# Founder Feature: Philip Teverow of Yolélé

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-02-28
- Length: 30m
- Episode: 127
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-02-28-founder-feature-philip-teverow-of-yolele
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/8e48d19d

## Summary

Philip Teverow, co-founder of Yolélé, and his business partner Chef Pierre Thiam discuss bringing Fonio, an ancient West African grain, to the U.S. market. Teverow explains how they secured Whole Foods as their first major retailer and subsequently expanded into pilaf mixes and Fonio chips to leverage retail display. He details the complex supply chain challenges, including building industrial processing capacity in Mali and Senegal with support from the World Bank and Gates Foundation, to serve both their CPG brand and B2B ingredient clients like Brooklyn Brewery and Guinness.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Philip Teverow and the Origins of Yolélé
2. Product Strategy: From Whole Foods to Pilaf Mixes and Chips
3. Supply Chain: Building Industrial Processing in West Africa
4. Unexpected Applications: Fonio Beer and Food Service Expansion
5. Distribution Challenges: Display, Retail, and the Chicken-and-Egg Problem
6. Co-Founder Dynamics and Advice for CPG Entrepreneurs

## Topics

- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Yolélé (company)
- Fonio (product)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Brooklyn Brewery (company)
- Guinness (company)
- Carlsberg (company)
- World Bank (company)
- Gates Foundation (company)
- USAID (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [A climate-resilient ancient grain with Pierre Thiam of Yolélé (2022)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-09-21-a-climate-resilient-ancient-grain-with-pierre-thiam-of-yolele-2022) (How I Built This)
- [HIBT Lab! Yolélé: Pierre Thiam](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-08-25-hibt-lab-yolele-pierre-thiam) (How I Built This)
- [What It Really Takes To Build a Food Business: Part 1](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-18-what-it-really-takes-to-build-a-food-business-part-1) (How I Built This)
- [Guayakí Yerba Mate: David Karr and Chris Mann](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-11-28-guayaki-yerba-mate-david-karr-and-chris-mann) (How I Built This)
- [Pipcorn: Jennifer and Jeff Martin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-26-pipcorn-jennifer-and-jeff-martin) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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