Born during the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Good Fat Co has humble origins – yet founder Jasmine’s dreams are big! She’s on a mission to provide Malaysians with better and healthier food choices, one nut butter at a time.
Read on to find out what makes The Good Fat Co tick – as well as what drives the team’s love of nut butter!
How did you decide to start The Good Fat Co? What was the catalyst for the business to begin, and why nut butters?
The Good Fat Co came about as a matter of chance. I was involved in a different business venture, and around the time Covid hit us, our business took a nosedive. The Good Fat Co was born out of necessity: to keep my team from my previous business at work. I sat down and asked myself: ‘What would our local market need, and what could we as a team be able to deliver?’
The immediate thought was healthier options when it came to food. Nut butter was an instant answer, as I realised we had very few options besides peanut butter. I had tried various nut butters throughout my travels and absolutely loved them. I felt that Malaysians would also enjoy them if they were available locally.
How do you find a balance between being a busy entrepreneur and maintaining your family life? Do you find that it takes a toll on your mental health, and how do you manage when the work seems overwhelming?
The thing about being an entrepreneur is, you don’t really have fixed working hours. There are quiet periods and extremely busy periods. I try to ride the wave as much as I can and grab any opportunity that comes my way. I have an amazing team, so that helps me shut off to be there for my family during family time. When it comes to mental health, it is usually not a result of a singular cause. Most times, it’s a compilation of issues. I try to keep to the basics – communicate always (whether it’s at work or with family) so things don’t spiral out of hand, work out to keep my body and mind balanced, and I set aside a day – or at least a few hours – to do something I love.
How long did it take your team to develop your key nut butter recipes? When was your ‘Eureka!’ moment, that cemented to you and your team that The Good Fat Co is exactly what you were meant to be doing?
Our recipes are a constant work in progress! I am a firm believer that you can always improve. We get our ‘Eureka’ moments from our customers, when they share how much they enjoy our nut butters. We have so many loyal customers who really keep us going.
What are your 5 favourite things to gift during Raya when you are visiting people?
Of course, our nut butters (hahahaha)! I used to buy cookies and cakes, as well as fruit and flower baskets. But, now I also have the option of gifting our nut butters during Raya. They make a great, sweet, and yet healthy gift.
Which is your personal favourite nut butter in your catalogue?
I have to say that our almond butter has always held a soft spot in my heart.
What are some Malaysian recipes where we can use your nut butter? Share your top favourite 5!
My utmost favourite is Gado Gado made with our peanut butter! The nuttiness just pops for an explosive burst of flavour. There is also a recipe for Pistachio Beef Stir Fry, Hazelnut Ginger Noodles, Thai Peanut Shrimp, and Chicken Cashew Curry, where our cashew butter thickens the curry beautifully. You can check these recipes out on our website at www.goodfatco.com!
Where do you see The Good Fat Co in 10 years’ time? How has the brand and its products expanded?
We aspire to be the source of locally-produced healthier foods ! We recently moved into making snack-size nut butters, and the response has been absolutely overwhelming. We got to see our customers consuming nut butters away from the breakfast table: as a snack before gym, or for kids at school. We’re looking at growing our range of products in the next two years, so our customers will have a wider range of options to choose from.
How was your lockdown experience during the thick of the Covid-19 Pandemic? What was one moment of #sapotlokal that encouraged your team to continue pushing for success?
We started our company during the pandemic. So, in a way, all our processes were designed to fit the limitations of the pandemic. A lot had to be done by just one or two people, so things took a lot longer to get done. But, we managed! Despite the operational struggles we experienced, #sapotlokal was so encouraging as everyone wanted to support small local businesses. It was an amazing show of support, especially after what businesses had gone through during the lockdown period.
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What is one bit of feedback you’ve received that has given you the push to further expand and grow The Good Fat Co?
If it’s one thing, it’s the quality of our products. Our loyal customers know what they’re paying for, and their repeated purchases tell us we are on the right track.
What is one thing you wish you knew when you first started your business?
It is a long road ahead, and you have to be patient.
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