Business
Jennifer Lukas-Bourgeois and Bram Bourgeois are the Co-founders of Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread, a brand of all-natural, gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, dark chocolate spread that’s derived from a 50-year old Belgian recipe. Bram was born and raised in Belgium and at the age of 28, migrated to the United States where he was fueled by a profound curiosity to see, experience, and understand the world we live in. With more than 25-years of career experience that transcends different continents, industries, business models, markets, products, and services, Bram creates an environment of mentorship, collaboration, and innovation that yields the best business results that are also customer-centric. Bram also serves as the Managing Partner of their company. Jennifer brings with her 20 years of progressive marketing experience with primary accomplishments in building brands, managing their integrity, creating loyalty, and developing successful innovative programs. She has a keen ability to analyze markets, interpret consumer needs, and align products with effective programs. With a strong background in building brands and storytelling within CPG and in the sports arenas, Jennifer is one of the individuals who set the foundation and grew the Red Bull energy drink brand in the United States. She also serves as Lekkco's Chief Brand Officer. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Jennifer Lukas-Bourgeois and Bram Bourgeois shares how they came up with the idea for Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread How Jennifer and Bram approached consumers about their product and the strategies they employed to enter retail stores How Lekkco handled effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of consumer behavior on e-commerce sales and retail store sales Bram talks about the challenges of managing Lekkco's supply chain and shipping from Belgium, and the ease and complexity of starting and growing a CPG business today Jennifer discusses the similarities and differences between launching and growing Red Bull and Lekkco Jennifer and Bram shares what it was like working together, their future plans for the company, and the biggest challenge they have faced while growing the business How to get in touch with Jennifer Lukas-Bourgeois and Bram Bourgeois In this episode… Unlike Americans, Belgians often have chocolate as part of their morning, lunch, and evening meals. They also have it as a snack. This culture fascinated Jennifer Lukas-Bourgeois when she visited the family of her husband, Bram Bourgeois, in Belgium so much that when she returned to the U.S., she wanted to continue enjoying Belgian chocolate. However, they didn’t quite find what they were looking for when they got back in the United States. They had to import chocolate from Belgium and this led them to realize that they wanted to introduce it to the U.S. market so that more people can enjoy the benefits of eating Belgian chocolate — health-wise and flavor wise. Thus, Lekkco Belgian Chocolate Spread was born. Jennifer Lukas-Bourgeois and Bram Bourgeois, the Co-founders of Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread, join Steve Cleere in this episode of the NexxtLevel Brands Podcast where they talk about creating a dark chocolate spread inspired by Belgium's unique culture. Jennifer and Bram discuss their launch and growth strategies, the challenges of scaling their business, how they handled the Covid-19 pandemic, and why they encourage other couples to work together in business. Stay tuned. Subscribe and Listen on: iTunes Spotify Stitcher Google Play Deezer iHeartRadio TuneIn Radio Public Amazon Music Resources Mentioned in this episode Kitchen2Shelf NexxtLevel Marketing Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread on Instagram Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread on Facebook Lekkco Belgian Dark Chocolate Spread on Twitter Jennifer Lukas-Bourgeois on LinkedIn Bram Bourgeois on LinkedIn Jewel-Osco Expo East Expo West Natural Snacks from Africa - Amazi Foods on the NexxtLevel Brands Podcast Saving A Natural Wonder - Our Gorongosa on the NexxtLevel Podcast! Sponsor for this episode... Our podcast today is sponsored by Kitchen2Shelf, the educational arm of NexxtLevel Brands. Kitchen-2-Shelf provides online and in-person courses and workshops for CPG entrepreneurs at any stage of growth. Whether you're an early-stage startup, a local growing business, or if you want to just expand your distribution to a national level, Kitchen-2-Shelf can help you learn what you need to know to grow. Visit their website to get access to some free tools that can help you understand where your business stands. Contact them today to find out how they can help you grow your brand and expand your business to reach its full potential.