INTEREST in vegetarian and vegan products shows no sign of slowing down, as retail sales are expected to increase to £658 million by 2021, according to market researchers Mintel. Scottish start-up Daring Foods, run by Ross Mackay, has capitalised on the demand for plant-based meat alternatives.
Name: Ross Mackay
Age: 28
Position: Founder and CEO
WHAT’S YOUR BUSINESS CALLED?
Daring Foods
WHERE IS IT BASED?
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WHY DID YOU SET UP THE BUSINESS?
I STARTED not eating animal products four years ago. I felt like I was missing out on experiences of food – vegan products weren’t as widely available as they are now. I wanted to get back that experience.
Vegan food has connotations of being bland and boring. Certain people choose not to eat animal products and it isn’t because they don’t like the taste. We don’t just target vegans – flexitarians also want the taste and texture of meat.
I moved back to the UK from Dubai to start running and building this business. We are now a team of six and expanding fast. We’ve got a strong mission and core values. My partner in the business is Elliot [Kessas] and my cousin Cameron [MacKay] works for us too. We approach people who we feel are assets to the company. We’re growing at a fast rate and have a retail launch this year.
There’s more demand for vegan products with major restaurant chains like Greggs and Burger King producing them. Top athletes like Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are endorsing this. People say it’s a trend but we believe it’s a bigger movement.
WHAT IS YOUR TARGET MARKET?
WE have a core demographic of plant-based consumers, mainly the younger generation. Flexitarians are popping up too – people who want vegan options three or four days a week and want it to be high in protein, made from plants. Meat eaters enjoy it too, we want to target the 95%, not just the 5% who are vegan.
We make sure we are meeting macro and nutrient goals as well. The protein and fat content is at the forefront of product development. We have 19.4g of protein per 100g in our chicken.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM COMPETING BUSINESSES?
THERE’S a rising landscape in the plant-based market. Lots of our competition is own-label products from supermarkets. We’re not just trying to push products and jump on a bandwagon – we want to enhance global awareness of eating plant-based. We’re constantly innovating and being heard as a company.
The packaging is environmental and sustainable [the products are sold in cardboard boxes]. We measure wastage as well – we are very honest and transparent about it. We try to give back as much as we can.
We work closely with homelessness social enterprise Social Bite – we give products to them to contribute to society.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE SO FAR?
I HAVE worked for start-ups, so I have run a business before. You can create a lot of demand but you’ve got to build a manufacturing basis from the offset. We are working hard at that constantly. Getting a good team is another challenge.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT RUNNING THE BUSINESS?
THE number of people around me adopting plant-based foods. It has a big impact on making the planet a better place. It’s a great feeling. We supply to over 100 restaurants now. We’re getting feedback from chefs that people enjoy vegan burgers and it means a lot when the customer is spending money on it.
Scotland is a phenomenal place for the food and drink industry. We can do more in looking at sustainable protein – it doesn’t just come from animal products. Glasgow is a great place with international reach and it is good to come back to where I grew up.
WHERE DO YOU HOPE THE BUSINESS WILL BE IN 10 YEARS’ TIME?
THE main goal is to still be here trading as a plant-based company moving into the food-to-go and ready meal market. We want to have a massive impact in our Daring Decade. We want to be accountable for providing and combatting the issues we face, like using less land and water. We want to grow the team as early as next year as well.
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