CODE meets The Acai Girls

Sisters Megan and Georgia Salamat launched The Acai Girls during the first lockdown, setting out to make healthy, filling and delicious food available for delivery. This week, we hear more about their mission, the challenges of starting a business under 30, and what acai actually is.

You launched The Acai Girls last year, so could you start by telling us a bit more about it? 

We set The Acai Girls up during the first lockdown. We offer a selection of healthy & plant-based dishes for all-day dining. The menu is a celebration of our most treasured memories from across the world; the most wholesome and delicious local dishes recreated with our own twist using the same fresh and high-quality ingredients. It’s a menu that is constantly developing with exciting new items added around the clock, and it’s open to everyone, packed full of vegan, gluten and dairy-free options.

And what on earth is Acai, for those that don’t know? 

First thing’s first: Acai is pronounced ah-sigh-ee, the most asked question we have incurred over the last six months!  Acai is a Brazilian berry bursting full of antioxidants, for such a small berry it holds a crazy amount of health benefits. 

It is served frozen, almost like sorbet, with the choice of toppings. We might be biased, but it’s one of our favourite things to eat. 

How would you describe your ethos?

We wanted to make healthy and filling food available for delivery, something we have struggled to find and felt there was a gap in the market. In the past, orders from our perceived competitors either lacked flavour, or the portion sizes have been tiny. If you have had one of our salad bowls, you will know, they are anything but small!

Over the last couple of years there has been a significant focus within the healthy food industry on macro nutrients, especially regarding the impact they potentially have on one’s physical appearance. We, however, wanted to concentrate more on the micronutrients and their health benefits, and thus developed a menu that benefits the mind, body and soul. 

And why did you decide that now was the right time to get started?

Georgia graduated from Le Cordon Bleu the week before the first lockdown in March 2020, and I was made redundant from my previous role. Before that job, I led the F&B marketing at Mondrian, and before that, the ME hotel, and I missed the rush and buzz you get from working in the hospitality world. We had always talked about doing something together, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to do this. 

From inception to going live on Deliveroo and serving food, it was three weeks in total and not a lot of sleep. Consumer trends have hugely changed over the last few years, which was then accelerated by Covid. The reinvention of retail means that in an age of digital distribution, leaders such as Deliveroo, Amazon, Netflix and Uber have raised customer expectations of speed, convenience and efficiency. 

On top of that, the health and wellness market is now worth over £23 billion in the UK. British consumers are forecast to spend £487 per head annually on “wellness’’. All of these trends lend themselves to the product we have created; nutritious, healthy food that’s available at the click of a button. 

And how has your previous experience in hospitality helped?

It was paramount to setting up the business. Leading the F&B Marketing for the ME hotel and then following that Mondrian meant that I had a lot of knowledge of what systems needed to be implemented to run the business and software that would make life easier having worked so closely with the ops teams in the past. I was also able to reach out to previous colleagues for introductions, advice and guidance. We had my old chef director from The ONE Group make all our supplier introductions. We had ex-head chef form STK help interview potential chefs, previous ops directors guiding us through HACCP and EHO. It also meant I had a sound understanding of building a brand, not just a food offering. Acai Girls is a lifestyle, something that people want to be part of not just order once. 

For Georgia, participating on the BBC1 Show ‘Best Home Cook,’ and then attending Le Cordon Bleu improved her skills immensely and allowed her to develop a menu which has been so successful. 

You recently launched your second dark kitchen in Battersea. Tell us about that. 

Yes, and we have a third on the way! As we mentioned, there hasn’t been much sleep in our household for a while. Due to lockdown and only doing delivery at the moment, it has meant the business model has been geared towards “cloud kitchens” servicing delivery only. In one way, this has meant we haven’t been able to open a physical space, however we have quickly expanded to service the increasing demand, build a solid brand and great reputation with customers. 

You’re both under 30 – how have you found the experience of starting a business so young?

We have been so fortunate in the support we have received during the last six months; everything thus far seems to have gone our way. People have wanted to help and see us succeed and I think our age has played a part in that as people have respected the choice we made in starting this venture. Many lessons have been learnt that’s for sure! For both of us, previously working in only one ‘department’ to now being business owners, you quickly realise that you are technically heading up every department. I know I have a crazy amount of respect for my previous director of operations since setting up the business!  

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far?

Making mistakes can sometimes be a good thing; they teach you and allow you to improve and go in the right direction. That being said, it’s always nice to get things right the first time around. 

And how has it been working with a co-founder (and sister)? Would you recommend it for those starting?

We are fortunate that we have different skill sets. Georgia is incredible in the kitchen – she develops all our menu items, costings and deals with suppliers. My strength is in branding, marketing and the operational aspect of things. Together it works perfectly as we both have our remit and let each other get on with their work. Living and working together means things tend to happen a lot faster than they would as you are constantly bouncing off one another, a constant reminder of what needs doing, it has enabled us to go at the speed we have. Thus far, there has only been one argument due to some burnt aubergines at 1 am and two exhausted girls.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given that you’d like to share with others? 

It sounds simple, but someone said to us ‘don’t be embarrassed to reach out to people for advice.’ Whenever we needed a bit of guidance, we have had no shame in going through our contact book to find the best-suited person to help us out, and have even picked up the phone to someone we haven’t spoken to in a long time. Although it may feel a bit random at the time, everyone has been so helpful and supportive. So when in doubt, always reach out!

Finally, if you had to eat one dish on the menu for the rest of your life, what would it be?

The Falafel Bowl is inspired by a salad we enjoyed in Istanbul. We pretty much eat it every day, it’s got to the point it’s probably more of a ritual than anything else.  A vibrant and colourful salad, simply dressed in sesame oil, garlic & lime juice accompanied by sweet potato falafels and homemade hummus.

To find out more about The Acai Girls, click here

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