Founded in 2019, GO Buddha Meals was created with one goal in mind: to create food that loves you back. Owner Josh Ingraham, the Executive Chef for Progressive Field and home of the Cleveland Indians, knew he could provide nutritious, convenient food for any budget or lifestyle.
However, Josh needed capital to bring his dream to life. After hearing from his friends at Backattack Snacks, a fellow successful Honeycomb alum, Josh decided to start a Honeycomb campaign.
By the end of Josh’s campaign, GO Buddha Meals raised $23,850 from 33 community investors.
Go Buddha or Go Home
GO Buddha Meals was already on a good trajectory to grow, and initially, Josh planned to use the Honeycomb funds to hire brand ambassadors and expand to food-delivery services. But when the pandemic struck, Josh was forced to reevaluate his business model and make some quick moves.
He immediately launched local food delivery, and with his Honeycomb funds, Josh conducted research and development to create a brilliant, effective business strategy during the pandemic: creating weekly meal packages that can be shipped out of state!
“We purchased brand labels, inserts, and brand packages to begin the shipping process, and now GO Buddha Meals ships to 16 different states. We wouldn’t have been able to take advantage of this opportunity without the working capital that Honeycomb gave us.”
Despite the ongoing pandemic, GO Buddha Meals has flourished, and Josh credits his Honeycomb campaign and his network of investors for helping him accelerate his business through thick and thin.
Josh shares, “We were able to increase sales by 38%. Opening up the different sales channels was huge for us to stay relevant during the pandemic.”
A New Storefront
With the help of Honeycomb investors and the Honeycomb network, Josh has sailed through the pandemic with flying colors, and he’s only just getting started. Next up, Josh will be using the rest of the funds from his Honeycomb campaign to open up GO Buddha Meals’ first storefront!
“This storefront will allow us to ship meals seven days a week, rather than two days, and get our brand in front of new customers,” he shares.
The Journey Ahead
Reflecting on his journey, Josh explains that the appeal of working with Honeycomb has always been about more than the capital: “We wanted to take part in everything that Honeycomb provides—the resources, networking, and the community-based initiative. The knowledge from the Honeycomb team was really impressive, and having these experts as a resource throughout the entire process provided me with a real sense of security and guidance.”
And the community has definitely shown up for him!
“We weren’t seeking donations, we wanted to be a part of the community. And now, everything we’re doing from shipping meals to opening our new storefront is going to allow us to do that,” Josh concludes.
Take the leap and land into your future with a crowdfunded loan.
Hit the ground running with the reopening of your business. Crowdfund the capital you need to put products back on the shelf, buy new equipment, or bring back your team of employees. Get started with your Honeycomb crowdfunding campaign at: honeycombcredit.com/grow and sign up below for more information!