Founder Spotlight: Kira Akerstrom (Puuro)
Meet Kira Akerstrom:
Puuro makes Nordic-inspired gut-friendly foods. Our core product line includes low-sugar oats and fiber enhanced with Nordic wild berries.
Location:
Oakland, California, USA
When did you launch the business?
2023
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Startup Stage:
Bootstrapped
What led you to where you are today?
For over a decade, my culinary journey has encompassed everything from recipe development and food styling to working in restaurants. However, it was my upbringing in Finland, with its connection to nature and wild foods, that truly laid the foundation for Puuro. Growing up, foraging for wild berries and enjoying simple foods, instilled in me an appreciation for flavors as nature intended. However, upon relocating to the US, I was struck by the abundance of low-fiber, sugary, and artificially flavored food options that obscured the essence of their ingredients. I yearned for the simple, clean flavors of my childhood and I wanted to share this experience with others.
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
That you'll make mistakes and fail, even if you read all the books and listen to all the podcasts. Nothing really truly prepares you until you're in the thick of it.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
One invaluable lesson from my entrepreneurial journey is knowing when to let go and pivot. Despite investing almost a year into developing my hero product, ready-to-eat oats, I realized upon launch that it wasn't feasible—it drained my finances and energy due to its short shelf-life. I naively believed I could solve this on the fly, but learned the hard way that trial and error can be costly. Ultimately, I made the tough decision to discontinue the oats and pivot to launching my line of Nordic Oat dry mixes. It was a challenging choice, but it proved to be the best move for my business, leading to a more sustainable and successful path forward.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
I'm always up for a chat with early-stage entrepreneurs who have burning questions. Having made numerous mistakes during my own journey, I'm more than willing to share and would love to connect with others to support them on their path.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
Spread the word about Puuro within your community, and follow us on social media (comment and connect!).
Fun fact about you:
I'm a MasterChef winner (Finland 2013)!
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