We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Gianna Malatrasi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Gianna below.
Gianna , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Innovation comes in all shapes, sizes and across all industries, so we’d love to hear about something you’ve done that you feel was particularly innovative.
My professional background is in art and design, so working with innovative and creative ideas is part of the day to day. But honestly it has been the creation of PANZA and all its components from the ground up, that has been the most innovative and challenging ‘production’ in my professional career. Starting with the morphing and designing of an old family recipe into the PANZA sticks gourmet snack that we have today. PANZA can be enjoyed as quick snack at any time of the day. Or they may be paired with coffee, tea, ice cream, cream cheese and much more. We have developed over 10 flavorful combinations, there’s truly something for everyone to enjoy. Coming up with the name PANZA, brand identity, website, etc, etc. And not to mention building an actual profitable business, and all the decisions, plus failures, mistakes, and the utter chaos that comes along. But truth be told, those missteps are much needed to learn and “keep it going”.
PANZA sticks are quite unique, organic, deliciously addictive, and full of family flavors and traditions. We are very proud of the innovative and high-quality products of THE PANZA.
Gianna , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
The beginnings of Panza are a combination of wanting, a need, and an opportunity. In 2012 my husband and I moved to from Puerto Rico to Colorado. He was in the process of selling the family business, and we thought we were going to be set to start investing in other things. But, as we all come to find out at some point or another in our lives…we might have some plans, but life has something else in store. The selling of the family business turned into a legal battle that lasted for years, we pretty much lost everything, and I was very much pregnant with our daughter. It was like everything was upside down, and nowhere to run. With the help of family and friends we were able to ‘survive’ and slowly get out of the blackhole we found ourselves in. I had always cooked my grandmother’s ‘guava tart’ for family and friends, and to clear my mind of life’s madness. Those who had tried it, always came back for more. And my husband’s business-oriented mind saw an opportunity for us to create something that would be entirely ours and for our family.
At that time, I was working as a full-time real estate agent. We started saving every month whatever we could, until we got together $500.00 to purchase the basic products and materials needed to get it going. Months went by as we tested, molded, baked and did it all again hundreds of times until we got exactly what we aimed for…a PANZA stick. Once the product was created, we had to build from scratch the brand itself. From the name The Panza, the website design, all the legal and business details, packing and all the million different details that make it all work seamlessly.
From day one we knew that we wanted to create something unique that showcased the flavors of our Euro-Caribbean cultures. But at the same time, we wanted to provide a product that is made by only using top quality organic ingredients that everyone can ‘read’ and know exactly what they are. For a guilt-free snack that anyone can truly enjoy.
PANZA’s gourmet snacks are organic, thin, crispy, and sometimes chewy (that’s the guava or fig). They can be enjoyed as an anytime gourmet snack or may be used as a scoop for dips or ice cream. Crushed and sprinkled over any shake or ice cream bowl. Paired with coffee, tea, or wine. Even added to a charcuterie board! For the creative cake bakers, PANZA sticks can be crushed and used as a pie or cheesecake crust! The possibilities are endless!
Aside from the top-quality gourmet product, at THE PANZA we are also very proud to be a Women Owned Company and also a Family Operated Company. We hope that our effort, hard work and sacrifices made set an example for future generations.
We wanted something that was ours, that one day, if they choose to, our daughters could make it theirs. Be their own bosses, create and live by their own terms. We had a need to get out of the financial hole we found ourselves. And vowed to do whatever we must to never go through something like that again. We had a need to take full control of our lives again, not depending on someone else’s decisions. Apply the lesson learned. That it is really up to oneself to take the driver’s seat and go to wherever your happiness resides. And finally, an opportunity to be and to create far more than what anyone ever expected of us. An opportunity to help those in need, to pay it forward and to hopefully inspire someone else to go after what they dream of.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
At the very beginning of PANZA, we were barely coming out of the worst financial crisis we had ever faced. But we manage to put together 500$ and purchase the basic materials we needed to start producing. Every week, and little by little we would purchase whatever it was that the business needed to keep on growing. My co-founder (and husband) is a third generation beverage manufacturer. He put together the business model, logistics, managed financials and all that fun-not-so-much-fun-stuff. That to be honest, my creative brain still doesn’t understand half of, so lucky me ;) As he managed the business side, I oversaw all the creative aspects. Which included the website, the brand name and identify, the actual PANZA sticks product design, social medial, etc.
From the beginning in 2019, we have managed to “bootstrap-it” ourselves. We took the knowledge we had from our professional careers, placed aside our egos, opened our minds, and got to work. To fund and create a product and business yourself is not an easy task, but it can be done. Although be warned the learning curve can and probably will be extremely difficult, yet utterly gratifying.
We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.
At PANZA we manufacture and distribute all our products. In fact, that’s what we specialize in. Having a business partner with such an extensive background in the beverage manufacturing world, certainly provided for a much solid foundation. But nonetheless we still ran into many issues. Manufacturing an organic snack in more than 10 flavor combinations is not comparable to beverage. If not to say it was a whole new ball game. Yet we put our brains to work and made it happen, because it just HAD to work. So, try, fail, learn, fail again, learn some more and you’ll persevere. A good bottle (or two) of wine or some scotch might be recommended or needed at some point, but it can be done.
Wine aside, really think of what works best for you, your product, and your brand. Contact the leaders in the field or others that you know started small. Many will be more than happy to talk to you and share their hard earn experience…listen and take note! Reach out to government agencies or local business developing agency. They have tons of information and love to help. Remember that for them if you win, they win. Talk to family and friends that will give an honest and factual opinion. Not everyone will believe in your idea, concept, or product. You might even get the “you’re crazy and going nowhere with that”, but you are your best cheerleader, and you are creating what you want for your life. If you don’t try, you’ll never know if what you dreamt was possible or not.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thepanza.com
- Instagram: @the_panza_
- Facebook: @panzasticks
Image Credits
Gianna Malatrasi