Entrepreneur and founder JACKIE REID breaks down how Deli Lites went from selling 30 sandwiches to 30 million all over the world, the truth about what it takes to achieve such uncompromising growth, and her ambition to one day see Deli Lites products in New York.
JACKIE REID is Founder and Sales director at DeliLites – the Home of Food on the Move. Jackie is responsible for the growth of Deli Lites into a global powerhouse of premium food-to-go products that has seen them supply huge names like Boots, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Spar (Scotland),SuperValu, Centra, Mace, Costa Coffee, Aer Lingus, and Applegreen.
She’s also steered the ship to multiple award wins including several Sammie awards, a WTCE win in the ‘Ones To Watch 2024’ category, several Greater Newry Area Business Awards, and becoming the world’s first B-Corp sandwich producer.
She explains:
🟩The beauty of the New York Deli scene and why she had to recreate it back home
🟩 How going through the school of hard knocks taught her more about business than any textbook ever could
🟩 How dedication to service, and a late night call, doubled her business almost instantly
🟩 The key to confidence even when you feel like an imposter
🟩 The science behind how Deli Lites keep their homemade products fresh, even when exporting throughout Europe
🟩 The decision to push for B-Corp status
Timestamps
(5:50) The New York Deli that inspired Deli Lites
(11:00) 10x their orders in the first week
(12:53) What it really took to make it in those early days
(23:00) The call with Costa Coffee that changed it all
(27:30) How to maintain consistent quality during rapidgrowth
(31:30) Jackie’s key to confidence when running a businessand dealing with imposter syndrome
(37:00) Creating alignment through culture
(43:15) How Jackie landed supply contracts with Aer Lingus,American Airlines and discover Air
(46:05) How Deli Lites keep products fresh when supplying toEurope
(48:51) How the flavours of Ireland tickled Germany’s tastebuds
(51:28) How Deli Lites achieved B-Corp status
(58:50) Deli Lites plans to supply to New York
(1:01:20) What’s Jackie’s go to sandwich?
(1:02:25) Jackie’s routine for continuously showing up todrive her business
(1:09:20) Jackie talks cars
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Follow Jackie:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-reid-786a92a1/
Follow Deli Lites:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/delilites/
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