Key points covered:
- Innovative approach of startup ventures in the food industry
- Challenges and strategies in female entrepreneurship and business financing
- Individual journeys of two female entrepreneurs in Germany
Event Recap:
female entrepreneurs in food industry
Out event outlines the journeys of two founders, Luisa (Founder of Café del Cielo) and Ariana (founder Viva la Faba), in creating innovative food products, Viva la Faba vegan cheese and Café der Cielo coffee. Ariana details the development of a Faba bean cheese due to dissatisfaction with existing vegan cheese, while Luisa shares her mission to produce coffee sustainably in Colombia. Both founders faced challenges in their entrepreneurial journeys, including navigating investments and legalities for Ariana, and addressing economic hardships for coffee farmers for Luisa.
The challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in different industries are influenced by factors like ethnicity, age, location, and economy, with examples of overcoming cultural barriers and male-dominated environments. Financing a business, particularly with a physical product, presents obstacles like navigating bureaucracy and attracting investors, leading to strategies such as crowd investment and building a supportive network for guidance and resources.
Female entrepreneurs discuss the similarities in challenges faced in both entrepreneurship and the corporate world, highlighting the importance of a support system. They also delve into sustainability practices within their businesses, focusing on regenerative agriculture, transitioning to plant-based farming, and promoting responsible consumption. Additionally, they address the complexities of ensuring suppliers’ sustainability without burdensome certifications, emphasizing the need for diligence and communication.
At the end of the event Ariana and Luisa were available tfor an extensive Q&A session.
OUR GUEST SPEAKERS
Luisa Mejia
Was born in Bogota, Colombia, where she lived for 33 years. She studied biomedical engineering and emigrated to Germany 13 years ago to pursue a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. She has worked for 15+ years in MedTech, innovation, and Digital Transformation in Healthcare. She’s the foundational voice behind the Cafe del Cielo story.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisa-fernanda-mejia-b246b31a
Café del Cielo: As a small coffee farmer we challenge the conventional supply chain of coffee to cause a social and ecological transformation. We produce specialty coffee in our tiny farm in Colombia, we export and distributed ourselves in Europe in order to sustain regenerative practices in our farm and pay a fair wage to our employees.
Web: https://www.instagram.com/cafedelcielofarm
Ariana Alva Ferrari
Was born in Peru and raised with a deep appreciation for sustainable development. Ariana’s educational journey took her from International Business studies in the U.S. to pursuing a Master’s in Bioeconomy in Germany. There, she deepened her understanding of sustainable product development. Now a Co-Founder of Viva la Faba, Ariana is dedicated to reshaping the vegan cheese market, advocating for sustainable business practices, and promoting diversity!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ariana-alva-ferrari
Viva la Faba: Ariana Alva Ferrari’s Viva la Faba leverages the humble faba bean to revolutionize plant-based cheese alternatives in Stuttgart. With a focus on sustainability, the brand celebrates the bean’s potential for nutritious, environmentally-friendly food solutions, initiating a new era in compassionate and sustainable cheese-making.