Bdaily Festive Focus 2020: Nessa Keddo, founder of Munch Free, says 2020 has given the gift of resilience

For the twelfth day of our Festive Focus series, Bdaily spoke to Nessa Keddo, founder of organic baby food brand Munch Free, about redistribution challenges, “crazy” support for small businesses and plans to start 2021 with a bang.

How has 2020 changed the way that you live, work, and think?

“2020 has definitely made me more resilient as an entrepreneur.

“There are times when I’ve stopped and thought, ‘how on earth are we going to get through this?’, but if you love what you do and really know your market, there’s always a way.

“It’s also made me more prepared for future rocky periods in business and making sure that we always have multiple income streams, and not relying on limited sales channels.”

What has been your single biggest challenge and how have you overcome it?

“Definitely converting to D2C. One of our main channels of distribution was going to be independents, cafes and soft plays.

“Of course, the majority of those closed over the spring and then again in the autumn when we launched.

“It’s been a huge challenge and many are now permanently closed. It made us rethink, ‘okay, so where are parents now taking their kids’ and re-route our distribution channel - again!”

What has been the biggest unexpected positive to come out of this year?

“The amount of support I’ve received from mums has been phenomenal. I run the social media channels and make sure that my voice as a mum is heard.

“I get lots of DMs from mums cheering me on and that really keeps me going during difficult times. The support for small businesses in general has been crazy.”

What does your ideal Christmas look like?

“Relaxing and no phones/TV! With the pandemic, Brexit and starting the business, I’m constantly checking the news and my social channels/replying to customers.

“An ideal Christmas would really be switching off from all of that and taking time to remember the more important things in life.”

How do you think people and businesses can support each other during 2020’s festive season?

“Shop small, shop local. Of course, big brands have suffered too, but it’s the small guys on the high street that have no back up support who will suffer the most.

“Also, being kind. Everyone is having their personal struggles in their own way, but in general, this festival season should be about celebrating how we’ve all come through this difficult period; giving a smile here and there never hurts!

What does 2021 look like for you and your business?

Phenomenal! Watch this space! We’ve got lots of new things going on, more retailers, more products, more community work. 2020 has been a learning curve, but I can’t wait to start 2021 with a bang!

Looking to promote your product/service to SME businesses in your region? Find out how Bdaily can help →