Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Paganin Newlands.
Hi Claudia, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
This really started about six years ago when I went vegan. Don’t get me wrong, I love snacking on a handful of cashews but I realized there was a lack of unprocessed, accessible vegan food. When the pandemic hit, I had the chance to reconnect with my roots and I decided to do so in the kitchen. I grew up on the south side of Brazil where cheese bread (Pão de Queijo) was a staple at the dinner table. I decided to try my hand at making a plant-based version of this beloved staple. After a year of trial and error (and some more trial and error), I ended up with Ch-easy Bread dry mix, an easy-to-make vegan version of the food I love. In the following year, I began to sell at local farmer’s markets and grow a solid customer base. Today, we are proud to be in several local grocery stores and ship nationwide.
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?
Starting a business is never a smooth journey. One of the major speed bumps we had is finding compostable bags. It’s much harder than you’d think! One of our main goals is to be completely sustainable and leave as little impact on our planet. So we wanted to eliminate as much, if not all plastic, in our packaging. We started looking around for compostable bags which were already difficult on their own. But being a smaller company, we also had to take into account the price. We were finally able to find a happy medium between sustainability and price. So now we have compostable bags and 100% carbon neutral shipping.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about RioGood?
We make deliciousness and sustainability accessible to anyone regardless of dietary restrictions and budget. We are known for our Ch-easy Bread dry mix, which is based on traditional Brazilian cheese bread. Our product is gluten-free, soy-free, 100% dairy-free, and 100% delicious. Unlike other vegan snacks, we aren’t overly processed. We created a fresh snack that isn’t overly complicated to make. We take the utmost pride in our commitment to sustainability. As I mentioned, our bags are 100% compostable and our shipping is 100% carbon neutral. We are a local Austin business that is woman-owned offering delicious plant-based food that is accessible from the kitchen to the table.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is not the end point for me. There is no magic number I can hit that says “success.” Rather it’s more important to keep an open mind and be willing to try new things at any age. I believe my company is successful when we work to build a better, healthier community.
Pricing:
- Small bags – $7.00
- Large bags – 11.00
Contact Info:
- Email: claudia@riogood.com
- Website: Riogood.com
- Instagram: eatriogood
- Facebook: eatriogood
