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

Hi Yoyo, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I am an avid snacker and self-proclaimed foodie. Researching and trying out new snacks and superfoods is probably one of my favorite pastimes. However, since most smaller labels cannot be found in stores, I’ve had to purchase products in bulk directly from the brands. Sometimes, I would be lucky and actually love the products. But often times, I’d find myself stuck with a lot of products that I would never eat again. So I thought to myself…there must be a better way and that was when Snacks,Yo was born!

Snacks,Yo is where you can purchase the best, healthy and great tasting snacks! With all the products out there, I know firsthand that it can get overwhelming and expensive to try them all. And that is why I started Snacks,Yo I wanted my fellow avid snackers to have the ability to mix-and-match different products to create the perfect healthy snack box for themselves based on their own preferences and dietary needs. This gives snackers the option to try new products without having to buy them individually in bulk directly from brands. With Snacks,Yo, you never have to be stuck with extra products you don’t want ever again!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What I am most proud of as a company is that we are supporting other small businesses with extraordinary products that people are not familiar with and introducing them to the market. It is especially incredible to hear from customers with dietary restrictions how they have found their new favorite snack, which has brought them so much delight and allowed them to enjoy snacking again!

What sets us apart from others is that we don’t overwhelm our customers with a lot of products on our site. Our product selection is rather limited and highly curated to give these smaller brands more visibility and my fellow snackers an easy, breezy shopping experience. All of our products are made with premium quality ingredients! And I would not add products that I don’t absolutely love onto the website.

I believe that anyone who has the courage to put their foot forward and chase their dreams knows that it’s not easy. There will always be a new set of challenges ahead of you and lessons to be learned. But I always wake up excited and ready for the opportunity!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
EREWHON!!! I would live at Erewhon market if I could. Haha. All jokes aside I truly do believe that there’s just no place like it. They have the best fresh foods and products that you can’t find anywhere else! The people that work there are also simply amazing!

I usually plan all of my trips around foods that I want to eat. So it is no surprise that my itinerary mostly consists of my favorite restaurants! I would also balance that with activities such as scenic hikes and group fitness classes. Nothing feels better than starting the day with a good sweat and mindset.

My ideal itinerary-

Eat:
All-time favorite restaurants: Republique, Catch LA, Providence, and Yazawa.
My favorite places for salads and sandwiches: Erewhon, Joans on Third and Chaumont.
My go-to comfort foods: Sugarfish, Ondal2, and Seoul Garden Restaurant.
Best Cake: Triple berry cake from Sweet Lady Jane!

Drink:
Toca Madera, E.P. & L.P., Ysabel, and The Rooftop.
Alfred’s

Visit/Hangout
Rodeo drive, Palisades Village, The Grove, and Santa Monica Pier.
Hike: Griffith park and Runyon canyon park
Group Fitness class: LIT method, Barry’s, SoulCycle, or The Megaformer Lagree Studio

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Firstly, I would like to dedicate this shoutout to my dearest friend, Michael Widjaja, who helped me throughout the entire process. None of this would have happened without him. He is a wealth of knowledge. His work ethic and drive is just so inspirational. He truly is the best at what he does! He helped answered logistics questions, identified manufacturers to create our packaging, and supported our warehousing and fulfillment. If anyone needs help with logistics, he is definitely the person to go to!

I would also like to thank my husband/head of finance and fellow snackers for the continuous love and support of Snacks,Yo!

Last but not least, the biggest shoutout goes to the founders of Mount Mayon Premium Pili nuts for creating such an exceptional product for the world to enjoy!

Website: www.snacksyo.com

Instagram: snacks.yo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snacks.yo/

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