‘My husband almost died’: Kim Antoniou founded Kafoodle after her partner’s near escape from death over a sesame allergy

Launched in 2014, Kafoodle goals to create a safer and extra clear meals surroundings serving to each companies and their shoppers

“New laws had been going to knock the hospitality business and it was clear that they had been unprepared to cope with it,” the founding father of Kafoodle, Kim Antoniou tells me. “Chefs should not essentially tech-savvy and the shortage of allergen data was killing folks. We started by speaking to cooks and hospitality homeowners, constructing our software program from cooks upwards. It turned profitable shortly, because it was straightforward to make use of. Our mission assertion is to ‘make meals clear’.” 

Kim was born in Wood Green and grew up in Tottenham, North London with her two dad and mom and brother. Kim attended an all-girls college and labored at a gown store on Saturdays to earn some more money on the facet. The proprietor of the store was a hardworking single mom – and she or he gave younger Kim a style on the ins and outs of enterprise. Kim learnt priceless expertise which she introduced with her into her profession – and her entrepreneurial streak started.

Kim enrolled in nursing college however later switched to accounting to pursue her ardour in enterprise. Kim’s boss at her Saturday job bought her North London enterprise and moved to Folkestone, Kent. 17-year-old Kim noticed her boss as her mentor and didn’t need to go away her facet, so she signed up for an Ordinary National Diploma (OND) enterprise research course in Folkestone and continued to work at her new store whereas residing above the premises. 

After tying the knot, Kim began a property and building enterprise with her husband, utilizing her data and expertise to oversee the workplace administration and rental portfolios. The pair then arrange a property and building agency, transferring from North London to Chingford. However, Kim and her companion ultimately cut up up – and the savvy entrepreneur determined to take up the chance to run the corporate on her personal. One day, Kim determined to purchase herself a pc and find out about computing and software program language – and that was when her love for tech developed. She later arrange a artistic companies firm, referred to as Perfect Fish Advertising, with her brother, however the enterprise later went into liquidation. However, Kim by no means let her entrepreneurial spirit die. When a good friend recommended beginning an app for meals allergen data, Kim dived proper in, figuring out she might put her software program data into good use. 

“It was after I went to purchase a new golf-ball typewriter that my course modified,” Kim tells me. “I had the choice to purchase the typewriter or a pc and I selected the latter. The store needed to rearrange for somebody to do the set-up for me however I used to be certain I might do it myself. Well, it took some 24 hours however I did it! I shortly learnt about computing and software program language leaving property behind for tech. 

“With my brother, we arrange Perfect Fish Advertising, a artistic companies enterprise. He managed the standard promoting facet and I specialised in all issues digital. Web design and programming moved into internet software program improvement, culminating in us constructing the benchmark system, Ontrack, for the Road Reinstatement Industry; revolutionary on the time. When we misplaced the contract, our enterprise went into liquidation, regardless of having poured our personal cash into it, as a way to attempt to hold afloat. I used to be adamant that I’d not set up one other enterprise – ever! But, when a good friend had the thought for an app concerning meals allergen data, I used to be so intrigued that I couldn’t assist however go for it.” 

In 2013, Kim witnessed the horrific second her husband was resuscitated on the ground of a restaurant in Mykonos. He had a critical sesame allergy and practically died after consuming a meals product. From that second on, Kim made it her life mission to teach busy restaurant employees and assist diners make knowledgeable choices – so her concept for Kafoodle was born. 

Kafoodle goals to assist the foodservice business handle and talk their meals allergens, calculate vitamin and management prices, resulting in a safer and extra clear meals surroundings that advantages each the enterprise and the buyer. The app has two capabilities – one permits cooks to handle the elements, value and make-up of their menus (for a charge) whereas the opposite offers shoppers free data on which institutions they’ll eat at safely. 

“Kafoodle works extensively with industrial kitchens and meals suppliers within the UK & The UAE serving to them to handle the whole lot across the meals they serve together with their allergen compliance, dietary data and provide chain,” Kim mentioned. “We work with some nice shoppers in Healthcare and Education, hospitality, retail and extra lately extensively within the meals supply house. Kafoodle has grow to be a well-respected and market-leading set of compliance/menu administration and communications instruments and the mixed product suite providing real-time data and filterable menus to permit a fully personalised and protected meals expertise to its diners, prospects, residents and sufferers.” 

Kim confronted a number of hurdles within the early days of launching Kafoodle. Having to persuade cooks to check out the brand new and innovate software program was no straightforward feat. “It was positively making an attempt to get the cooks to purchase into the idea and make the time to do it,” Kim mentioned. “I feel they understood that, in long term, it could save time, nevertheless it did require a lot of effort. Then, there was the issue that lots of them refused to imagine that there was a downside surrounding allergens. However, laws has since been launched and now, in fact, meals and hospitality companies are pressured to confront the problem.” 

To overcome this downside, Kim constructed relationships with her shoppers first and launched software program that was much like earlier ones that had used, which made it simpler for them to leap onto the platform and undertake the software program simply. “We constructed relationships with the chef’s and enterprise homeowners and developed software program that was carefully aligned to these they already labored with,” Kim mentioned. “We had been lucky to have some excellent press protection and so the model turned identified for making an attempt to assist hospitality companies, making kitchens compliant and, saving lives. We all the time hoped that we had been going to take over the world! There had been about 600 kitchens on the time and it didn’t enter our heads that we might not be going to get by way of to all of them, that’s optimism for you! The actuality was moderately totally different. Today nonetheless, allergen management is a reality of life, companies must face it head on, in the event that they hope to construct a respectable market share.” 

The pandemic prompted the hospitality business to close down fully, and 1000’s of staff have misplaced their jobs as a end result. As a end result, Kafoodle misplaced a giant variety of shoppers – however with strategic pondering, Kim managed to redirect gross sales to a new ‘click on and acquire system’ and likewise labored carefully with different establishments corresponding to faculties, hospitals, the care business and companies that had been nonetheless open through the lockdown. “We have been saved by our click on and acquire system and by our fund spherical in 2020,” Kim mentioned. “Whilst the funds had been for use for development, we had been capable of redirect them and focus on click on and acquire and pre-order areas of our enterprise. We additionally work carefully with the Care Industry, hospitals and faculties. Businesses that weren’t shut down, infact changing into extra needy. 

“Whilst Kafoodle began with allergens, we realised that it was just one a part of the story and that vitamin was equally as vital. Food is a very private alternative for a variety of causes. Nutrition for sufferers in hospitals, residents in care houses and pupils in faculties is vitally vital so we even have options particularly for the Health & Care and Education sectors the place a individual’s necessities will be matched towards menus to create personalised meal plans.” 

In a few phrases of recommendation to struggling SMEs, Kim mentioned: “You know, when you have a product or a proposition that may simply pivot, make the most of that reality, be agile and versatile the place attainable. Knowing when to cease is vital. There is not any disgrace in self-preservation. Understand that the scenario we’re in is short-term, in case you can ‘hold the lights on’ higher instances will come again and companies will thrive once more.”

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