This female founder took her Italian heritage and love for home cooking to create a brand centered around convenient (and delicious) sauces and broths.
Since 2020, many thanks to lockdowns at the peak of COVID, we have seen an increase in brands catering to the "new home cook". Everything from bread starters and kombucha kits to baking mixes and frozen meals, and a focus on oils, spices and sauces -- consumers are looking for a hands-on, yet convenient, way to feed themselves and their families.
And BIS is right on trend. In Italian, fare il bis (fa-ray il beese) means "to have seconds." And thats exactly what you'll be doing after a taste of these frozen/small-batch sauces and broths. Founded in 2021 by Melaina Balbo, BIS has a variety of unique offerings, such as their Nut-Free Pesto Genovese Sauce, Parmesan-Herb Broths and Vongole & Vino Sauces, which you can shop online here.
We spoke with Melaina to hear about the inspiration for the brand, her approach to work/life balance, and words of wisdom for other CPG founders.
Before founding BIS my career was in publishing. I worked in book publishing as an editor for many years. Eventually I transitioned to editing and writing as a freelancer for greater flexibility.
Where did the inspiration for BIS ome from?
Having two Italian-born-and-raised parents means that food and cooking has always been central to my life–food is love. Meals at home were always very intentional and were always a family event. It turned me into a home cook at a young age. When I moved away for graduate school and was more than a short drive away, my parents would freeze sauces and soups for me and overnight them to me. When I prepared meals with them I was immediately transported to my parents table–they hadn’t just sent me food, they’d sent me the comfort and love of home. I wanted to share the experience of enjoying Italian family cooking. The best way I could think to do that was to follow my parents’ lead and start with a frozen product. Our frozen products are unprocessed and deliver freshly prepared flavor.
The inspiration for offering our sauces and broths in pucks came later, as I wanted to help people avoid ever having to waste half a container of sauce or broth because it was forgotten in the fridge and went unused.
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
In the early days when BIS was just coming to life I remember reading an article about Gail Becker of Caulipower. I admire the conviction she had to quit her corporate job and bring a product to market that she believed and that offered new options for consumers.
I also spend a lot of time listening to the podcast How I Built This, hosted by Guy Raz. Learning about the experiences of so many different entrepreneurs has been so valuable to me–both practically and personally. After listening to the episode about Curt Jones, the founder of Dippin’ Dots, I reached out to him and had the opportunity to speak with him on multiple occasions. He developed a product that changed the way people enjoyed ice cream and even post-Dippin’ Dots continues to innovate in the frozen products sector.
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
Well, starting from zero has definitely been an adventure. And when I say zero, I mean not just starting from zero in the CPG space, but also starting from scratch as an entrepreneur. My parents were in the food business and I feel like I share their entrepreneurial spirit, but I’ve never started a business or a brand before.
Specifically creating frozen products brings an additional set of challenges that I expected, but didn’t fully understand until I was in it. More specifically, making a product that until now has not existed means that I had to create the processes for making our products.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
Gratefully, not that much, which I would attribute to the fact that I have purposefully maintained our bootstrapped status and pursued slow growth since there is so much I have to learn in this industry. The only real impact we have seen is the effect of inflation on the cost of our ingredients.
What were some of the highs/lows from 2023?
The highs have included bringing some team members on, entering into a relationship with a mentor in the industry, and exploring partnerships. Lows? Well even though I’ve deliberately adopted a slower pace so that we don’t grow faster than we can handle, the slowness can sometimes be frustrating.
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
I have a considerable commute to the commercial kitchen where we manufacture our product, so most importantly for my mental health, I try to schedule my week so I have specific kitchen days and specific remote office days. That really helps, in addition to taking time to turn off from work. A couple of Italian holiday traditions that I’ve injected into the culture at BIS are the ferragosto summer holiday (a two week hiatus in August), and the settimana bianca, the “white week” vacation between Christmas and New Year’s when many Italians take a snowy holiday.
Physically, I do my best to work out as much as possible. I used to ride but my off-track Thoroughbred has decided to retire herself post-track riding life! So while I haven't ridden her in a while, spending time grooming, bathing, and grazing her really helps your mind relax. Whenever possible, I get to the ocean. It’s the place that I love most. I started surfing a few years ago and I was instantly hooked–it’s a cureall for me.
Find your pace, and grow at a rate that you’re comfortable with.
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
Where to begin?! I’ve learned so many things along this journey–and I expect I’ll continue to learn more as we grow. I think it’s important to have patience and to expect to fail at things–especially if, like me, you’re a first-time founder. Find your pace, and grow at a rate that you’re comfortable with. Adaptability is vital, but I believe you need to find a way to also keep what makes your product or brand unique. Seek out good advice, find a team you trust, learn to let go of “doing everything.”
What foods do you always have in your kitchen?
How much time do you have? My kitchen and pantry are pretty well-stocked all the time! Italian staples always: pasta, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Italian tomatoes. Chili crisp–I put it on nearly everything. Granny smith apples and a wide variety of nut butters are always on hand. The freezer always has pizza dough, some plant-based meats and there are always some nonalcoholic spirits in the house. I do eat meat and drink alcohol, I just like to have options!
What are some other brands you think are killing it? Anything from social media to community to growth.
So many!! Some of my favorites include Fly by Jing, Belgian Boys, Figlia, Talia di Napoli, Velty, Spicewell, Elixir Kombucha, Spiritless . . . I could go on!
What food/beverage trends do you think are here to stay?
Perishable products! More than ever, people are being very thoughtful about what they are eating. I believe it’s driving the movement of de-processing of food that’s been happening over the last dozen years or so. Consequently, unprocessed frozen and refrigerated options continue to grow.
What are your goals for 2024?
Growth! There are a lot of plans in the works for 2023 including a brand refresh, an update to more efficient packaging, a new sauce launch. Additionally, we’re getting more dedicated support for content to help grow our customer engagement and we have an in-store collaboration on the books for late spring–you’ll have to sign up for BIS emails to stay posted on that one!
Since 2020, many thanks to lockdowns at the peak of COVID, we have seen an increase in brands catering to the "new home cook". Everything from bread starters and kombucha kits to baking mixes and frozen meals, and a focus on oils, spices and sauces -- consumers are looking for a hands-on, yet convenient, way to feed themselves and their families.
And BIS is right on trend. In Italian, fare il bis (fa-ray il beese) means "to have seconds." And thats exactly what you'll be doing after a taste of these frozen/small-batch sauces and broths. Founded in 2021 by Melaina Balbo, BIS has a variety of unique offerings, such as their Nut-Free Pesto Genovese Sauce, Parmesan-Herb Broths and Vongole & Vino Sauces, which you can shop online here.
We spoke with Melaina to hear about the inspiration for the brand, her approach to work/life balance, and words of wisdom for other CPG founders.
Before founding BIS my career was in publishing. I worked in book publishing as an editor for many years. Eventually I transitioned to editing and writing as a freelancer for greater flexibility.
Where did the inspiration for BIS ome from?
Having two Italian-born-and-raised parents means that food and cooking has always been central to my life–food is love. Meals at home were always very intentional and were always a family event. It turned me into a home cook at a young age. When I moved away for graduate school and was more than a short drive away, my parents would freeze sauces and soups for me and overnight them to me. When I prepared meals with them I was immediately transported to my parents table–they hadn’t just sent me food, they’d sent me the comfort and love of home. I wanted to share the experience of enjoying Italian family cooking. The best way I could think to do that was to follow my parents’ lead and start with a frozen product. Our frozen products are unprocessed and deliver freshly prepared flavor.
The inspiration for offering our sauces and broths in pucks came later, as I wanted to help people avoid ever having to waste half a container of sauce or broth because it was forgotten in the fridge and went unused.
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
In the early days when BIS was just coming to life I remember reading an article about Gail Becker of Caulipower. I admire the conviction she had to quit her corporate job and bring a product to market that she believed and that offered new options for consumers.
I also spend a lot of time listening to the podcast How I Built This, hosted by Guy Raz. Learning about the experiences of so many different entrepreneurs has been so valuable to me–both practically and personally. After listening to the episode about Curt Jones, the founder of Dippin’ Dots, I reached out to him and had the opportunity to speak with him on multiple occasions. He developed a product that changed the way people enjoyed ice cream and even post-Dippin’ Dots continues to innovate in the frozen products sector.
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
Well, starting from zero has definitely been an adventure. And when I say zero, I mean not just starting from zero in the CPG space, but also starting from scratch as an entrepreneur. My parents were in the food business and I feel like I share their entrepreneurial spirit, but I’ve never started a business or a brand before.
Specifically creating frozen products brings an additional set of challenges that I expected, but didn’t fully understand until I was in it. More specifically, making a product that until now has not existed means that I had to create the processes for making our products.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
Gratefully, not that much, which I would attribute to the fact that I have purposefully maintained our bootstrapped status and pursued slow growth since there is so much I have to learn in this industry. The only real impact we have seen is the effect of inflation on the cost of our ingredients.
What were some of the highs/lows from 2023?
The highs have included bringing some team members on, entering into a relationship with a mentor in the industry, and exploring partnerships. Lows? Well even though I’ve deliberately adopted a slower pace so that we don’t grow faster than we can handle, the slowness can sometimes be frustrating.
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
I have a considerable commute to the commercial kitchen where we manufacture our product, so most importantly for my mental health, I try to schedule my week so I have specific kitchen days and specific remote office days. That really helps, in addition to taking time to turn off from work. A couple of Italian holiday traditions that I’ve injected into the culture at BIS are the ferragosto summer holiday (a two week hiatus in August), and the settimana bianca, the “white week” vacation between Christmas and New Year’s when many Italians take a snowy holiday.
Physically, I do my best to work out as much as possible. I used to ride but my off-track Thoroughbred has decided to retire herself post-track riding life! So while I haven't ridden her in a while, spending time grooming, bathing, and grazing her really helps your mind relax. Whenever possible, I get to the ocean. It’s the place that I love most. I started surfing a few years ago and I was instantly hooked–it’s a cureall for me.
Find your pace, and grow at a rate that you’re comfortable with.
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
Where to begin?! I’ve learned so many things along this journey–and I expect I’ll continue to learn more as we grow. I think it’s important to have patience and to expect to fail at things–especially if, like me, you’re a first-time founder. Find your pace, and grow at a rate that you’re comfortable with. Adaptability is vital, but I believe you need to find a way to also keep what makes your product or brand unique. Seek out good advice, find a team you trust, learn to let go of “doing everything.”
What foods do you always have in your kitchen?
How much time do you have? My kitchen and pantry are pretty well-stocked all the time! Italian staples always: pasta, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Italian tomatoes. Chili crisp–I put it on nearly everything. Granny smith apples and a wide variety of nut butters are always on hand. The freezer always has pizza dough, some plant-based meats and there are always some nonalcoholic spirits in the house. I do eat meat and drink alcohol, I just like to have options!
What are some other brands you think are killing it? Anything from social media to community to growth.
So many!! Some of my favorites include Fly by Jing, Belgian Boys, Figlia, Talia di Napoli, Velty, Spicewell, Elixir Kombucha, Spiritless . . . I could go on!
What food/beverage trends do you think are here to stay?
Perishable products! More than ever, people are being very thoughtful about what they are eating. I believe it’s driving the movement of de-processing of food that’s been happening over the last dozen years or so. Consequently, unprocessed frozen and refrigerated options continue to grow.
What are your goals for 2024?
Growth! There are a lot of plans in the works for 2023 including a brand refresh, an update to more efficient packaging, a new sauce launch. Additionally, we’re getting more dedicated support for content to help grow our customer engagement and we have an in-store collaboration on the books for late spring–you’ll have to sign up for BIS emails to stay posted on that one!
Since 2020, many thanks to lockdowns at the peak of COVID, we have seen an increase in brands catering to the "new home cook". Everything from bread starters and kombucha kits to baking mixes and frozen meals, and a focus on oils, spices and sauces -- consumers are looking for a hands-on, yet convenient, way to feed themselves and their families.
And BIS is right on trend. In Italian, fare il bis (fa-ray il beese) means "to have seconds." And thats exactly what you'll be doing after a taste of these frozen/small-batch sauces and broths. Founded in 2021 by Melaina Balbo, BIS has a variety of unique offerings, such as their Nut-Free Pesto Genovese Sauce, Parmesan-Herb Broths and Vongole & Vino Sauces, which you can shop online here.
We spoke with Melaina to hear about the inspiration for the brand, her approach to work/life balance, and words of wisdom for other CPG founders.
Before founding BIS my career was in publishing. I worked in book publishing as an editor for many years. Eventually I transitioned to editing and writing as a freelancer for greater flexibility.
Where did the inspiration for BIS ome from?
Having two Italian-born-and-raised parents means that food and cooking has always been central to my life–food is love. Meals at home were always very intentional and were always a family event. It turned me into a home cook at a young age. When I moved away for graduate school and was more than a short drive away, my parents would freeze sauces and soups for me and overnight them to me. When I prepared meals with them I was immediately transported to my parents table–they hadn’t just sent me food, they’d sent me the comfort and love of home. I wanted to share the experience of enjoying Italian family cooking. The best way I could think to do that was to follow my parents’ lead and start with a frozen product. Our frozen products are unprocessed and deliver freshly prepared flavor.
The inspiration for offering our sauces and broths in pucks came later, as I wanted to help people avoid ever having to waste half a container of sauce or broth because it was forgotten in the fridge and went unused.
Who in the industry do you turn to for inspiration? Any other brands in the industry that you admire?
In the early days when BIS was just coming to life I remember reading an article about Gail Becker of Caulipower. I admire the conviction she had to quit her corporate job and bring a product to market that she believed and that offered new options for consumers.
I also spend a lot of time listening to the podcast How I Built This, hosted by Guy Raz. Learning about the experiences of so many different entrepreneurs has been so valuable to me–both practically and personally. After listening to the episode about Curt Jones, the founder of Dippin’ Dots, I reached out to him and had the opportunity to speak with him on multiple occasions. He developed a product that changed the way people enjoyed ice cream and even post-Dippin’ Dots continues to innovate in the frozen products sector.
What have been the challenges of navigating the CPG industry?
Well, starting from zero has definitely been an adventure. And when I say zero, I mean not just starting from zero in the CPG space, but also starting from scratch as an entrepreneur. My parents were in the food business and I feel like I share their entrepreneurial spirit, but I’ve never started a business or a brand before.
Specifically creating frozen products brings an additional set of challenges that I expected, but didn’t fully understand until I was in it. More specifically, making a product that until now has not existed means that I had to create the processes for making our products.
What impact has the current economy had on the brand?
Gratefully, not that much, which I would attribute to the fact that I have purposefully maintained our bootstrapped status and pursued slow growth since there is so much I have to learn in this industry. The only real impact we have seen is the effect of inflation on the cost of our ingredients.
What were some of the highs/lows from 2023?
The highs have included bringing some team members on, entering into a relationship with a mentor in the industry, and exploring partnerships. Lows? Well even though I’ve deliberately adopted a slower pace so that we don’t grow faster than we can handle, the slowness can sometimes be frustrating.
As a founder, what do you do to take care of your health - both physical and mental?
I have a considerable commute to the commercial kitchen where we manufacture our product, so most importantly for my mental health, I try to schedule my week so I have specific kitchen days and specific remote office days. That really helps, in addition to taking time to turn off from work. A couple of Italian holiday traditions that I’ve injected into the culture at BIS are the ferragosto summer holiday (a two week hiatus in August), and the settimana bianca, the “white week” vacation between Christmas and New Year’s when many Italians take a snowy holiday.
Physically, I do my best to work out as much as possible. I used to ride but my off-track Thoroughbred has decided to retire herself post-track riding life! So while I haven't ridden her in a while, spending time grooming, bathing, and grazing her really helps your mind relax. Whenever possible, I get to the ocean. It’s the place that I love most. I started surfing a few years ago and I was instantly hooked–it’s a cureall for me.
Find your pace, and grow at a rate that you’re comfortable with.
What advice do you have for early-stage entrepreneurs?
Where to begin?! I’ve learned so many things along this journey–and I expect I’ll continue to learn more as we grow. I think it’s important to have patience and to expect to fail at things–especially if, like me, you’re a first-time founder. Find your pace, and grow at a rate that you’re comfortable with. Adaptability is vital, but I believe you need to find a way to also keep what makes your product or brand unique. Seek out good advice, find a team you trust, learn to let go of “doing everything.”
What foods do you always have in your kitchen?
How much time do you have? My kitchen and pantry are pretty well-stocked all the time! Italian staples always: pasta, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Italian tomatoes. Chili crisp–I put it on nearly everything. Granny smith apples and a wide variety of nut butters are always on hand. The freezer always has pizza dough, some plant-based meats and there are always some nonalcoholic spirits in the house. I do eat meat and drink alcohol, I just like to have options!
What are some other brands you think are killing it? Anything from social media to community to growth.
So many!! Some of my favorites include Fly by Jing, Belgian Boys, Figlia, Talia di Napoli, Velty, Spicewell, Elixir Kombucha, Spiritless . . . I could go on!
What food/beverage trends do you think are here to stay?
Perishable products! More than ever, people are being very thoughtful about what they are eating. I believe it’s driving the movement of de-processing of food that’s been happening over the last dozen years or so. Consequently, unprocessed frozen and refrigerated options continue to grow.
What are your goals for 2024?
Growth! There are a lot of plans in the works for 2023 including a brand refresh, an update to more efficient packaging, a new sauce launch. Additionally, we’re getting more dedicated support for content to help grow our customer engagement and we have an in-store collaboration on the books for late spring–you’ll have to sign up for BIS emails to stay posted on that one!
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