Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
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Vino de Milo's came when the company got its first order from Japan, for its salad dressings. "It was amazing to me that there was a whole market outside the U.S. for specialty foods. This opened my eyes to the many other avenues of selling," Leal says. He now sells to half a dozen other countries and has branched out into private label, further diversifying the company's customer base. Image Refresh Critical to the success and identity of Leal's product line is the Vino de Milo logo and packaging. "It is who we are," says Leal. In 2012, Leal decided to overhaul the company's brand presen- tation. "We hired Paul Zullo at Silver Creative [Group] to complete- ly re-imagine us from the ground up—in other words, do what we should have done from the start," he explains. The result: a bright, cheerful, colorful logo and packaging that stands out on the shelf. Leal says the change has made a huge difference in sales—almost doubling them by the end of 2013. The cubist-looking chef donning each label is, in fact, "an artis- tic representation of me," Leal reveals. "Glasses, colorful clothes, wine glass, and all." Expanding the Concept, Keeping the Formula The company devised a brand extension in 2012: a line of barbecue sauces and salsas packaged under the name JB's Best. "We originally producer profile When Leal's former French professor suggested he add wine to the recipe, the name Vino de Milo sprang forth. "A terrific and all-encompassing moniker that sums up the company: I'm Milo and we use vino in everything!" says Leal. With pasta sauce such a saturated category, Leal knew he needed to bring something different to the table. Starting with ingredients that are up to 95 percent locally sourced, the sauces are prepared the old-fashioned way, starting with sauteing onions and garlic in extra-virgin olive oil, and then reducing with the wine. "It gives the sauces an extra depth of f lavor that you don't find else- where," Leal says. Adapting Expectations The company debuted with three SKUs—Mediterranean Pinot Grigio Puttanesca (now called Triple Olive and Artichoke Puttanesca), Portobello Shiraz (currently Fire Roasted Portobello) and Tuscan Merlot (now Chunky Tuscan Vegetable)—and a small part-time team that handled everything from production to sales. Expectations ran high in the beginning. "We had pie-in-the- sky goals," Leal says with a laugh. But the difficulties of getting established and understanding the real costs of doing business soon became clear. "There were so many things that came up— overspending on the wrong inventory, not researching label design, spending on things that didn't have a direct impact on sales, and not diversifying our customer base were big challenges we faced in our infancy," he says. Leal calls himself a cautionary tale for other companies on what not to do. "Focus right off the bat on profitability," he advises. "If what you're doing or selling isn't profitable—or going to be soon—then take a hard look at what needs to change. "This approach never ends. We're constantly evaluating what we're doing, what's working, and making changes." New Products, Far-Reaching Customers After the first wine pasta sauces took off and the company landed accounts like The Hills Market, Heinen Fine Foods, and Cooper's Hawk Winery, Leal added wine-based salad dressings, in such varieties as sun-dried tomato with merlot and gorgonzola pear with riesling, and bruschetta toppings, such as artichoke garlic and roasted red pepper. But the seminal moment in the growth and development of JONATHAN MILO LEAL Age: 44 Years in specialty food: 13 Favorite food: My mom's Nepalese dal bhaat. Least favorite food: Lima beans. Last thing I cooked and served: Rhubarb strawberry pie. If I weren't running my business: I'd be doing humanitarian work in Nepal. One piece of advice I'd give to a new food business: You really have to be in this for the long haul, because it's not a get-rich-quick business by any means. Leal calls himself a cautionary tale for other companies on what not to do. "Focus right of the bat on proftability," he advises. 78 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com ProducerProfiile_Milo.indd 78 6/6/14 8:10 AM