#346 - Scaling Sourdough: How Wildgrain Baked Up 80K+ Subscribers

Ismail Salhi is the co-founder and CEO of Wildgrain, a fast-growing DTC subscription service that delivers artisanal breads, pastries, and pasta directly to customers' doorsteps. In this episode of DTC Pod, Ismail shares his journey of rapidly scaling Wildgrain to over 80,000 subscribers since launching during the pandemic in 2020. He shares the key strategies that have driven Wildgrain's success: focusing on product quality, customer experience, and efficient operations.Ismail discusses their decision to outsource baking to local bakeries—a move that  positioned them as a larger buyer than Whole Foods and Trader Joe's in some markets.He also emphasizes the importance of investing in logistics tech to optimize product delivery and streamline processes. This focus on tech integration across all business areas has been crucial to their ability to scale effectively.We also explore Wildgrain's customer acquisition strategies, which involve education marketing, meta, and influencers.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Business Model and Sustainability2. Entrepreneurial Advice3. Logistics and Distribution4. Customer Support Tools and Efficiency5. Customer Acquisition and Retention6. Product Development and Market Introduction7. Tech and Operations Partnership8. Seasonal Growth and Marketing9. Consumer Behavior Dynamics10. Marketing and Product Differentiation11. Consumer Engagement and Customization12. Scalability and Operational Management13. Market Insights and Future PlansTimestamps00:00 Ismail Salhi’s background; Wildgrain’s founding story04:24 From starting a home bakery to outsourcing production07:23 Wildgrain’s product and customer experience08:56 Working with partner bakeries and distribution centers10:08 Building tech for reliable, temperature-sensitive deliveries13:58 Automated system streamlines tasks across all departments15:47 Initial customer acquisition, education marketing, influencers20:06 Product mix and how it affects inventory 23:07 Creating different custom boxes to cater to different diets24:28 Optimizing product operations, automating, outsourcing27:06 Shipping carriers, tech for allocating orders28:42 Seasonal growth and effects on marketing spend31:50 Ismail Salhi on running the business with his wife33:41 Time and lifestyle management as a parent entrepreneur36:14 Ismail Salhi’s advice for DTC foundersShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTok  Ismail Salhi - Co-Founder and CEO of WildgrainBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic