Forward Fooding were delighted to be invited to visit CRU8’s Deli, a veritable treasure nestled in the heart of Chelsea’s infamous Farmer’s Market, and home to all things delicious and raw. We spoke to CRU8’s CEO and Founder, Alexi von Eldik, to hear her story and her experience with Paleo, KETO, and raw foods.

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Thank you for talking to us! So where did you passion for creating these superfoods stem from?

I think like with a lot of food journey stories, I got into the eating better at a kind of cross-roads in my life. In 2011, I was pre-diabetic, depressed, and above all, very unhappy. I was living in London studying psychology, so I had a genuine interest in people and learning, but there was something just not quite right, and I needed a change. A raw-vegan friend of mine at the time, back when raw veganism was perceived as even more extreme than now, suggested that I read some books and learn about the why and how of it. It was incredible. I was just utterly inspired, and I changed my whole diet to be gluten-free, dairy-free, refined-sugar free; I added lots of greens, lots of raw foods, and I found it fascinating. I was losing weight, feeling better, and didn’t have any of the symptoms I’d had before. I was like, ‘why do people not know about this? Food affects everything!’ I had this almost vocational feeling that I needed to tell people, to shout it from the rooftops!

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How did that passion manifest itself into CRU8?

I come from an entrepreneurial background — both of my parents are entrepreneurs, and my family are very entrepreneurial, with most of them working for themselves. I had the idea to launch a detox delivery business, which stemmed from my desire to go out and get these amazing foods to more people and help them they way they’d helped me. At the time I was working in London, so I made food after I got home from work, and I’d deliver it in the mornings. Slightly crazy, but it worked, so I decided to quit my job. The business kept growing, but it was still only through referral, which is something I’m really proud of.

The effect the food had on my clients was amazing — they were telling me that after 5 days they felt great, and that they were total converts, and it really was the wind in my sails to keep at it. I was also doing an MsC at the time; I needed to write my thesis, and so I decided to do it on how food affects productivity. I put lots of my detox clients into my sample, and they gave me that scientific backing which proved what I’d thought all along — these foods were genuinely, authentically, and wonderfully good for you!

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How has the food market changed since CRU8 started?

Raw food, when I started, was niche and wacky. It was hard to find products to eat easily; as a working mum, I know what it’s like to want to come home and have dinner ready without the fuss, but when I changed my diet it became harder. Investing the time in experimenting recipes and meals on myself is what’s allowed me to make food I know I’d eat and enjoy eating, and so I think that’s what got me ahead of the game at the beginning. As we’ve grown, there’s been a parallel surge in public interest in Paleo, Keto, and raw diets; they’re all household names now. Like everything, public food interests go through peaks and troughs, but with that comes the assurance what we put out will always gain traction again.

So what product are you most proud of at the moment?

Our paleo breads — they’re the perfect Keto breads, as they’re low in carbs, low in sugar, and genuinely sustain you all morning if you have them for breakfast. They’re easy, they’re good for you, but most importantly, they taste incredible. Get some here!

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Talking to CRU8, it’s incredible to see how much Alexi’s vision stems from her wholesome and humble desire simply to help people; the honesty behind her company translates itself perfectly into the honesty of her products. They’re just truly, truly good for you. This is just a snapshot of our chat with Alexi, read the article on how she balances motherhood with work here!

The story of how CRU8 came to embody the morals and principles which we stand for here at Forward Fooding — helping people to feel good, eat healthily, and live sustainably is a common theme amongst our community of start-ups. If you’d like to join that community, and see what connections Forward Fooding could offer your start-up, feel free to get in touch with us at info@forwardfooding.com! You can also add your company to our FMCG trends section on our platform to get free visibility within our corporate and investors’ network here.

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This article has been written by Mathilde Redshaw