Most food startups spend years trying to get into one major supermarket. Riya Patel got into Tesco, Sainsbury's and Ocado in just 2.5 years.
Before the retail wins came fundraising, and as Riya explains, raising capital is a lot like dating. Some investors immediately understand your vision, while others push terms that don't align with what you're building. Having the confidence to walk away proved just as important as securing investment.
After graduating from Cambridge and heading towards a career in the diplomatic service, Riya took a leap of faith and founded All The Aunties, bringing authentic paneer cheese inspired by generations of family cooking to British consumers.
In Part 1 of this two-part series, we discuss fundraising, building the right cap table, branding, storytelling, and how Riya turned a family-inspired idea into one of the UK's fastest-growing food brands.
Claudine Ang is a former London Corporate Finance/M&A/Technology lawyer with a passion for innovation. Her podcast features candid, in-depth conversations with innovators, exploring transformative ideas and enterprises, and the individuals behind them.
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