The Story behind the Company

This week we started to research Ambro a bit more. We wanted to carry out a thorough internal analysis to help us identify the best way to position and market the company internationally. In order to carry out the analysis, we interviewed one of Ambro’s founders, Tapio Melgin. First, he told us about background of the company.

The Ambro Group

Ambro Group’s story began last spring when the founders took part in the Restaurant Day and realized the existing need. Today, there are multiple dietary supplements and food substitutes in the world, and more and more people want to eat well and use good sources of nutrition. However, the founders of Ambro started to wonder whether it was possible to make such a complete food substitute that contains only ingredients of very good nutritional value, has no additives or artificial flavours, is organic, and meets the nutritional recommendations.

The five founders, Arno Paula, Miika Perä, Mikko Ikola, Simo Suoheimo and Tapio Melgin, all interested in healthy eating, decided to try this out. They began developing a recipe, familiarized themselves with a Finnish importer of organic products, and started testing. Their aim was to make healthy eating as easy as possible – and that’s why they are “simplifying organic food”.

 “Everyone wants to eat healthy, but not everyone has the time and energy to do so in their busy lives. That’s why we created Ambro.” (Ambro’s pitch at the Slush startup fair on 13th November 2013)

The testing phase has been going on since summer, and multiple customers have taken part in this. Finally, the company was officially registered in October 2013. The official launch of the product will take place next year. Meanwhile, the group has taken part in the Startup Sauna program (the startup accelerator, 16 out of approximately 200 applicants were chosen). At the Startup Sauna, the chosen startups meet investors and other entrepreneurs, as well as people who are happy to help them in e.g. meeting important business people.

All of the founders have business background or otherwise good understanding of business, and therefore the members have decided not yet to define clear business roles; everyone is taking care of everything to some degree. In the product development phase, the group has also used external consultants such as food technologists, doctors and nutritional scientists.

Ambro Group's long-term goals are set high: they want to go international right away and want to reach the huge niche market of USA. 

Ambro Group's vision is to become the #1 premium nutrition solution provider.