OUR FOUNDER OF THE WEEK- Every Tuesday, Founder of the Week looks at how a successful member of Egypt’s startup community got their big break, asks about their experiences running a business, and gets their advice for budding entrepreneurs. Speaking to us this week is Youssef Elgarhy (LinkedIn), co-founder and CEO of Gusto Foods Egypt.

My name is Youssef Elgarhy, and I’m the co-founder and CEO of Gusto, a local luxury ingredients supplier. The idea for Gusto came into being when we noticed that most of the ingredients we use in our kitchens were imported. As inflation climbed and hard currency became more scarce, many of the products we used became either more expensive or unavailable altogether. So we decided to do something about it — and launched Gusto to replace imported ingredients with high-quality and locally sourced alternatives.

I began my career in an entirely different field, but I brought the skills I learned into how I do business now. I studied Computer Science at MSA University, which helped me analyze everything down to its smallest detail, and fostered an interest in understanding how things work and how they’re used.

Once I graduated, I applied to Orange Business Services as a call center agent, where I was introduced to customer service excellence. My problem-solving skills led to my promotion to problem expert and to team leader shortly thereafter. To this day, customer experience remains my first priority within all the businesses I operate.

We decided to introduce ourselves to the market with truffles. While exploring the industry, we discovered a high demand for truffles and noticed a lack of significant efforts to source the ingredients locally. That’s where we jumped in.

What makes us stand out is that we want our ingredients to compete with imported products — not just on the shelf — but in quality as well. We constantly monitor market demand and that can be sustainable for our business. However, what we take immense pride in are our after-sales services and the enduring partnerships we’ve cultivated for the long term.

We knew we were successful once we received our first re-order from a major restaurant chain. We didn’t doubt that we had a great product, but it was great to receive confirmation that it was working well in a professional kitchen.

Our goals are set based on the client feedback we get as well as market trends. For our short-term objectives, we’re focused on launching a few more exotic products. Our long-term target is to see our items on the shelves of more food service outlets, with the ultimate aim of expanding into new markets in the region.

We’re trying not to let the current economic climate affect our timeline, but it’s a very challenging period to be doing business in. Getting raw materials is becoming harder, and daily fluctuations cause prices to skyrocket. Despite the constant challenges pushing our limits ,our core values remain the same. We are dedicated to maintaining strong relationships with our suppliers and our clients, and to taking care of our team during these difficult times.

What we want to change isn’t limited to our industry — we believe that distrust in Egyptian products is a mindset that needs to change. This belief is understandable, given that many consumers have lost faith due to many suppliers and business owners consistently cutting corners to save money and as a result supply inferior products. This is one of the reasons we are seeing resistance from chefs who are used to working with imported ingredients.

With the challenges we face importing goods, local businesses have the chance to improve their products and change this misconception. We can already see numerous local products that are on par with imported ones — if not better — and most business owners are turning their focus to quality, not just bottom line. Little by little, we will be able to earn the customers’ trust back.

Another thing we’d like to see is formal culinary education. We have a huge gap when it comes to culinary schools, which makes it very difficult to foster professional development and high-level caliber in the kitchen.

Sometimes you have to teach yourself to develop your skills, which is what I’m doing at the moment. I’m reading a book about barbecuing, which is the newest passion I’ve developed, and one that I’ve also turned into a profession. I’ve channeled this interest into Smokesmen, a BBQ experience. It’s always been a dream of mine to own a restaurant, so I’m slowly turning this new hobby into a full-time job.

I believe that if I wasn’t the brain behind Gusto, I would be the brain behind something else. I enjoy exploring new things and am always on the lookout for my next passion. I’ve made a bit of a habit of turning my passions into businesses.

That’s why if I could tell my younger self one thing about setting up a business, it would be not to be afraid to take risks, and not to drag your feet. The right circumstances will only come along when you pursue them.

If I could extend advice to new entrepreneurs as well, I would tell them that a passionate co-founder and partner is better than a skilled one. You can develop skills, or hire skilled team members, but you can’t buy enthusiasm. Take care of the people who help you build your business — investing in your team is the only way to grow. Also, welcome change — don’t get stuck in your comfort zone. Instead, take calculated risks and wait for the rewards. It takes time, but if you have a plan and know your client will, it’ll pay off.

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