Photo by Jason Hendriks
MEET Nadine Spencer: Nadine Spencer, founder of The Indulgent Foodie, offers specialty food and lifestyle products to a broad range of clients, including chefs, food critics and every day diners, and will be writing about food on her official blog. Gourmet food products distributed by Indulgent Foodie span from rich desserts, fruit baskets, champagne and corporate gift baskets. An expert marketer with a gift for articulating key cultural trends that translate into business opportunities, Nadine has an extensive track record in brand rebuilding. Her charitable work reflects her personal mission to empower impoverished and disenfranchised women to work their way to prosperity through entrepreneurship and the free market.
MN: It’s expected that as much as $632 billion dollars in sales will be generated by the restaurant industry in 2012, according to the National Restaurant Association. Is the food industry experiencing a resurgence, and if so, how are you taking advantage of the resurgence?
NS: We are adding new items geared to the discerning consumer, with a focus on the upscale, luxurious, and artisan. This industry will continue to have strong growth, and we want to gain a sizable portion of the market.
MN: How did you develop your love affair with food?
NS: I have loved entertaining for as long as I can remember. I hosted my first dinner at the age of 16. My mom bought me a gorgeous set of china with silver scalloped edges. I had friends from high school over for a three-course dinner with a fantastic table setting! Entertaining is a great way to bond with people!
MN: Who are some of the chefs you’ve worked with over the years, people who helped you hone your skills?
NS: I think any person who is truly comfortable expressing their passion for life can cook. It’s such a personal thing, and yet also very public. When I cook, I don’t follow any particular recipe. Instead, I cook from the heart—what I feel at the moment. The great chefs I’ve worked with tend to embody this same sentiment, cooking what resonates with them and creating from their souls. Art Smith is a chef who just cooks from his soul, and his dishes are simply incredible.
MN: What inspired you to launch The Indulgent Foodie?
NS: We launched The Indulgent Foodie in 2004. I believe entrepreneurs should diversify, and this was a way to earn passive income. Also, there were many online shops at the time, but none that truly embodied the full indulgent food and food lifestyle experience. I wanted to communicate an acceptance for having the best of the best and not having to apologize for it. I wanted to provide a space for great, decadent food — the ultimate indulgence, with no apologies.
MN: What resources did you use to finance your business?
NS: Finding quality resources for female entrepreneurs is often quite a challenge. I bootstrapped and learned a lot. I wanted the first website to be spectacular and fabulous. Unfortunately, the cost of a website like that was way out of our budget. So I learned to write code and designed the first website myself. It’s amazing what one can do when the desire is there. Money is the catalyst, but it’s not all.
MN: How many orders does The Indulgent Foodie ship each year?
NS: We now partner with large retailers, providing their Foodie gifts exclusively. We’ve had steady growth since the inception of our business, and have now grown our sales to 600 percent over when we initially started.
MN: You operate a business in a luxury market. How have you managed to keep your business viable in this tough economic market?
NS: The tough economy has actually helped our business! Our elite consumers are used to travelling and dining in five-star restaurants. With the economic crisis, they stopped travelling—but the lifestyle habit has remained intact. So while they watch cooking shows and learn to cook new recipes, they buy indulgent ingredients with which to entertain, or to take as hostess gifts when going to friends’ homes. This is a way for the well-traveled culinary aficionado to maintain her culinary lifestyle right at home. Plus, it’s still cheaper to eat at home with the best ingredients than it is to dine in a fine restaurant.
MN: Do you create the recipes for the food sold at The Indulgent Foodie?
NS: We produce a line of sauces and spices. We also represent items created by small artisans — unique, handmade, specialty food items. Our main area is working with women entrepreneurs who make incredible items. They know how to make their item in order to sell on a daily basis and earn an income to provide for their family. We work with these women to package, brand, and market their items to the high-end food industry. This way, they earn their way from poverty to prosperity, where the possibilities are then infinite. Our goal is to facilitate the creation of a sustainable life for their children, as well as education and security.
MN: Why did you decide to design and sell gourmet food collection items rather than solely market single products?
NS: We like to provide the entire experience, and as the old saying goes, variety is the spice of life. We have a great sauce for dinner, jams for breakfast, decadent truffle popcorn for snacks, decadent desserts… and all the indulgences that makes the dining experience fantastic. Also, it’s more than just the food. It’s the atmosphere, the dishes, the napkins—all the things that make the entire experience complete.
MN: What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a business owner?
NS: The biggest challenge is getting shelf space in stores like Williams Sonoma [and] Dean & Deluca. Retailers have a lot to choose from, including the mega industries like Nestle, who wants a piece of this booming market. Our competitive advantage is that we have a few trade secrets. I’ll share one: Get the best products from people who truly care about what they make — people who would do it for free if they had to because they are driven by passion. Try any of our products and you will see what we mean by this. Each tastes as though it was made just for you, in a home kitchen, full of love, with pure, quality ingredients.
MN: How many employees does The Indulgent Foodie have?
NS: We have a team of 12 employees. The most important quality that we look for in our employees is that they love food, and they must cook. When we interview potential employees, we ask, “What are your favorite foods?” Those who begin with answers like “I don’t like this or that”…well, they are not for us.
MN: When did you realize that you had a viable business?
NS: We realized we had a viable business when we got a product on the O Oprah list the first time, when the Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts became our customers, and when buyers from major retail stores began courting us. To celebrate, we went out and found more fabulous products! I never pat myself on the back and think “I’ve made it” — the industry is too competitive for that. When we’ve had good things happen, it’s been an indication that we’re doing the right thing, and we’ve kept it going!
MN: Tell Madame Noire readers about BeCause. How did you get involved with the initiative?
NS: BeCause is near and dear to my heart. I say that we are a great company because we exist to serve. We serve our artisans—the women who have a seed of an idea that they want to make into a business so their family can have a chance at opportunity. Our BeCause products are products with a bigger purpose — products that give back. Also, they represent women entrepreneur start-ups without the traditional means to capital. Some of these women are in developing countries. Our program helps them bring their products to market. We support marketing, product placement, education via financial literacy, strategic planning — all of the ingredients needed to create a sustainable business. We do this because it’s the right thing to do. Also, as female entrepreneurs, if we don’t help each other, who will?
MN: Share us three to four effective online and offline methods you use to market your business.
NS: Three effective online marketing methods: Blog, tweet, and market with newsletters. Have the audience help you tell your online story.
Offline: Incorporate your personal story into the brand message, include your competition in your marketing (when beneficial), host events, and give away lots of samples. The only way we can hook our customers is for them to first try our products. Once they’ve had a taste, they are always back for more.
MN: What’s next for Nadine Spencer and The Indulgent Foodie?
NS: Our next goal is to create business opportunities for 13,000 women in 10 years, allowing for economic prosperity so their children can have the same opportunities as my children. We will look for conscious food companies to help with this goal. When I think about this, I get excited. Imagine the possibilities of what can arise from this: 13,000 empowered women creating indulgent products to feed the world—making us feel good and earning a living that will enable future generations. In the context of this model, the future looks very bright for The Indulgent Foodie.
Rhonda Campbell, an East Coast journalist, is the owner of Off The Shelf radio and publisher of the books, Long Walk Up and Love Pour Over Me.
