Today we’d like to introduce you to Ama Hooks.
Ama, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Hi, I’m Ama! I am originally from Miami, FL and I am passionate about eating GOOD food! Growing up, I wasn’t wealthy, but my mom built a culture of togetherness around mealtime. She fervently believed and instilled the fundamental values of hard work, integrity, dreaming big, and helping others. Helping others led to teaching dance to at-risk youth for over 15 years. Actually, a lot of people don’t know that I am classically trained in ballet and modern dance, so nutrition, healthy eating, and helping others has always been a part of my life.
After high school, I moved to Alabama to attend Tuskegee University as a Finance major on an academic and track scholarship (again, nutrition ruled my life), and after graduation, I started my career in Corporate America for various Fortune 500 financial services firms. I was always obsessed with climbing the corporate ladder; I even obtained an MBA to further my corporate career. After graduating with my Master’s, I was recruited by one of the top retailers in the country, which enhanced that Corporate America flame. But when my son was born, that fire shifted. My proverbial ladder to climb became trying to master motherhood.
Fast forward to life after a six-month maternity leave, and the mommy guilt of returning to work was excruciating, but out of that pain birthed an idea. I have always valued healthy eating. I am also a self-proclaimed foodie, so I expressed that passion through home-cooked baby food meals, which included a myriad of spices and herbs. I thought to myself, MY son will be the most nutritious baby at daycare, despite my demanding work schedule, LOL! I literally poured myself into infant nutrition and baby food, which morphed into full-blown meal prepping for my son. Parents and teachers would often comment on the fragrance of his food, and they started asking questions. I found myself enjoying the meal prepping much more than my job, so I started praying continuously, asking God to send me a sign on when to leave my job because I was miserable. Well, my son’s ear tube surgery was the sign, so I decided to leave my career to be a stay at home mom. Trust me, A LOT of people thought I was CRAZY for leaving the stability of a great career. However, I took the leap of faith.
I was really enjoying the ‘stay at home’ gig when I heard God speak again. “Help families by meal prepping for babies.” I thought about how hard it was to provide homemade food for my son while working a demanding job, and knew this could be a life-changing service for working parents. And that is how Incredi-Bites was born. “Food for your incredible baby”! I wanted to provide convenience for busy families like mine because we know that convenience leverages time.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not! I thought I knew how to start a baby food company but I had no idea! I initially started this business, thinking I could cook on a small scale out of my home but when I tried to get a business license and woefully rejected, I quickly realized the magnitude of my business idea. The barriers to entry was the entry part! It took me three months to find an insurance company that would even underwrite a baby food company. Additionally, all my recipes had to get tested at a food lab for nutritional values. I had to find a very affordable shared kitchen because we are self-funding this business, and let’s not talk about the hoops you jump through for a Dept of Agriculture food license! There were a lot of requirements I didn’t anticipate.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Incredi-Bites – what should we know?
Incredi-Bites aims to serve the people that give so much – PARENTS! We aim to serve the health-conscious mom and dad that want fresh, organic, preservative-free, all-natural baby food for their little one. Our company provides convenience for parents with children ages four months – two years old because we understand that convenience leverages time! We also understand how important those first 1000 days are to a child’s development, hence our unwavering commitment to fresh, organic, homemade food without preservatives, artificial flavors, or colors. We cook, package, seal, and label according to childcare regulations and deliver to the parent’s door or daycare within the Atlanta/Metro-Atlanta area.
Incredi-Bites is different from your store-bought baby food because of our recipes and quality of ingredients. We always say, “who said foodies were born in adulthood?” because we want your child’s pallet to explore different flavors at an early age, appreciating healthy tasty food. We use herbs and spices and various blends that you wouldn’t typically see in the grocery store. Additionally, most of our fruits and veggies are sourced at the local farmer’s markets. We also want to know your infant, that’s why the parent completes a profile sheet answering questions about their child because we understand the relationship between an infant and solids is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
I am really proud of keeping the integrity of our mission. Many people have suggested selling our baby food in grocery stores, but that would require adding preservatives and/or additives to extend the shelf life, and that’s not what our company stands for. We are here to help families on the journey towards healthy kids! Secondly, I am proud of having an A rating with the better business bureau!
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
First, I must thank my husband, Esau. He supported my dream even when he didn’t agree. Esau was not the biggest fan of me quitting my job. We quickly went from a two-income household to one and this business is self-funded, so that too added an extra layer of stress. If he wasn’t financially supporting the family, it would have been very, very difficult to start Incredi-Bites. My husband is a cautious guy, so I know his supporting my risk stemmed from him believing in me more than anything else.
I had a mentor through SCORE by the name of Caimen and she was heaven sent. She served as a sounding board with my business plan, ideas, strategies around shared kitchens, even down to selecting jars. She was so helpful and her expertise was evident. She really cared, and that goes a long way!
Finally, my mom, Linda! That lady is my cheerleader! She was so happy I finally leaped towards my purpose, so she often served as a motivator then and now. My mom is my ace, so she knew how scared and insecure I was about the new chapter. But she was right there, emotionally guiding me through the process!
Pricing:
- 1 meal a day: $30.00/week
- 2 meals a day: $55.00/week
- 3 meals a day: $80.00/week
Contact Info:
- Website: www.incredi-bites.com
- Phone: (404)829-4950
- Email: incredibitesbf@gmail.com
- Instagram: @incredi_bites
- Facebook: incredibitesbabyfood
- Twitter: @incredi_bites
Image Credit:
Most pictures taken by: Courtney Bush
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