Company: CEC Food GmbH
Address: Abraham-Lincoln-Str. 44, 65189 Wiesbaden
Brand ambassador: Alexander Kuster
Founder: Corporate Start Up Julius Berger International GmbH
Date of establishment: May 24, 2023
Industry and company: Food/wholesale

What drives you? What is your motto?
Nothing is impossible! 

What is your start-up about and what makes it special?
Fair processing of cashews in West Africa.
Shortened supply chain from West Africa directly to Europe, not via Asia.
Reduction of CO2.
Fair processing into high-quality products made from cashew kernels (cashew butter, snacks, pestos, etc.) at a fair price.
We focus on the intense flavor and texture of our cashews.

What are your first successes?

In terms of production, we have achieved exactly the quality in taste and texture that we had in mind. After the launch on our website and the first test packages sent to influencers, we received nothing but positive feedback. The same applies to our storytelling and the resulting sales.

What is your professional background?
Alexander Kuster: My professional background consists of having previously built up two brands in the lifestyle segment. CEC-Food, "Mighty Kashoo" is a corporate start-up of Julius Berger International GmbH in Wiesbaden.

What prompted you to start your own business?
The trigger for this was the fact that Nigeria is one of the largest exporters of cashew nuts. Most of them are first sent to Asia for further processing and then come to us in Europe via detours. We wanted to change that. 

Since our headquarters, Julius Berger PLC, is located in Nigeria, we took action two years ago and set up both the processing and transport to Europe ourselves in order to reduce CO2 emissions and shorten and speed up the supply chain. 

This also created jobs. That's how Mighty Kashoo came into being.

Who advised you, who are your helpers and mentors?
I have the management team behind me as mentors, who support me and back me up in all my decisions. Of course, there is also a lot of discussion and searching for further solutions to get the most out of the brand and the products.

How did you experience your first days as a founder?
It was clear to me from the very beginning that, even though various cashew nut products already exist, we would create new products based on cashew kernels that end consumers would love.

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it? Once everything related to marketing, the web
shop, and sales had been finalized, one of our biggest hurdles was production. Unfortunately, the quality of the first products was not satisfactory, so we had to start all over again. After several weeks, we finally found the right production partner and were able to produce the desired product quality, clearing the way for the brand launch.

How do you draw attention to your company? What is your best marketing idea?
Marketing is done entirely through marketing and sales channels. Of course, word of mouth, a strong, resilient network and, last but not least, social media play a major role. Furthermore, the brand's visibility in various sales channels is also important. 

How did you finance your start-up?
We are a corporate start-up and a subsidiary of Julius Berger International GmbH.

What dream would you still like to realize?
Our dream/vision is to appeal to the market with a range of different products made from cashew nuts. Above all, we want to do this in a sustainable way. In terms of production and support in West Africa, with high-quality taste and appealing textures in the products for the end consumer, as well as a high profile for the brand in lifestyle food.

Please complete the following sentence: If I had more time, we would
... focus even more intensively on the local production conditions and possibilities for substitute products made from cashew nuts, as these have a great future.

What is your special tip: What would you recommend to founders?
Focus on the essential things. Always keep
your goal in mind and don't get distracted by side issues.
Continue to have courage, even when things go wrong.
Build up patience. Above all, don't fall into the trap of taking action for the sake of it.
Always keep an eye on costs.