Vol 7: Heart, Seoul: Matching Your Idea to Opportunity
Edlin Choi, the owner of Heart & Seoul Food Co. tells us how he matched his passion with an opportunity to bring Korean bone broth to life.
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TL;DR
Everyone has a dream of working on their dream business. Edlin Choi is doing just that, sharing with us how to find a match between opportunity and passion. Spoiler alert, his NuMarket campaign is running throughout March.
Move out of Silicon Valley
Get experience in the world you feel strongly about
Find an opportunity within that world and act on it
From Tech to Farming: A Unique Path to Bone Broth Entrepreneurship
Edlin Choi’s journey is not your typical Bone Broth entrepreneur story. Growing up in suburban New Jersey and graduating from NYU with a degree in finance and marketing, Edlin ventured into the tech startup world in Silicon Valley. Skip ahead a handful of years and Edlin is working on a regenerative farm in rural Georgia, of course. His real passion for sustainable food systems led him to decisions that puzzled many but made perfect sense to Edlin. "I saw this as an opportunity to learn everything about sustainable farming firsthand," Edlin shares.
Skip ahead even more and Edlin is thinking about making Korean bone broth as a business. The question we asked Edlin is, “What came first when starting it up? The passionate dream, or a business opportunity? Let’s dig into the beginning of Heart & Seoul to try and answer.
Heart & Seoul: Born from Sustainability and Tradition
Nose to tail, Edlin’s farm experience in Georgia showed him how much opportunity there is for farms to use every part of the livestock they raise. As a Korean American, Edlin grew up eating the nutrient-dense parts of the animal often overlooked in American cuisine. Connecting these dots between sustainability and his cultural roots sparked the idea for Heart & Seoul Food Co.
Edlin realized there was a significant opportunity to create something valuable, nutritious and delicious from what was considered "inedible" by most of the US. "The specific idea and vision were born on the farm," Edlin explains, emphasizing the importance of using the whole animal and tapping into his Korean heritage to inspire the creation of nourishing, traditional broths that utilize these overlooked, yet incredibly nutritious parts of the animal harvest.
The Opportunity: Overcoming Industry Norms
One of the biggest hurdles for Edlin was the industry's standard practice of underutilizing animal parts. By connecting with local farmers, he discovered a widespread issue: many farmers chose not to take back certain animal parts from processors due to the cost and effort involved in selling them. Those same parts are the nutritious, delicious ones Edlin loved to cook with. This realization highlighted a gap in the market and an opportunity for Heart & Seoul to step in. Edlin leveraged this insight to create a business model focused on sustainability and efficiency, and he plans to work directly with processors to reduce costs and ensure a steady supply of quality ingredients.
Opportunity Found, Now Time to Build a Business
Validation came not just from identifying a supply-side opportunity but also from understanding the demand for such a product. Through pop-up events and farmers markets, Heart & Seoul began to resonate with people, confirming the appetite for traditional, nutritious foods that also address food waste and sustainability. "If it tastes good, I think people will buy it and our sustainable and climate-positive approach will reaffirm their decision," says Edlin, highlighting the importance of product quality and taste in building a successful brand.
So Which Comes First, Opportunity or Dream?
Both. Either. Neither. Edlin's journey with Heart & Seoul illustrates that it's not necessarily an either-or situation. What we know from Edlin’s story though is that a passion for sustainability and traditional wisdom around food can be the guiding light, driving an entrepreneur to explore and identify unique market opportunities. Acting upon an opportunity can provide a solid foundation for a business that aligns with a person’s passion and values. Entrepreneurs should consider how their personal interests and professional opportunities intersect, using both as complementary forces to build a meaningful and sustainable business.
Emerging from Broth to Soup
To those acting on following their business dreaming, Edlin offers a handful of valuable insights and resources:
Passion for your product and its impact on the community or environment can be a strong differentiator in the market.
For CPG focused businesses, get on StartupCPG immediately. It’s a community for entrepreneurs to share resources.
Build a network early on for professional advice. Learn to lean on mentors and peers for help, guidance, and moral support in what will definitely be an emotional rollercoaster.
How to Follow Along and Support Heart & Seoul
Go to heartandseoulfoodco.com, contribute to and learn more about the business on Heart & Seoul’s NuMarket campaign or follow along on their Insta account.
Need to try Edlin's bone broth, finally