CraveRight Cookies was a dream of Roya Sasannejad, an engineer by trade, who has created a recipe for a healthy and tasty snack – and wanted to share it with the world.
Originally called Royal Ribbon, the business owners went through several iterations of the business planning process, and the South Fairfax SBDC was there to help. Business counselors reviewed Roya’s business plan, helped identify gaps, and reduce risks. Issues were discussed, debated, and ultimately Roya and her husband, Darioush made the decision to start small, test the products, get them into local markets, and use the business revenue — instead of personal savings, debt equity or a $100,000 loan — to grow their business.
Roya and Darioush met with the South Fairfax SBDC CPA counselor, who recommended the right entity, advised on financial systems, and assisted with tax planning. The SBDC attorney counselor helped CraveRight create contractual documents and protect its intellectual property. And the SBDC Director helped the couple explore the ‘right-size’ marketing strategy by focusing on target audiences, utilizing low-cost social media, tapping into the right communities, and approaching retail buyers.
CraveRight is now on the shelves in two Whole Foods stores in Virginia.