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Gusto Snacks is an ethical-focused company that uses farm-rejected fruits to produce delicious and healthy snacks to reduce food waste. We act as a bridge between farmers and consumers, improving the economic output of farmers by re-introducing the rescued produce to the market using innovative flavours. As a growing ethnic minority-owned business, we wanted to become better connected within networks that support businesses like ours. We thought that having the additional credibility through MSDUK’s certification would help our brand within the marketplace.  

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Learning Experience  

Through the Accelerator programme, we have built amazing relationships with the MSDUK team, business advisors and fellow cohort members. 

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The learning experience has been remarkable, and we came away from the programme with new tools which we have already implemented into the business. The sessions that we particularly resonated with were masterclasses on sales and communication and workshops on growth marketing. We have already started applying these learnings to the Gusto Snacks sales processes, especially in the branding side and email campaigns. 

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However, the real game changer were the No-code workshops. These sessions helped us answer questions that we were pondering for a while. We were introduced to no-code tools that we could use to develop and test apps. We have been thinking about developing an app for a while, but we could not afford an app developer. After these workshops, we learned how we can create an app without an app developer and test it before committing time and money to a more sophisticated version. 

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Mentoring Experience  

Our mentoring experience through the MSDUK Accelerator has been amazing. Thanh Catachanas, Head of Collaboration and Acquisition at JCDecaux, has been an engaging mentor for Gusto Snacks. From the first meeting, she did not limit our interactions to online calls, and she invited us to the JCDecaux London headquarters. With Thanh’s help, we revisited our company values and made sure they were communicated clearly and stayed true to our brand. She has helped us refine our branding and messaging. 

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The support we received did not just end after our meetings or calls. Thanh connected us with JCDecaux’s office manager in hopes that we could stock our snacks in their offices, and this continues to be a work in progress. We’re grateful for how our mentor has gone above and beyond to support us on our journey. It has been a supportive and close relationship we built thanks to the MSDUK Accelerator. 

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Having a Corporate Mentor 

Having a corporate mentor who works within a large corporation has been invaluable to our business. Our mentor helped us understand the processes of becoming a corporate supplier and the advice that a corporate mentor offers can be directly applied to our business by telling us who to connect with to what to include in our proposal. 

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Additionally, working with a corporate mentor encouraged us to expand our horizons. A corporate mentor encourages the vision that you can go beyond where you are right now as a business and advises on what we need to do to bring that vision to life. 

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Accelerator Programme Cohort 4

Calling all early-stage B2B ventures! The MSDUK Accelerator’s recruitment for Cohort 4 is now open, and we’re excited to invite you to be a part of it. Join our thriving community of over 120 committed individuals, including experts, mentors, and facilitators. At MSDUK, we take pride in our strong support network, united by a common goal of driving positive transformation. By applying, you’ll tap into this dynamic ecosystem, dedicated to empowering ethnic minority founders on their journey to becoming the influential and diverse leaders of the future. Don’t miss this opportunity to shape your business’s trajectory – apply now and let’s create change together! 

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To apply for MSDUK Accelerator Programme (Cohort 4) 👉https://accelerator.msduk.org.uk/?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=OrganicAC23