Today we’d like to introduce you to Antonella Mundo.
Hi Antonella, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
“I didn’t grow up dreaming of being a chef. I didn’t spend my childhood in a kitchen, cooking with my grandmother. In fact, I hate wasting time cooking. But I do love to eat well. And that’s exactly why I created FaBene.
Before moving to Los Angeles, I built businesses from scratch in different industries. At 21, I opened my first store. At 23, I lost everything. I restarted with 100 euros, no car, and two young kids. I spent years learning sales and business strategy, managing a sales team of 15 people, and later transitioning into consulting. Then, life took me in a completely different direction.
Years of living fast—eating whatever I could find between meetings—took a toll on my health. I have an autoimmune disease, and I reached a point where my body rejected almost everything I ate. That’s when I started studying culinary medicine and the impact of food on health. But when I looked around, I saw a massive gap in the market: no one was making real healthy food that was also delicious and convenient. Everything labeled ‘healthy’ was either bland, ultra-processed, or fake healthy.
That’s when FaBene was born. I took classic Italian dishes and reinvented them with organic, low-glycemic, no-sugar, high-nutrient ingredients. Because people shouldn’t have to choose between health and flavor.
Starting from zero in a new country, not speaking the language, and having no connections in the food industry? Some people would call that impossible. But I thrive on solving impossible problems. I tested everything—delivery, farmers markets, partnerships—adapting with every challenge. I built my business like an engineer builds rockets: testing, failing, iterating, improving. Today, FaBene is growing fast, and I have one mission: to disrupt the food industry and take down junk food, one lasagna at a time.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Nothing about this journey has been smooth. But I never expected it to be.
Moving to a new country, not speaking the language, and starting a business from scratch—without connections or funding—is a challenge most people wouldn’t take on. I did it anyway. I knew I wasn’t here to play it safe; I was here to build something that mattered.
The biggest struggle? Visibility. You can have the best product in the world, but if no one knows you exist, you don’t have a business. At first, I tried delivery platforms, but I quickly realized that they favor big brands and make small businesses invisible. So, I pivoted. I went to farmers markets. Some worked, some didn’t. I tested collaborations, reached out to retailers, and knocked on every possible door.
Another challenge? Breaking the stereotype that ‘healthy food’ is bland or overpriced. Many people associate Italian food with indulgence, not nutrition. So, I had to educate my audience: my lasagna isn’t just delicious, it’s also organic, gluten-free, low-glycemic, and designed to nourish. I don’t just sell food—I sell a solution for people who want to eat well without sacrificing time or taste.
And then, of course, there’s the mental game. Running a business is a test of resilience. There were moments when sales were low, when I questioned everything. But I reminded myself: big things take time. Every day, I wake up knowing that I am building something bigger than just a food brand—I’m creating a movement.
The road has been anything but smooth. But that’s exactly why I know I’m on the right path. If it were easy, everyone would do it.
As you know, we’re big fans of FaBene and Co LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
FaBene isn’t just a food company. It’s a response to a health crisis that too many people are ignoring.
The leading causes of death in the U.S.—heart disease, cancer, diabetes—are directly linked to food. Yet, people are still eating ultra-processed, chemically modified products loaded with additives that have been banned in Europe. Why? Because the food industry prioritizes profit over health. And because most people don’t realize they’re consuming ingredients that are damaging their bodies every single day.
The problem isn’t just unhealthy food—it’s that people don’t know what’s actually in their food.
Potassium bromate—banned in Europe for its cancer risks, still in American bread.
Titanium dioxide—banned in Europe, still used in U.S. food to “enhance” appearance.
Refined seed oils like canola—highly processed, stripped of nutrients, and linked to inflammation._
And it’s not just about adults making bad food choices. It’s about children being fed toxic ingredients from the moment they start eating solid food. Obesity, metabolic disorders, rising cancer rates in young adults—this is not genetics, this is what we’re feeding people.
That’s why I created FaBene. Not because I love cooking. Not because I wanted to start another food brand. But because I refuse to accept that “healthy” food has to be boring, expensive, or inaccessible.
We specialize in real, nutritious, and convenient Italian food—the kind of food that should be the standard but isn’t. We take classic Italian dishes and reinvent them with organic ingredients, no added sugar, high fiber, and a low glycemic index—so that people don’t have to choose between health and taste.
What sets us apart?
We don’t sell “healthy” food. We sell smart food—food that works for your body, not against it.
If food isn’t delicious, people won’t eat it.
If food isn’t convenient, people won’t buy it.
If food isn’t nutritious, it’s just another problem disguised as a solution.
What am I most proud of?
That people who don’t even care about “healthy eating” try FaBene and love it.
That we are proving that food can be fast, good, and actually good for you
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Don’t wait for the perfect moment. It doesn’t exist. Start now, and fix things along the way.
Too many people waste time waiting—waiting for more money, more knowledge, more experience. But business is built in the real world, not in theory. The faster you start, the faster you learn, and the faster you adapt.
If I had waited until I had perfect English, unlimited funds, or the right network, FaBene wouldn’t exist.
Second piece of advice? Expect failure. Get comfortable with it. Most people fail because they think failure is the end. It’s not. It’s data. Every mistake tells you what doesn’t work so you can get closer to what does. The only real failure is quitting.
And most importantly: stop asking for permission. No one is coming to validate your idea or tell you it’s the right time. You decide. You create momentum. You make things happen.
That’s the difference between people who dream and people who build.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://healthyitalianfood.myshopify.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fabene.us/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonella-mundo-57a88b59
