Founder Spotlight: Yousuf Ahmed (B-SIDES)
Meet Yousuf Ahmed:
B-SIDES transforms surplus ingredients into delicious, upcycled snacks with the power to reduce food waste at scale. Sustainability informs every decision the team makes, from product development and ingredient selection to packaging and delivery. Their plant-based, protein-packed Crunch Puffs are free from the top 9 allergens––proving that responsible consumption and indulgence can go hand in hand.
Location:
Brooklyn, New York, USA
When did you launch the business?
2024
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Startup Stage?
Bootstrapped (currently embarking on first fundraising round)
What led you to where you are today?
The idea for B-SIDES was born in 2014 when I attended Dan Barber's WASTED pop-up dinner, which featured dishes exclusively made from food waste. One standout dish—spent grain bread made from leftover brewing grains—made a lasting impression. It made me wonder why this kind of circular food system wasn’t more common. Eventually, I decided to leave my position at Goldman Sachs to launch B-SIDES, tackling one of the biggest sources of overlooked waste: the leftover oats discarded during oat milk production.
What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?
I wish I had internalized just how long it can take to get things right—and how nonlinear the path really is. There's this myth that if you work hard enough, momentum builds quickly, but in reality, you’re constantly iterating and adapting. Patience and flexibility are essential.
What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?
I tried launching in two product categories simultaneously––pastry and salty/savory snacks––and soon learned it was too confusing for consumers who were meeting our brand for the first time. It brought up the question –– “are you a cookie brand or a snack puff brand?” Picking the snack puff lane meant winding down a line of products I loved and spent years creating, but it was ultimately the best business choice.
What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?
I’d be happy to connect on anything related to upcycled ingredient sourcing, early-stage product development, and navigating the emotional side of building a mission-driven brand from scratch. I’m also happy to offer honest feedback for anyone thinking about jumping into CPG for the first time.
How can the VEGPRENEUR community help you?
We’re currently raising our seed round and expanding into new retail and DTC channels—so I’d love to connect with operators, advisors, and investors who are passionate about circular food systems and consumer education around food waste. Also, open to intros to buyers or brokers in the plant-based snack space.
Fun fact about you:
Before launching B-SIDES, I worked in both the music industry and finance—which means I can calculate IRR and name obscure vinyl tracks in the same breath.
Anything else you want to share?:
We’re just getting started, but we’re building with purpose. If you’re working on something that sits at the intersection of sustainability and consumer delight, let’s talk.
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