WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.410 >> BEEFREE HAS EVOLVED FROM A DESIRE TO BAKE TASTY GLUTEN AND DAIRY FREE TREATS FOR HER SON TO BEING SOLD IN 2,000 STORES! 2 00:00:10.410 --> 00:00:18.852 JENNIFER WIESE STARTED BEEFREE IN 2010 AND CONTINUES TO ATTRACT NATIONAL ATTENTION...INCLUDING BEING ONE OF SEVEN COMPANIES 3 00:00:18.852 --> 00:00:25.225 SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN A CONSUMER-PACKAGED GOODS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM. I'M PLEASED TO WELCOME BACK 4 00:00:25.225 --> 00:00:33.333 BEEFREE FOUNDER JENNIFER WIESE WITH MORE ON GROWTH AND WHAT'S NEXT. JENNIFER, YOU'VE BEEN ON THE 5 00:00:33.333 --> 00:00:39.873 SHOW A COUPLE OF TIMES, THE FIRST TIME WHEN YOU FOUNDED THE COMPANY. A LOT HAS CHANGED. >> THANK YOU. 6 00:00:39.873 --> 00:00:46.279 >> TALK ABOUT THE GENESIS, HOW THE COMPANY STARTED, I KNOW IT WAS OUT OF A DESIRE TO CREATE PRODUCTS FOR YOUR SON WHO HAS 7 00:00:46.279 --> 00:00:52.652 AUTISM. >> CORRECT. MY HUSBAND AND I IN 2008 WENT TO AN AUTISM CONFERENCE IN VANCOUVER. AT THAT 8 00:00:52.652 --> 00:01:01.795 TIME WE WERE LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD BE IMPACTFUL FOR OUR SON'S LIFE, AND DIET SPECIFICALLY A 9 00:01:01.795 --> 00:01:10.003 GLUTEN-FREE DIET, FREE OF DAIRY, AND JUNKIE INGREDIENTS AND ANYTHING ARTIFICIAL. BECAUSE THERE WERE FEW OPTIONS IN THE 10 00:01:10.003 --> 00:01:18.912 MARKETPLACE AT THAT TIME WE GOT BUSY IN OUR OWN KITCHEN, I ENLISTED MY MOM AND WE CREATED OUR OWN FAMILY RECIPES INTO 11 00:01:18.912 --> 00:01:25.518 GLUTEN-FREE AND CLEAN LABEL TYPE OF PRODUCT. >> GROWTH HAS BEEN PHENOMENAL SINCE LAUNCHING IN 2010, YOU 12 00:01:25.518 --> 00:01:32.625 TALK ABOUT BIG NAMES, KROGER, WHOLE FOODS, TARGET, AMONG THEM, YOU WERE DELIVERING AMONG THEM OUT OF YOUR CAR, RIGHT? 13 00:01:32.625 --> 00:01:43.736 >> EXACTLY, YES. IN LITTLE TOTES, A 12 X 12 TOTE BOX. >> TODAY... >> TODAY WE WATCH TRUCK LOADS OF 14 00:01:43.736 --> 00:01:48.575 OUR PRODUCT LEAVE OUR FACILITIES, AND GO TO ALL DIFFERENT RETAILERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY 15 00:01:48.575 --> 00:01:55.615 >> WHAT'S DRIVING IT? THE PRODUCT HAS TO BE GOOD, PEOPLE HAVE TO WANT IT, BUT WHAT HAS BEEN REALLY DRIVING YOUR 16 00:01:55.615 --> 00:02:00.420 GROWTH? >> A BIG PART OF IF IS PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO WHAT THEY'RE PUTTING IN THEIR MOUTH, 17 00:02:00.420 --> 00:02:07.694 AND HOW IT AFFECTS THEIR BODY. COVID REALLY WAS A BIG INSTIGATOR IN THAT AS WELL. PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT HOW ARE 18 00:02:07.694 --> 00:02:15.768 THEY TREATING THEIR BODY, WHAT CAN THEY DO TO TREAT THEIR BODY BETTER, BETTER FOODS THEY CAN EAT AS WELL AS HOW THEY'RE 19 00:02:15.768 --> 00:02:21.541 CARING FOR OTHER PEOPLE IN THEIR FAMILIES AND ALSO THE PLANET. >> YOU HAVE A VARIETY OF PRODUCTS YOU'RE PRODUCING, 20 00:02:21.541 --> 00:02:29.315 PRODUCED IN INDIANA FOR A WHILE, TOUGH TO FIND A GLUTEN-FREE TYPE ENVIRONMENT YOU'RE PRODUCING IN MICHIGAN I THINK NOW, BUT THE 21 00:02:29.315 --> 00:02:35.188 BIG NEWS IS YOU'RE LOOKING TO CREATE A CAFE HERE TO MANUFACTURE IN NOBLESVILLE AND HAMILTON COUNTY. 22 00:02:35.188 --> 00:02:42.729 >> WE ARE. WE'RE LOOKING TO CREATE A BAKERY FACILITY THAT WILL BE A COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION FACILITY SPECIFICALLY TO CREATE 23 00:02:42.729 --> 00:02:50.737 OUR PRODUCT, AND WE'RE -- OUR BIG DREAM IS TO EMPLOY PEOPLE ON AUTISM SPECTRUM. >> I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT 24 00:02:50.737 --> 00:02:57.110 THAT JOBS SPECIFICALLY. >> ABSOLUTELY, RIGHT. WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT CREATING 100 JOBS. WE'LL START SMALLER, BUT 25 00:02:57.110 --> 00:03:08.421 THAT'S OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE 100 JOBS FOR PEOPLE ON THE SPECTRUM. 80 TO 85% OF YOUNG ADULTS WITH AUTISM ARE EITHER ON. 26 00:03:08.421 --> 00:03:18.131 ON OR UNDEREMPLOYED. WE WANT TO BE A SOLUTION FOR THAT PROBLEM. >> YOU WERE SELECTED FOR AN ELITE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM IN 27 00:03:18.131 --> 00:03:29.943 AUSTIN, TEXAS. THAT WAS A COUP, HOW DID IT EXPERIENCE. >> IT OPENED OUR EYES TO A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING, CONSUMER 28 00:03:29.943 --> 00:03:36.249 PACKAGED GOODS INDUSTRY AS WELL AS TAKE A LOOK AT OURSELVES HOW WE'RE MANAGING OUR BUSINESS AND WE GOT A DEEP DIVE INTO WHO OUR 29 00:03:36.249 --> 00:03:43.156 CONSUMER IS, WHO WAS THAT CORE CUSTOMER BUYING OUR PRODUCTS. >> JENNIFER WIESE, THE FOUNDER AND OWNER OF BEEFREE, 30 00:03:43.156 --> 00:03:45.291 CONGRATULATIONS ON THE GROWTH, REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE.