Today we’d like to introduce you to Beckah Restivo.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Beckah’s Bangin’ Butter began in my small kitchen in Beverly, Massachusetts in January 2015. I had been doing my best to rid my “diet” of all the junk that was slowing me down. I had just started my “Cross-Fit career” — and modeled my eating mostly off Paleo.
Long story short, I started eating lots of nuts. Like, LOTS. More specifically… almonds. With that, my friends, I welcomed my delicious brainchild into the world. Beckah’s Bangin’ Butter was born out of a desire to eat whole, healthy, and strong.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting your own business is never a smooth road. However, we haven’t had many of those “what the heck are we doing??” moments. Even though our journey has been extremely laborious, it has also been fruitful. We have listened to the people that The Lord has given us to guide our business to the next step.
We have been patient and deliberate, especially in processes where we have been at the mercy of another person or organization, like our wholesale permitting. Many times we felt a bit at a standstill, that nothing was happening, waiting for paperwork or test results to come back. And then when they did come back, completion still seemed far away. But here we are! God is good!
We definitely had some issues at first with tracking inventories. We’d come back from markets and realize one of us had counted jars/money wrong and now everything was off. It was so frustrating. You think I’d be able to figure out something as simple as counting, right?? Haha. Thank God we figured that one out!
Just like in any kitchen, efficiency is key. Finding our flow in the kitchen was instrumental to our overall success in production, and unfortunately… that took a lot longer than I expected. Let’s just say we had to clean up plenty of almond butter spills before we got it down to a science…
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Beckah’s Homemade / Beckah’s Bangin’ Butter – what should we know?
We are a local small-batch almond butter Company out of Boston’s North Shore. I (Beckah) was born and raised in sunny Southern California, moved to Massachusetts in September 2013. We make all jars by hand and can ship them anywhere nationally. We also sell at local farmers markets: Beverly, Salem, Russell Garden Center Wayland, and Mahoney Garden Center Winchester. We plan to be in local stores sometime this year.
We specialize in being “busy but still healthy” — our tagline. Our motto is that everyone can have healthy and delicious options to chose from, no matter how busy you are. Many of our customers are mothers, BBB provides them a healthy on the go snack for them (and the kids) that will not disappoint. We’re also popular among people who are wellness/fitness focused. Our jars fit very well into a gym bag for that quick protein before a workout, or to help you to reach for something filling and delicious after you’ve hit that PR at the gym.
It’s also a hit with teachers/school administrators as a great alternative for peanut free campuses.
Most proud of?
Our commitment to our faith. God has been so good to us. We have done nothing but follow his lead… and look what He’s created!! It’s our pleasure to share in that miracle with our friends and customers. When first priority is Him, everything falls into place!
People buy it, and then they buy more. I still can’t wrap my head around that. That people WANT this product. That they also see value in something I love so deeply and am so passionate about. It’s so motivating, makes me want to work harder and do more to secure this little company’s future and for the customers that love it!
We’re also very proud to have met so many wonderful vendors along the way. They have been invaluably helpful, making us better at what we do and how we do it. Being part of this insanely dedicated entrepreneurial community of passionate people propels our creative, marketing, and sales skills. And that, in turn, make local markets more enjoyable for us and for the communities we serve.
Sets us apart?
Beckah’s Bangin’ Butter is a unique blend of California almonds, coconut oil and sea salt. THAT’S IT! BBB is unsweetened, paleo, low-carb, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free and packed with protein, making it a staple in each personal diet and lifestyle. Each jar is made fresh and can be safely kept in your pantry, fridge, gym bag, or the cup holder of your car! It is the perfect partner for fruits, veggies, marinades, bakes, smoothies, and many more. It is also whole30 compliant (not sure if you can say that…)
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
HONESTY, TRANSPARENCY, & PASSION.
I had been charging people for BBB up until my first call with my SCORE mentor, Fred. One of the first things he told me was to stop selling my product, that I was lacking necessary permitting. Mind you, I was only selling to friends, but still, the point was valid. I stopped, but people kept asking for it! What was I supposed to do?
So, I ended up giving away product for 8 months until my permit was issued. I didn’t advertise it, but anytime someone approached me and asked, I’d offer them a jar and then encourage them to support me when I could finally sell. 8 months later, and many of them are still regular customers. They are why it’s so fulfilling to be a part of BBB. I was honest about the process, transparent about the request, and faithful that God would keep this business afloat during the time. And boy has it paid off!
We get lots of questions about our product. Rightfully so, considering our demographic base is healthy and wellness-minded. One of the questions I get a lot is why we chose to incorporate coconut oil into our butter. We can say a lot about how we feel about coconut oil, great for your hair, skin, nails, digestion and immunity…. but the customer already knows that.
What we tell them is… because we love the taste! AND… we love the way it makes the butter JUST creamy enough while adding a new level of texture that’s not found in any other almond butter. The true answer to that question? Because we wanted to, and we’re so glad we did because it’s nothing short of fantastic!
The customer usually will appreciate this kind of honesty and be more apt to sample and purchase. It’s all about creating the relationship with the customer. A level of trust between both parties, the good of each in mind. Not facts and statistics. Relationships and trust first.
Pricing:
- Original Almond Butter 16oz: $15
- Original Almond Butter 8oz: $8
- Coconut Almond Butter 16oz: $16
- Coconut Almond Butter 8oz: $9
Contact Info:
- Website: beckahsbanginbutter.com
- Phone: 760-715-2011
- Email: beckahshomemade@gmail.com
- Instagram: bangin_butter
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/banginbutter/
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
