Learn more about Mario Salazar, Founder of Attain Foods!
Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit more about you. What is your passion behind your business?
I have always wanted to do impactful work that benefits communities I care about. For over 10 years I worked on political and issue advocacy campaigns and slowly moved up the ranks professionally. Unfortunately, at the same time I was also moving up in body weight. I was prediabetic and had high blood pressure. I turned to the keto diet to lose nearly 80 pounds in 10 months! During that journey I learned about the millions of folks out there experiencing the same weight loss struggle. They too turn to keto but many fail because simply put - keto is hard! You have to give up some of your favorite foods. Well, not anymore! I founded Attain Foods to make keto deliciously easy by producing low-carb versions of high carb favorites. And our first product offering will be the Kizza Keto Pizza!
Did you always know you wanted to start a food business? What did you think you wanted to do professionally?
I wanted to be a lawyer and to work in politics - and after graduating from law school in 2008 I had the chance to do just that. Going into food was never on the table but you just never know!
Why did you start your business?
I love pizza and I refused to give it up. I couldn't find a product on the market that gave me the carb and protein numbers I was looking for that also tasted like real pizza - so I learned how to make it myself! After talking to dozens of folks on keto I found that I wasn't alone and found a demand for this.
What did you do before starting your business?
I was working as a VP for a top public affairs consulting firm.
What convinced you to take the plunge?
Jim Koch, the founder of Samuel Adams, had a great quote that he shared on How I Built This. It goes like "There are plenty of things that are scary, but not dangerous. And there are things that are dangerous, but not scary—those are the things that get you." What Koch was referring to was the risk of leaving the high income and security of his own consulting firm to start a beer company as something that was scary but not dangerous. Meanwhile, staying at a job that wasn't his passion for another 40 years and getting to the end of his career and going "I wasted my life!" is something that is very dangerous. This really inspired me to give this a go.
What do you like about food?
We need to add "eating" to that list that includes death and taxes - everyone needs food!
What drew you to the food industry?
I am driven by my desire to help folks attain their keto and low-carb goals. Whether they be trying to lose weight, deal with diabetes, or some other reason - I hope to help keep them on track by making them miss "real" pizza just a little bit less.
What's the biggest challenge you've faced to date?
Simply not knowing what I don't know. This is a completely new industry to me and since our product is heavily meat-based we have a few additional requirements that we must adhere to. This is where the Union Kitchen Accelerator Program is super helpful. By introducing us to the right set of consultants and helping guide us along the process - they've kept us moving and on schedule.
Has anything surprised you about starting your food business?
There is a strong sense of kinship among food founders. Whether it's founders I've met through Union Kitchen or other incubators and networks I am a part of - people have been helpful and supportive.
What's been the most exciting part of starting your food business?
Seeing some of the positive reactions to the Kizza Keto Pizza. I have distributed over 250 by now and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. One gentleman at our restaurant pop-up event a couple weeks ago had lost over 50 pounds on keto and had spent over a year without having any pizza. After taking a bite out of ours he turned to the server and said it was "world-changing." And that's exactly what we're trying to accomplish.
Comments