit about your company?
What you eat matters! That’s why we Feel Good Company invented, RATION – The Better Bite. An all-natural, simple and nutritiously balanced snack bar, that stabilizes your blood sugar and keep you energized. Without the strange numbers and additives that no one can really pronounce. We call it fuel for body and mind.
Every RATION bar is made of one whole Granny Smith apple and 10% whole oats. Loaded with fibers, proteins and Omega 3’s. So that you can fill up on something that’s good for you. We at Feel Good Company, takes your well-being very seriously, so we prefer to give you a honest, healthy choice to help you through your day.
Our products are For the whole family! Basically, we would like to offer everyone easy, healthy food on-the-go or a quick snack for anything. So your family can eat right. Avoid sugar crises and poor solutions. No angry kids, just happy and calm. So there’s a healthy RATION for everyone. Something to chew on that takes the hunger. Made with a whole apple and oats – all natural, delicious ingredients, full of fruits and vegetables that everyone likes.
What do you think are the biggest opportunities facing the natural/vegan/free from/sustainable sector/s?
I think that we have only seen the tip of the iceberg in these sectors. No doubt that the momentum we see now is clearly relevant as more and more consumers is starting to pick up on these trends by cutting down on meat intake for reasons of health and sustainability. Today’s more discerning consumer wants to know where their food comes from, how it was made, and the subsequent impact on the environment. I believe that the biggest opportunities for these sectors is to create future products that promotes good health and are good for the planet.
And what do you think are the biggest challenges?
I think that when developing new products for these sectors, it requires a carefully considered product strategy. The markets of these trendy sectors are rapidly changing and so are companies with brands trying to catch up to get their cut. I think that one big challenge might be that, companies chasing market shares possibly could set aside quality over claims in order to pursue greater revenues. Knowing that the EU is monitoring the development in use of claims very closely, i think that quality should be considered more important than claims avoiding to shake consumer confidence and potentially damaging brand reputations in the long run.
What do you think can be done to educate consumers about the importance of living healthier and more sustainable?
I think that governmental involvement is key to educating consumers. From what I have seen during the pandemic the national board of health, has been very keen on educating us all on how to behave among each other to avoid spreading the Covid. I also think that these trends themselves will educate people, as people tend to affect each other when changing their lifestyles. Companies with brands, will certainly also take a great part in the process of educating their customers.
What role should small and medium-sized businesses play in developing the natural/vegan/free from/sustainable markets?
As I normally say to small business owners. You have to take advantage of being the small business. Think of it as being the mouse around the elephant. You are always on the lookout for the latest news on products and trends. Being able to make quicker decisions, shall be taken as an advantage and used to get ahead of the big corporations. Small companies are the most innovative companies as they are not blocked by bureaucratic and political barriers slowing them down. Probably the most important feature of a start-up in my opinion.
How has the COVID pandemic affected your business?
Luckily we are working in more than one sector of business where only one was affected by Covid pandemic. Traditional retail has been expanding rapidly while our Travel Retail markets has been hit quite hard. However we have been able to keep the majority of our customers, while supporting them with fewer products and better terms. I think that this pandemic is a joint responsibility for businesses to get through. Meanwhile our focus has also been on launching new products series in new channels like online supermarkets etc.
How do you see the evolution of your business channel (Horeca, retail, online, B2C etc) after COVID?
During pandemic we have seen an evolution in customer access for the online retailers as the older generations has been shifting from traditional shopping to online shopping, making even more retailers that wasn’t online before the pandemic go online quite fast. We saw that and has pursued it by hiring new staff which can ensure that we have a much stronger online presence for the future. It is without doubt that online retailers will be a major factor in grocery sales for the future, along with branded FMCG product sites as well. Horeca makes me worry a little more, as these businesses have had to re-organise themselves in a way I have never seen before. Thing is I don’t know if it will hold…
Do you have any plans or news that you can tell us about?
We believe that every company on the planet should care about our planet. From small start-ups to big multi-corporations, we all have the obligation of doing what we can to be more sustainable and protect our environment. Therefore, we have just launched our first sustainability profile on because.eco where we take a position on, and clearly represent our social, environmental and economic causes and goals.
Feel free to check it out at: https://because.eco/company/FeelGoodCompany
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