Owner - Empoli Pasta

Unique meal kit pasta brand launched mid-pandemic in Chicago. Achieved impressive brand awareness through influencer relationships and user generated content.

My partners and I saw an opportunity mid pandemic to create a handmade pasta meal kit service in Chicago. We materialized the idea into a business within one month’s time. Empoli Chicago had a unique and different packaging for the industry: sleek and modern rather than the standard cookie cutter options found in most venues. Needless to say, our product’s quality was outstanding, due in part to our renowned head chef and partner. We based our business on the slogan “We prepare, you finish”. Through a well thought-out educational marketing campaign, our clientele got used to the idea of pre-cooked items that took no more than 10 minutes to finish at home. Our concept was an instant success, especially in pandemic times when dining options were so limited.

Understand and communicate what problems we solved for the consumer

SWOT analysis

Small focus groups

Meeting customer expectations by using local and organic ingredients and sustainable and reusable packaging. Our customers were offered a discount to refill their mason jars and meal kit tubes.

Growing the business organically through Instagram and Facebook and by reaching out to influencers who prepared the meal kit and shared it in their blogs and social media channels in exchange for content

Constant interaction with customers

Attending multiple sales locations around Chicago to create brand awareness