Founder Feature: Philip Teverow of Yolélé

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Recorded28 Feb 2025

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In this episode of The Startup CPG Podcast, Grace Kennedy sits down with Philip Teverow, co-founder of Yolélé, an African food brand bringing Fonio, a gluten-free ancient grain, to the U.S. market. Philip shares the inspiring story of how he and his business partner, Chef Pierre Thiam, embarked on a mission to introduce African flavors to a wider audience while supporting West African farmers and sustainable agriculture.Philip discusses the challenges of building a supply chain from West Africa to the U.S., how Yolélé secured Whole Foods as its first major retailer, and why food service is their next big focus. He also dives into the unexpected rise of Fonio beer, how Yolélé is expanding into new product categories, and offers valuable advice for emerging CPG founders navigating distribution and growth.If you’re curious about innovative food businesses, sustainable supply chains, or simply want to try Fonio chips for yourself, this episode is a must-listen!Listen in as they share about:The Origins of YoléléFonio – An Ancient African GrainExpanding Product Line & Retail PresenceSupply Chain Challenges & SolutionsSurprising Uses of FonioBusiness Growth & StrategyAdvice for CPG EntrepreneursEpisode Links:Website: https://yolele.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-teverow-9215962/ Don't forget to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify if you enjoyed this episode. For potential sponsorship opportunities or to join the Startup CPG community, visit http://www.startupcpg.com.Show Links:Transcripts of each episode are available on the Transistor platform that hosts our podcast here (click on the episode and toggle to “Transcript” at the top)Join the Startup CPG Slack community (20K+ members and growing!)Follow @startupcpgVisit host Daniel's Linkedin Questions or comments about the episode? Email Daniel at [email protected] music by Super Fantastics

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