Einat Mazor with Better Foods Jeyer

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open for Business. Now here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here. Another episode of GWBC Open for Business. And this is going to be a good one. Today, we have with us Einat Mazor with Better Food – how do you pronounce the last word, Jeyer?

Einat Mazor: [00:00:30] Jeyer.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:30] So, tell us about Better Foods. How are you serving folks?

Einat Mazor: [00:00:37] Well, first of all, thank you so much for the opportunity to talk with you a little bit about the company. The company’s name is Extra White Gold. And it’s a gluten-free company and gluten-free and keto flours and mixes company. And the main point of our business is to have some kind of freedom in our foods. Meaning that everybody that has allergies, food allergies such as peanuts, and nuts, and eggs, and dairy, including gluten can enjoy our flours and mixes because we’re free from dairy, and eggs, and gluten, and so forth.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:29] So, how did you get into this line of work?

Einat Mazor: [00:01:32] Oh, well, that’s my story. That’s a big story. Well, being a mother and health supportive chef, I was always, always in the kitchen cooking and baking for my family and friends. And then, when my daughter was six years old, we discovered that she has celiac. And celiac is basically an inflammatory disease, which affects the digestive system. So, you can’t have gluten in your everyday meals. You can’t have gluten in your dairy. And so, we’ve been in shock for a couple of weeks because from a family that used to love being in the kitchen, we started to think about food in a different way. So, we needed to be more cautious about the foods we labeled. Even the spontaneous of going out for dinner or to just have an ice cream outside was a task.

Einat Mazor: [00:02:51] So, I just started to experimenting, experimenting with flours, experimenting with ingredients. In my background, I also have chemistry knowledge. So, it’s been a while. It’s been several years. And then, after many years of experimenting in the lab and even in my kitchen, I came up and invented these flours and mixes. And it’s totally changed our life, our life as a family, but also as a community from people that used to be … that couldn’t have almost … you know, we needed to think about foods and about how to eat it, why can I cannot eat it, that was a big thing for us. So, it’s completely changed the gluten-free world and culinary world from our perspective.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:59] Now, when you were experimenting with the different ingredients, did it take a long time to land on where you landed? Because I would imagine to get that right balance of not only flavor, what your expectation is as a chef, you’re probably pretty particular about how good it tastes and not just create something that has the right ingredients but it also has to taste good. And it also has to … like you mentioned, chemistry, if you’re doing baking, there’s a certain chemistry that there’s an expectation of it rising and performing it a certain way in order to create the right texture. So, there’s a lot of variables in this. And you’re basically leaving wheat behind, right? So, you’re going and finding other grains, I guess, that are celiac-friendly or different ingredients that are celiac-friendly?

Einat Mazor: [00:04:54] Yeah. So, it is a big task. And when I started it, I didn’t know that it’s going to be such an adventurous journey because you do need to know your craft, and you need to know how even flours, gluten-free flours are playing with each other or talking with each other because each and every component has its own uniqueness. So, you have to know how to combine it. And what you said is really important because it needs to taste good, and it also needs to be as close as possible to the real thing.

Einat Mazor: [00:05:43] So, for us, I think we succeeded because we’ve been around for almost 13 years in the business. We’re not new in the business. My flours and mixes are number one in sells in Israel for the first 10 years. And we launched about three years ago here in the States. We are locals. We live in Georgia, of course. But we know that people like our products because the main issue is the flavor, the texture, everything needs to be right. And that’s what we’re aiming for the best – best quality and best ingredients.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:42] Now, when you set out to do this, did you expect kind of the gluten-free community to expand as much as it has like? In Israel, you mentioned this has been around for a while. But in the United States, this is, I don’t want to say relatively new, but it’s kind of new and that there’s more and more options for people who are wanting gluten-free.

Einat Mazor: [00:07:05] Right. Well, no, I didn’t expect that it would be such a huge trend. It started as a trend but, now, I can tell you that it’s a lifestyle of many people. I mean, people are more and more to discover how beneficial is the gluten-free diet for everybody because the benefits of the diet is not only with the weight loss, it’s also increasing energy, and it’s kind of like clear your mind. If I can say that, it gives you more perspective, more clear thoughts. And, also, I think it’s much more clean food to eat all day because the gluten, the way that it reacts with your body is a glue. So, it’s kind of like a glue. It’s stuck in your system, and it doesn’t go anywhere, and it just gives you blurry, and you feel bloated all the time. And I believe the market is going towards that.

Lee Kantor: [00:08:31] So, now, you create this flour, the Extra White Gold flour that’s gluten-free. And then, was that kind of like that was the goal and, now, it’s expanded into this whole line of you have mixes, you can make pancakes, brownies. Like you can make anything really, I guess, that flour touches, you can now make with your flour. And now, you’ve expanded the line into prepared mixes that are, I guess, the same kind of gluten-free. And is it vegan as well?

Einat Mazor: [00:09:11] Not the keto but the gluten-free items are vegan as well.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:19] Wow! So, you’re checking all the boxes for the folks out there that have this lifestyle. And I’ll tell you, because I have relatives that are gluten-free and vegan, and some of their stuff doesn’t taste good. And they say it tastes good for gluten-free, but it doesn’t taste good. But I think that you’ve been able to kind of thread the needle and make something gluten-free that also tastes good.

Einat Mazor: [00:09:45] Right. Yeah. The vegan lifestyle is really demanding because there are alternatives, but not that great. I mean, they are good but, I mean, you can find good stuff that are vegan and not that great vegan product. And I was a vegan. I was vegan for many years. And I came from that approach because I wanted people to enjoy our mixes as much as possible and to give a solution to almost everybody. And I believe that this is our mission to find the solution to almost everybody, so everybody can sit at the same table eating, having the same food.

Einat Mazor: [00:10:45] Like my daughter. I remember when I started, my daughter used to have her own cake, her own pizza, her own muffin. I used to slip around with all her foods everywhere. But now, when you have something that everybody can eat and it tastes good, so why not? So, you’ll have gluten-free and vegan cake and a pizza, and everybody can share it, and everybody can enjoy it. So, that’s my mission.

Lee Kantor: [00:11:13] Right. And then, if you do it well, in which, now, you’re finding more and more people are kind of cracking the code on how to make it taste delicious, that you don’t even have to tell people it’s gluten-free and vegan. It just tastes good. People don’t even know. It’s not relevant. It’s important for the folks that have allergies, but for the people who don’t, you don’t have to identify, “Oh, that’s gluten-free,” or “Oh, that’s vegan,” because it’s just delicious. I mean, I think that it’s evolving so rapidly, and it seems like you’re really on the cutting edge of this when it comes to the baking products.

Einat Mazor: [00:11:50] Right, right. But also, that’s what I’m always saying to my clients, you need to read labels because not everything that’s gluten-free is also good for you.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:05] Right, you can’t confuse those two things because there’s plenty of things that-.

Einat Mazor: [00:12:10] There are many processed food.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:12] Right, that are processed, and that they’re not healthy but they’re gluten-free. I mean, so you can’t confuse those. Those two terms aren’t synonyms. Those are specific things. One just doesn’t have gluten.

Einat Mazor: [00:12:26] Exactly, exactly.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:29] Now, for you and your mission, where is this available for folks? Is it available only online or can they get it at certain stores?

Einat Mazor: [00:12:40] Well, we are in Walmart with one product. Our all-purpose flour, which is also a cup, two cup flour and sugar-free flour is in a Walmart. But not in Georgia unfortunately. Not now. Hopefully, next year. And we’re also in Food Lion. Food Lion, Georgia. So, you can definitely check our products in the Food Lion gluten-free section and online. I mean, we’re selling very nicely online. Listen, this was the year of the online merchandise.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:29] Right.

Einat Mazor: [00:13:31] Yeah. I mean, that’s-

Lee Kantor: [00:13:31] So, how do you do the manufacturing? Where is it being made?

Einat Mazor: [00:13:37] Oh, it’s being made in New York. We have a facility there. But our headquarter’s in Georgia.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:45] And then, you’re able to distribute it from there to wherever it needs to go?

Einat Mazor: [00:13:50] Yes, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

Lee Kantor: [00:13:53] Now, you mentioned COVID. I would imagine because everybody, when they’re locked down at home, they’re doing a lot more baking, and they were probably searching for this kind of solution. So, this probably was good for you in some ways.

Einat Mazor: [00:14:09] Yes, of course. I mean, the COVID situation impacted everybody. So, we needed to work harder to keep our head above the water. That’s the truth. And what we’ve done is we applied for grants, and we took some loans just to be present, to keep on going. But despite of the financial challenges, we feel very optimistic about the future, and we managed to keep up with the growing demand for our gluten-free and keto products.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:01] Yeah, I think you’re right. I think if you can hang in there, the sky’s the limit because I think that people who are part of that community are literally hungry for a great tasting solution because there’s not as many choices for them. And if you have a way to make it delicious, and gluten-free, and vegan, and all, and keto when they want to be keto, I think you’re right there. I mean, congratulations. To do this is very difficult.

Einat Mazor: [00:15:34] Thank you.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:34] You should be very proud of yourself. This is a very difficult task to do.

Einat Mazor: [00:15:38] Thank you very much. Yes, it is. It is.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:39] And I want people to understand that the level of experimentation in order to pull this off is quite difficult.

Einat Mazor: [00:15:49] Yeah, that’s what I keep telling my kids. You need to be persistent, you need to have a mission, you need to have something that will keep you going forward. Even the smallest thing. It doesn’t have to be huge, but you have to have some kind of a mission because if you are in the food business and you are a small business, especially women-owned business, you have to believe that you can do it. You have to believe. You have to keep on going.

Einat Mazor: [00:16:31] And I know it’s kind of like a cliche but you just need to have the persistence of incentive yourself. Nobody’s coming and tap me on my shoulder. Nobody. This is me. Like what I’m doing, what I’m investing, the results will be in the future. But you have to believe. You have to believe in your organization, you have to believe in yourself, you have to believe in your product because if you don’t manufacture products that you yourself as an owner believe in, just don’t do it.

Lee Kantor: [00:17:17] That’s great advice. And it’s important to be clear on your why. You have to have a why that’s big enough for everybody to believe in and get behind, not only you as the founder and the creator, but also your team, your vendors, your customers. The bigger the why, the easier it is for everybody to get behind the mission to help kind of get the word out, and they want to be the ones that are sharing this great thing with their folks and serving their community by letting people know that something like this exists.

Einat Mazor: [00:17:50] Absolutely, absolutely. And another tip that I have is, because I did mention it, to have a mission. So, sometimes, it’s really helpful, especially these days, to cooperate and to join forces with organizations that you believe in.For instance, we support an organization, a women’s organization, and the name itself [Will Paper]. And its International Women for Women organization, which empowers unprivileged women through art, through art, through ecological awareness, and they make art without any waste. It’s something very interesting, what they’re doing over there. And I think as a company, once you support an organization like that, a nonprofit organization, and you believe in their actions, it gives you energy, it gives you movement, it gives you something to look forward to, and this is also very important.

Lee Kantor: [00:19:16] And I believe that what you’re doing as a chef is an art form. I mean, I think that your work, you’re creating something from nothing. So, to me, that is an artist.

Einat Mazor: [00:19:28] Okay, thank you.

Lee Kantor: [00:19:30] Now, talk about the GWBC, has that organization helped you as a certified women business, helped you through this crisis, maybe COVID, or just helped you in supporting you in your mission?

Einat Mazor: [00:19:46] Well, I think that the notion to belong to a community and to be able to share your thoughts, even if it’s through the social media, through Facebook, for instance, I read the post almost every day, and to be out there and to join as much as you can for events or to be active. this is the time to be active. Although it’s really hard, it’s like to walking in water, although it’s really hard, you have to keep on going. And it helps us as a community and as a company tremendously to have the back of the organization, of course.

Lee Kantor: [00:20:46] Now, what’s next for you? Are you optimistic about the coming year? Are you excited?

Einat Mazor: [00:20:53] I’m always optimistic, and I’m always excited. Yeah, we have some things that we would like to evolve into. And yeah, we’re still working on it. Very exciting.

Lee Kantor: [00:21:12] Well, it’s an exciting time. And again, congratulations on all your success. It’s important work.

Einat Mazor: [00:21:19] Thank you.

Lee Kantor: [00:21:19] And we appreciate you. And how about the website? For folks that want to get a hold of some of your stuff, what’s the website?

Einat Mazor: [00:21:28] It’s www.extrawhitegold.com.

Lee Kantor: [00:21:35] Well, good stuff. Thank you again for sharing your story.

Einat Mazor: [00:21:37] Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Happy holidays.

Lee Kantor: [00:21:40] Yes, you too. All right. This is Lee Kantor. We will see you all next time on GWBC Open for Business.