Meet Simon Sacal | CEO of Solely

We had the good fortune of connecting with Simon Sacal and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Simon, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The story of this business goes back more than 20 years when we realized there was significant confusion between better-for-you “healthy” snack foods and good-for-you real foods. First, we identified the need for ‘good-for-you’ savory snacking, so we invented a patented technology to create fat-free chips. From there, everything began to evolve towards fruit, and we then made a second patented cold-pressing process to transform whole organic produce into single-portion jerky. We then partnered with local governments in Latin America to provide clean and nutritious snacks to children and families. To expand, we brough Solely to the U.S. market after realizing there was a big gap between what people wanted and what companies were giving them in the fruit snack space. We created a way to make a much better single ingredient product that has now expanded into dried fruit, whole fruit gummies, pasta alternatives and more.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Solely is an innovative, clean food company leading a revolution for the future of food by using the fewest possible ingredients without compromising indulgence. For example, many of our competitors in the fruit snack category claim to be “made with real fruit,” but what that means is they contain fruit-based “concentrates” or “juices” where the nutrient profile is closer to candy than a healthy snack and include a laundry list of 15-20 ingredients that are mostly sugar masquerading around as “good for you.” We always promise to use whole organic fruit to make our products, providing a nutritious snack that tastes like the real thing. Additionally, what sets us apart is our commitment to transparency. We use an “everything up front” policy that leaves no room for questions. For example, our products contain (at most) three ingredients always listed on the front of the packaging, so consumers know what they’re getting. Solely constantly seeks ways to rethink the ‘better-for-you’ food movement led by nutrient restriction and modification in pursuing foods widely recognized as ‘good-for-you.’ We aim to push the boundaries beyond what is just permissible to what is genuinely enjoyable, simultaneously still satisfying consumers’ needs for healthy food.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Since I currently reside in San Diego and our office is in La Jolla, I recommend spending as much time at the beach here and heading out to see the seals. I encourage visitors to grab lunch at Cody’s, which offers excellent comfort food with ocean views, and dinner at George’s at the Cove. If traveling to the Los Angeles area, I love indulging in sushi at SugarFish and spending time at the beach in Santa Monica or Venice.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Both of my brothers, Gabriel and Alejandro, play a significant role in the operation of Solely and supply chain management. I am also fortunate to have a professional and hard-working team that has all played a role in where Solely is today, and for that, I am thankful.

Website: solely.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solelyfruit/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/solely-inc

Image Credits
Solely