Margaret Coons: On Scaling Nuts For Cheese

Julie's Big Gorgeous Goals: Official Workbook is here! Order your copy today.Margaret Coons, the innovative mind behind Nuts For Cheese, takes us through her inspiring entrepreneurial journey, from selling her artisanal vegan cheeses at a local farmer's market to conquering the grocery aisles across Canada and the U.S. Margaret shares her grassroots approach to retail, revealing the trials of negotiating listing fees and shelf space, and the valuable role supportive partners like Farm Boy have played in her success. You'll gain insights into the grocery industry's complexities and learn how persistence and strategic partnerships can pave the way for business growth.Margaret Coons is the Founder & CEO of Nuts For Cheese, the market leader in artisan, organic, plant-based dairy manufacturing. Vegan from an early age, Margaret developed a passion for plant-based cuisine becoming a vegan chef and experimenting with nuts and seeds to create deliciously creamy plant-based cheeses. Since launching at a farmer’s market in 2015, Nuts For Cheese has enjoyed explosive growth across Canada and the United States with its award-winning artisanal and versatile dairy-free products available at national retailers, including Loblaws, Sobeys, Whole Foods Market, Sprouts Farmers Market, and more. Today, Nuts For Cheese is the #2 plant-based cheese brand in the Natural channel in the U.S. and is the #1 brand driving growth. Margaret sits on the board of CGLCC (Canada’s 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce) and LEDC (London Economic Development Corporation). She was awarded the Top 25 Women of Influence Award in 2023 and was an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award Finalist.Julie and Margaret discuss...00:00:04 Women Entrepreneurs Growing Successful Businesses00:08:58 Building Team Cohesion in Growing Business00:16:42 From Chef to Leader00:25:00 Entrepreneurial Growth and ProfessionalizationCheck out Nuts For Cheese on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.Love the show or want to request a topic? Leave us a message (All submissions are anonymous, so if you'd like a reply, please include your email address!).You can connect with Julie on LinkedIn or Instagram. Find Julie's writing at her blog or by ordering her book Big Gorgeous Goals and the brand new official companion workbook! What did you think of this conversation? We'd love if you'd rate or review our show!