Founder Spotlight: Rudy Yoo (Armored Fresh)
Meet Rudy Yoo:
Armored Fresh specializes in developing truly delicious, alternative dairy products that taste and have a similar price point to dairy-made cheese. The brand brings its innovative approach and award-winning zero-dairy cheeses that taste, melt, and replicate the mouthfeel of dairy-based cheeses to retailers nationwide.
Location:
McLean, Virginia, USA
When did you launch the business?
2001 - Korea & 2021 - USA
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Startup Stage:
Pre-B Stage
What led you to where you are today?
My journey has been driven by a deep curiosity to tackle problems and find solutions, treating each challenge like a game. This approach led me to the world of vegan dairy products, specifically vegan cheese, which goes beyond merely mimicking traditional dairy forms. We have successfully addressed challenges related to taste and cost and are now advancing further by focusing on enhancing nutritional value and adopting clean label standards. These new challenges are centered around not only matching but also surpassing traditional dairy products in health benefits while maintaining transparency and minimizing our environmental impact. Each step in our journey is a testament to our commitment to innovation and excellence in the plant-based industry, continuously pushing the boundaries in nutritional excellence and clean label initiatives."
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
Looking back, I wish I had understood the crucial importance of building a strong network and seeking mentorship early in the United States. The relationships within retail, food service, and brand chains, along with connections to American investors, are profoundly influential. These networks not only provide support and guidance but also open doors to numerous opportunities and resources that are essential for growth and success in the highly competitive markets. Furthermore, a strong network could have minimized the trial and error in our operations, captured customers drifting away due to issues with the taste and quality of existing vegan cheeses, and accelerated the market acceptance of our vegan cheese products.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
One of the toughest decisions I have made in my business journey was choosing to venture into the alternative dairy sector. Surpassing traditional dairy in terms of taste, price, and nutritional value has been a formidable challenge. However, I do not view this challenge with any regret; instead, I see it as engaging in a rigorous and exciting game. Each step in the development of our plant-based products, aimed at meeting or exceeding these criteria without sacrificing quality or failing consumer expectations, has demanded relentless innovation and steadfast dedication. This has not just been about creating alternatives, but about setting new standards in the food industry.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
Armored Fresh’s mission is to provide people with the absolute best dairy alternatives so that they can enjoy their favorite foods again without sacrificing texture, taste, and price. We’d love to encourage the Vegpreneur community to try our wonderful zero-dairy alternatives and learn more about saving the plane one tasty bite at a time! By doing so, you can join us in leading the movement towards popularizing dairy-free products. Your support in spreading the word and engaging with our brand is crucial.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
At Armored Fresh, we are well-prepared to rival any dairy product on the market. As we aim to expand our Zero Dairy products beyond the U.S. into global markets, we find ourselves in need of substantial capital to compete with large corporations. We are actively seeking robust investors, seasoned mentors, and a dynamic network. We hope that prominent figures and potential investors get a chance to experience our products firsthand, as their endorsement could be instrumental in our growth.
Fun fact about you:
A fun fact about me is that while our current slogan is 'Zero Dairy,' it used to be 'Super Vegan Super Taste' in the early days. I always wear our slogans boldly printed on the back of my shirts. One day, I visited a well-known vegan restaurant in Itaewon, Korea, and surprisingly, customers kept coming up to me to place their orders. At first, I was puzzled, wondering why they were ordering from me. Then it dawned on me—my t-shirt’s slogan fit so perfectly with the vegan restaurant's vibe that people thought I worked there! Even when I went to the restroom, people would try to order from me, making it an unexpectedly busy day.
Anything else you would like to share?
One significant challenge all alternative dairy entrepreneurs face is surpassing traditional dairy products. The key issue here involves the difference in emulsifying properties provided by casein protein in dairy. Just like switching from gasoline cars to electric ones requires battery technology instead of oil, creating vegan products that match or exceed the nutritional value and texture of dairy requires a substitute for casein protein—essentially, a protein that provides both nutrients and emulsifying functions. In October 2022, I founded a food tech company in New York called Pureture, and we successfully developed this technology at the laboratory level as a non-GMO for the first time. I am confident that once this technology is commercialized, it will not only enhance Armored Fresh products but significantly contribute to the advancement of all alternative dairy products, ensuring they surpass dairy in taste, nutrition, and affordability.
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