Nude’s story begins far from Brazilian gondolas: in Berlin, Germany. It was there that Giovanna Meneghel, now CEO and co-founder of foodtechhad what she herself defines as a detox in every sense. “Berlin was decisive. If we hadn’t gone there, Nude might not have existed”, she says.
Graduated in Law from PUC-SP, Giovanna never practiced law. While still in college, he realized that that path didn’t make sense and migrated to fashion, where he worked for around ten years, including outside Brazil. The definitive change came when she decided to accompany her husband, now her co-founder, on an MBA in Europe.
In Berlin, Giovanna came across a movement that had not yet reached Brazil: the accelerated growth in the consumption of oat milk and the strong awareness about the origin of food, environmental impact and sustainability.
“The city encourages entrepreneurship, but it also makes you think about what you eat, where it comes from and what impact it has on the planet”, he says. For the couple, the contrast became evident when they returned to Brazil on vacation.
“We saw this movement very strong in Europe and it simply didn’t exist here. That’s when we saw an opportunity.” Today, according to Nude, plant-based drinks represent just 2% of the milk market in Brazil.
The businesswoman participated in the series From Zero to Top which has the support of XP Empresas, and will tell the stories of entrepreneurs who invested in transforming their business.
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A company created in the chaos of the pandemic
Nude was created almost entirely remotely. Product development, strategic decisions and business structuring took place at the height of uncertainty. The idea began to take shape in 2019, when Giovanna was pregnant with her first child. The plan was to mature the project in Europe and return to Brazil to execute it. The return took place at the beginning of 2020, on the eve of the pandemic.
“Our first face-to-face meeting was on a Friday. The next day, everything closed. It was a chaotic year, but at the same time we managed to speed up a lot of things, because everything stopped”, he recalls.
The launch, initially scheduled for October, only took place in December 2020, after problems in the production chain. A delay that ended up bringing lessons.
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“We used this extra time to adjust the portfolio. Instead of two products, we launched five. This made a difference on the shelf”, says Giovanna.
To find out more details about the company’s history and the strategy for the future, watch the full episode on . The program is available in its podcast version on the main streaming platforms such as , , , and .
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About From Zero to Top
The Do Zero ao Topo podcast is a production of InfoMoney and this edition, which has the support of XP Empresas, will tell the stories of entrepreneurs who invested in transforming their business.
