Allison Jagtiani

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After seven years of working in New York City at UBS in Equity Research, Allison Jagtiani, founder and CEO—Chief Epicurean Officer—of Goji Gourmet, decided to return to her entrepreneurial roots and start her own healthful cookie line.

"My parents started a bottled water business in 1975, before I was born, and so I grew up in a very entrepreneurial family," says Jagtiani. "I learned a lot from their strong work ethic, optimism and determination to succeed. So I always knew I wanted to start a business of my own someday."

Jagtiani is committed to using healthy ingredients, such as almonds, oats, oranges, ginger, honey and walnuts, to ensure that even sweet snacks contribute to overall well-being and to provide low-sugar, -calorie and -carbohydrate, preservative-free, nutrient-packed treats. Once she discovered goji berries—now the main ingredient in each cookie—she channeled her love of baking to create something more out of this super-antioxidant, vitamin-packed berry from the Himalaya Mountains.

Jagtiani shared more of her story with us:

How do you think your previous Wall Street career has influenced your cookie business?

I know that the intense projects, attention to detail necessary and long hours of writing all gave me a great base on which to start my business. The financial knowledge, especially the focus on financial statements and analysis, has definitely helped me understand how to structure my business and focus my time.

What is the most challenging or satisfying part of your job?

In my experience with starting a business from scratch, my most satisfying moments are when I see a young child, a mom or any of our customers taste one of our goji cookies and share how much they love them. My whole goal was to create a cookie that was healthy and delicious, so when the positive feedback and testimonials come in, I know I'm doing the right thing. Another satisfying part of having my own company is that I've been able to meet so many incredible people in the business or connected to the business. My new network of nutritionists and dieticians who endorse or approve our cookies is wonderful, and there are also so many entrepreneurs doing such innovative things that I've enjoyed getting to know them and being able to share ideas together.

As far as a challenging part of my business, I would have to say that the production side stumps me the most. Our cookies are made by hand and I want to continue in this fashion with the attention to detail and quality, but I also need to streamline production and packaging. This challenge is a primary focus of mine right now.

Do you have a favorite flavor from the line?

Personally, I love them all, but my top three would be Goji Ginger Walnut, Goji Almond Oat and Goji Cherry Cacao. I prefer the Almond Oat in the morning with coffee, and the Cherry Cacao or Ginger Walnut later in the day as a snack to give me a boost of energy.

If someone could shadow you for one day at your job, what would surprise that person most?

The attention to detail that I give to each order, wholesale or retail, would likely surprise someone that was shadowing me for a day. For example, with online orders, I check each and every one to make sure that our customers chose the most efficient and cost-effective method of shipment. If they chose Fedex Ground and paid $8.30 for three-day delivery, but I’m actually able to ship the cookies via USPS Priority 2-3 day delivery for $5.05, I will automatically refund them the difference of $3.25 and thank them for their order. Another thing is that if someone wants to send cookies as a birthday, anniversary or thank-you gift, I personally write cards with the specified note to the recipient. I want to go above and beyond to make sure that customers are happy with their order.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was little, I dreamt of being a pediatrician, mostly because I love children. Then, when I was in college, I veered more towards business and focused on making it to Wall Street, given my obsession with New York City and finance. Goji Gourmet seems to be a perfect combination of my focus on kids and nutrition with my business background and entrepreneurial spirit.

Aside from your products, what three food items can you always find in your kitchen?

I’m a morning-coffee addict, so I always have a good supply of coffee; my new favorite is Pumpkin Spice. Guacamole is one of my favorites too, so I have a few avocados in the refrigerator at all times. Another food item that I can’t live without is dates; I eat them plain, or baked with almonds and bacon, or with cheese or in my cereal or oatmeal.—Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the
author of foodspring’s food forager blog.

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