Exploring Life & Business with Stephanie Chui of Gourmais

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Chui.

Hi Stephanie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am a first-generation Asian American and a first-time entrepreneur. I have always been interested in starting my own business but lacked confidence in myself. Prior to launching Gourmais (pronounced GOR-MAYZ), I lived in Switzerland for almost three years and constantly being a “fish out of water” was transformational and helped me take the leap-of-faith to pursue entrepreneurship seriously.

During that time as a management consultant abroad, I worked with people from over 25 different nationalities and traveled to over 50 unique cities, from quaint villages to bustling metropolises. I challenged myself to pick up new skills such as speaking elementary German. Similarly, starting a new business can also feel like a constant stream of unfamiliar situations and unforeseen challenges. By the time I had the idea for Gourmais, I felt eager for the challenge and was ready to make the jump from corporate America to entrepreneurship. As a native Angeleno, I knew that LA would be the perfect environment to launch a healthy snack company so moving back to establish the business was a no-brainer.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Certainly not! First, one of the biggest challenges as a small business owner has been rapidly learning the in’s and out’s of the food consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry and the best practices in starting and operating a business. Luckily I have met some incredible

peers (shout out to Joe Labes of Sake High! and Ziwei Li of Wei Good Food) and mentors to lean on when I find myself working through a challenge. Second, we are self-funded so we have to be smart and resourceful with our dollars. When you’re using your own savings and within a defined budget, it forces you to make decisions strategically since every penny spent should have a purpose and help better the business.

We’ve been impressed with Gourmais, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Gourmais is a better-for-you snack brand crafting organic polenta crisps baked, never fried, into a range of globally inspired, amazing flavors. As the first and only snack utilizing polenta as our main ingredient, we have turned this ancient grain into a delightful new treat using a simple list of ingredients found in your very own pantry. By donating a portion of profits from each bag to fighting food insecurity in the US, we aim to make healthy snacking a force for good.

It took hundreds of versions of trial and error from that lightbulb moment to arrive at what we have today! My co-founder, Moritz (who in real life is also my partner!) and I love to travel and our favorite part is experiencing other cultures through food. In China, we discovered the mouth-numbing pleasure of Sichuan Peppercorn, and in the South of France, the delicate bouquet of Herbs de Provence. These experiences were the basis for Gourmais’s initial flavors to bring taste exploration to the snack aisle. Our first three flavors (Adriatic Sea Salt, Herbs de Provence, Spicy Sichuan Peppercorn) are just the beginning – we are eager to expand our range to even more fun and unique flavor profiles.

We are currently available in several stores in the greater LA area – Stanley’s Wet Goods in Culver City, Simon’s Market and The Canal Market in Venice, and Almor Wine & Spirits in Hollywood. As we expand our availability, you can find an updated listing of stores on our website or Instagram.

What’s next?
Similar to how a parent looks at their fully grown adult children with pride and joy, I too want to grow Gourmais into a well-known brand in the natural foods space. That means increasing our availability and footprint, first regionally and then nationally. By growing Gourmais, we can also increase our impact when it comes to addressing food insecurity. Increasing awareness, making more donations, becoming a more active partner to other organizations!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.eatgourmais.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatgourmais/