Built with Heart: The Story Behind Ramona’s Houmous and the Love That Powers It

Ever wondered what goes into growing a food brand from a tiny home kitchen to supermarket shelves across the nation?  Ramona Hazan tells all—chickpeas in the living room, rolling suitcases packed with houmous through Soho, and years of “no’s” from major retailers.  We discuss her unique approach to new product development (hint: feed your friends, watch what disappears first), her experience transitioning from the stability of wholesale to the daunting world of retail, and why perseverance trumps any “overnight success” narrative. Amy and Lucy reminisce about their days developing dips and marvel at just how tough it is for brands to break into own-label-heavy categories.  Ramona discusses her rebrand from Me Too Foods to Ramona’s, the accidental timing with the #metoo movement, and the genius move of putting herself—and her story—front and center on every pot. This episode also shares some hard truths about starting a food business: the need for financial grit, a healthy disrespect for instant gratification, and constant, sometimes crazy, belief in what you’re doing. We also discuss launching new products (think tzatziki, kalamata olive houmous, and even tikka masala options) and why product quality and loyalty matter most. We get straight into gender, self-belief, and leading with authenticity—why women need to stop waiting for permission and instead “just get the job done.” Ramona’s take on handling setbacks, balancing family and work, and empowering the next generation is refreshing and motivating.  Expect honest advice, warmth, and plenty of those moments that make you feel, “Oh, for food’s sake—I’m not alone in this.” Timestamps 0:01:55 Ramona’s Backstory: From Engineer to Food Entrepreneur   00:03:31 Early Days: Making houmous at Home, First Sales   00:04:39 Growth Steps: Moving to Small Units, Expanding Production 00:07:10 Brand Evolution: Me Too Foods to Ramona’s Rebrand00:08:37 Breaking into Retail 00:11:14 The Challenges of Building a Brand & Customer Loyalty 00:13:19 Personal Resilience: How to Keep Going Despite Setbacks 00:16:35 Factory Culture: Quality, Teamwork, and “Love” in Production 00:20:17 New Product Launches: Ramona’s Latest Dips 00:23:04 The Lows: Product Flops and Facing Failure 00:25:28 Profitability and Practical Advice for Food Startups 00:27:24 Women in Food: Mindset, Leadership, and Self-Belief 00:32:13 Balancing Work, Parenting, and Business Realities 00:37:18 Where to buy Ramona’s products and how customers can connect directly. 00:38:37 Wrap Up and Outro Links and Resources: Website Link: https://ohforfoodssake.co.uk/ FB Link: https://www.facebook.com/ohforfoodsake LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oh-for-food-s-sake/ You can follow us here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oh_forfoodssake/ For industry consulting from Lucy, connect with her on Instagram or LinkedIn. Find her on Instagram or LinkedIn for further support with industry coaching and facilitation from Amy. Oh For Food's Sake is sponsored by Microsearch Laboratories https://micro-search.co.uk/ and Point 74 https://www.point74.co.uk/ See you next time!