It was trying to fit a healthy diet into a busy routine that Victor Santos, then newly graduated in engineering, found the idea that would change his life. “Eating well was being a hell of a perrengue for me. I didn’t give time to cook or to find quality food that fit my pocket,” he said at the podcast From zero to toppresented by Mariana Amaro.
What started as a personal search for solutions became a market reflection. “I started thinking: I’m not just me who I’m living this challenge.” Alongside his friend Henrique Castellani, whom he met at the Faculty Prank, Victor started to study the food sector and envisioned a real opportunity to undertake.
With a 50 -square -meter kitchen in Vila Madalena, São Paulo, Free Up was born in 2016, a healthy eating brand that today produces over one million meals per month and is about to reach revenues of $ 250 million per year.
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From poly to stove: the key turn
Victor attended Engineering at Poly-USP and even worked in the financial market, but was not long. “I used my first bonus as an analyst to invest in the idea of Liv up,” he recalls. The desire to undertake gained strength during an exchange in Italy, between 2011 and 2013, where it was impacted by the stories of rapidly growing startups.
“I saw a world of possibilities opening with new companies, especially in the United States. There began the real desire to get an idea of the role,” he says. Back in Brazil, he tried to follow the original career plan, but the restlessness with the routine made the idea of the business back hard.
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Entry into the food sector came out of necessity. “I was always linked to an active routine, with sports and good diet. But when I started working, I saw that it was almost impossible to keep it with quality and practicality.”
Ultra -Agonged and Natural: the differential that conquered the consumer
Liv Up’s big turn was betting on healthy, homemade and ultra -engineered foods. “Instead of doing something ultra -processed, we seek a way to deliver natural and tasty food with technology,” explains Victor. Inspired by models of meal kits And restaurants, they decided to bet on practicality combined with quality.
With an initial investment of about R $ 800 thousand, between personal economies, holiday bonuses and support of friends and family, the first kitchen was assembled.
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“We started in 2016 and within a few months we were bending in size every four months.”
To assemble the menu, Victor and Henrique had the help of a cooking and two nutritionists. “We wanted good, hot food, with natural ingredients that fit in pocket. We created a model where the customer set up their plate with colorful bags with individual portions,” he says.
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From delivery to national distribution: the backstage of the scale
At first the challenges were huge. “We had to hit the corner and run to head. I was CEO, intern, kitchen helper, all at the same time,” says Victor. The operation included production, logistics and service, all done by a team of 15 people.
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He says the sales strategy has always prioritized his own channels – which brought challenges.
“We sell through our website and app. The customer buys and receives the same day or the following. Integrating this sale with production and distribution was a gigantic challenge.”
Even with the lean structure, the company grew fast. “We soon left a 50 square meter kitchen to ever larger spaces. In two years we had already operated in a place the size of a soccer field.”
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Pandemic, competition and resilience
The pandemic represented a new chapter for Liv up. “At first there was an explosion of demand. People wanted ready, quality food, but there was also the fear and responsibility of protecting our team on the front line,” recalls Victor.
With the growth of the home office and the entry of new competitors in the food market, the company had to adapt. “A lot of people started cooking at home, but the desire for practicality came back hard.”
Victor estimates that Liv Up was a pioneer for professionalizing an informal segment.
“The frozen food market was dominated by ultra -processed. We showed that we could do it differently.”
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Culture and purpose as a growth engine
One of the main fuels for success, according to Victor, is the team. “From the beginning we managed to attract good people, aligned with our dream of bringing real food to more Brazilians. Without this team, nothing would have happened,” he points out.
The entrepreneur also highlights the importance of organizational culture. “I wanted to build something with my values, with a purpose in which I believed. This has always been a central part of Liv up.”
Today, almost ten years after starting at Vila Madalena’s small kitchen, Victor Santos celebrates a company that impacts millions of people. “The dream started small, but the vision has always been great. And there is still a lot of good food ahead.”
