We recently connected with Tal Garden and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Tal, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION:
We are bringing to the world a culinary Mediterranean staple- Tahini!
FUN Sesames is the first to offer a line of Tahini sauce. Currently available in 900 stores around the US (16 states).
Tahini is an Ethnic condiment made from Sesame seeds, lemon Juice and spices.
Versatile- as Tahini is bigger than Ketchup in the Middle East she is used as dip/spread/drizzle and so many other ways- daily.
Ingredients-A clean as it can be! No preservatives or oils, real local lemon juice and herbs being chopped in the facility.
Attributes: the only seed-based sauce in the deli which allows us to be relevant to the flexitarian needs or ANY other diets.
Flavors: 4 colorful unique options: Spicy Harissa, Parsley Mint (Herbs), Turmeric Za’atar (Earthy), Lemon Cumin (Classic).
Our colorful Tahini is the answer for many customers motivations’.
BUSINESS ORIGIN:
I started my journey with the food industry 7 years ago after losing my dad to colon cancer.
As a mom and a daughter, I wanted to do better with my family’s body, daily.
I grew up in a poor family, my mom was working 3 jobs and as we came from school, we joined her in the market day job. Cutting veggies, making gift baskets – EVERYTHING. I love being in markets until today. even though we were poor- we were spoiled at the dinner table.
Food was always fresh and colorful (Mediterranean). And Tahini, she was always part of the deal, we spread it on our bread, dressed our salad with it or mixed it with our rice. It was delicious.
When I had my third child, life got busy :) so I went shopping for some ready to eat options. I found everything: peanut butter, Hummus, VGN cream cheese…
but something was missing- the Tahini! I couldn’t find the ready to eat tahini sauce!
I went to 8 different stores realizing this isn’t available in the markets.
Being in the food industry for almost a decade, I realized I got something here.
I wanted to share it with the world with my culinary staple to show them that healthy food can be FUN, colorful and unique.
I launched FUN Sesames in 2019, yes pandemic and three kids at home. we gave each other the drive, we learned together, and we got to enjoy a lot of FUN tahini.
Today I am managing FUN Sesames all by myself. I believe in myself, and my partner is the most supportive in this growing stage.
But I am afraid… as mentioned I am not coming from money. I am a woman, minority, immigrant that wants to get to the next step and break this glass but need this tiny push.
I believe in FUN Sesames and want Tahini to be the cleanest condiment in every household.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION:
We are bringing to the world a culinary Mediterranean staple- Tahini!
FUN Sesames is the first to offer a line of Tahini sauce. Currently available in 900 stores around the US (16 states).
Tahini is an Ethnic condiment made from Sesame seeds, lemon Juice and spices.
Versatile- as Tahini is bigger than Ketchup in the Middle East she is used as dip/spread/drizzle and so many other ways- daily.
Ingredients-A clean as it can be: no preservatives or oils, real local lemon juice and herbs being chopped in the facility.
Attributes: the only seed based sauce in the deli which allows us to be relevant to the flexitarian needs or ANY other diets.
Flavors: 4 colorful unique options : Spicy Harissa, Parsley Mint (Herbs), Turmeric Za’atar (Earthy), Lemon Cumin (Classic).
Our colorful Tahini is the answer for many customers motivations’.
BUSINESS ORIGIN:
I started my journey with the food industry 7 years ago after losing my dad to colon cancer.
As a mom and a daughter I wanted to do better with my family’s body, daily.
I grew up in a poor family, my mom was working 3 jobs and as we came from school we joined her in the market day job. Cutting veggies, making gift baskets – EVERYTHING. I love being in markets until today. even though we were poor- we were spoiled at the dinner table.
Food was always fresh and colorful (Mediterranean). And Tahini, she was always part of the deal, we spread it on our bread, dressed our salad with it or mixed it with our rice. It was delicious.
When I had my third child, life got busy :) so I went shopping for some ready to eat options. I found everything: peanut butter, Hummus, VGN cream cheese…
but something was missing- the Tahini! I couldn’t find the ready to eat tahini sauce!
I went to 8 different stores realizing this isn’t available in the markets.
Being in the food industry for almost a decade, I realized I got something here.
I wanted to share it with the world with my culinary staple to show them that healthy food can be FUN, colorful and unique.
I launched FUN Sesames in 2019, yes pandemic and three kids at home. we gave each other the drive, we learned together, and we got to enjoy a lot of FUN tahini.
Today I am managing FUN Sesames all by myself. I believe in myself, and my partner is the most supportive in this growing stage.
But I am scared… as mentioned I am not coming from money. I am a woman, minority, immigrant that wants to get to the next step and break this glass but need this tiny push.
I believe in FUN Sesames and want Tahini to be the cleanest condiment in every household.
TARGETS:
Target audience:
1. Demographics:
+Single professional woman, ages 25 – 45.
+Married professional women with families, ages 25 – 55.
+Average household income of $60,000+ a year.
+Individuals involved in athletic activity.
2. Geographic:
+Highly diverse urban population
3. Behavioral:
+Fits dietary needs.
+Large gathering occasions: family/friends/work/ holidays ex: BBQ, 4th of July, house parties etc.
Market needs:
+Innovation – Hummus category is over SKU and the customer is looking for the next thing- Tahini allow versa (Tahini is the second ingredient after garbanzo beans).
+Flexitarian community- as the only seed base dip in the deli we are allowing markets and their growing flexitarian community to enjoy our Tahini whether they are Plant Based/Keto/ Paleo/ Gluten Free or any other diet. This is a big difference point as the flexitarian community is growing.
+Ethnic Staple- we are aware of the Ethnic trends that are taking place in every category. Staples like Kimchi, Ghee, Hummus is now part of everyday meals in many households. As an ethnic staple all over the Middle East we are aware of the need to provide authentic Tahini sauce.
CONNECT TO COMMUNITY:
One of the perks of being local, small business is connecting with our local farmers.
We are sourcing our herbs and lemon juice from local farms while maintaining a deep supportive relationship.
As a vegan founder I make it a point to support our local farmers by promoting them among other CPG brands.
We are developing a monthly youth class that supports local farmers and promotes their produce among the local community.
This program will support all of us on a micro level and we hope to grow with it to other groups such as girls scouts (we did few tours), and farmers markets.
FUN Sesames is making an effort supporting the heroes of our community- the farmers, while increasing the education around supporting locals.
WHAT ELSE:
“Have fun, it is simple!”
The name ‘FUN Sesames™’ was built off of this motto!
Growing up in a very low-income family helped me see that life is not about fancy vacations or clothes, it’s about being thankful for having each other and our health.
As children, we enjoyed simpler pleasures like having “picnics” on my dad’s bed when he was sick or walking around the block and collecting flowers.
There were never hotels, no big trips or fancy clothes. But there were still plenty of fun memories. As a mother, I am making it a point to show them how we can have fun and enjoy each other in the simplest way on a daily basis.
9 years ago, I moved to the US with my husband and 2-year-old girl.
After working my entire life in nonprofits, losing my father to colon cancer helped me find my passion for healthy food. I started playing with the idea of owning my own food start-up. A year later I founded a smoothie company, and it came out amazing. Being an immigrant gave me the benefit of not knowing what I don’t know. I used a lot of Chutzpah and found that people appreciate it when it is authentic.
While pregnant with my third I sold the smoothie’s company. I founded Fun Sesames a bit after my third child (Yair) was born. At that time, I made the decision to practice two basic things on a daily basis with my family and the world – Health and Happiness.
Today I have 3 kids and a dog, lots of experience in the healthy food industry and great passion about Tahini.
I believe this is about far more than putting a dip on the shelf- it is about creating and sharing something you know will be fun (and healthy) for everyone.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve never perceived my gender as a limitation. Instead, I’ve recognized that, at times, it’s necessary for me to navigate challenges with a unique approach as a woman. One common hurdle for female founders is earning credibility among peers in our industry.
As a woman founder, I’ve encountered situations where decision-makers instinctively turn to men for advice or input. Rather than taking this personally, I’ve learned to establish personal connections, which often lead to more robust and productive business relationships. These connections have become invaluable, especially during challenging and uncertain times.
Even when there’s no immediate business activity with someone, staying in touch conveys the significance I place on our relationship. I see this period as an opportunity to connect on a personal level with my network, ensuring that our long-term relationships remain strong and intact.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Building a strong social media audience has been a significant part of my journey as a founder. Here’s how I approached it, along with some advice for newcomers:
Personal Connection: I’ve made it a priority to personally connect with potential partners and our community. It’s essential to target the right audience. In my case, with FUN Sesames, I’ve emphasized that our brand and partners have a face and a story beyond the product.
Tahini to Everyone: We take pride in the fact that we transitioned from local natural stores to big chains. Our goal is to make our unique dip a staple in everyone’s daily diet. Many people don’t realize that tahini is more common than hummus and can be enjoyed daily. Leveraging our Mediterranean community and food enthusiasts as ambassadors has been instrumental. We actively engage with micro-influencers, providing them with our product to share on their social media platforms.
As Clean as It Gets: It’s crucial to communicate that our product is clean and suitable for various diets. Consistency in creating posts, including photos and videos, has been key to maintaining our social media presence.
For those starting their social media journey, my advice is to stay authentic, engage with your community, and highlight what makes your product or brand unique. Building meaningful relationships and consistently delivering valuable content can lead to a thriving social media presence.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://funsesames.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fun_sesames/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FunSesames
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fun-sesame/
- Other: https://www.faire.com/brand/b_6e0lzcqx6y