Could you please tell us something about yourself?
My name is Holger Böckner and I am the founder of FoodEmbassy. I studied economics and cultural management and then worked for 12 years in marketing and PR for the film industry. In early 2016, I left the world of red carpets behind in favour of my passion for food. First as a restaurateur, I brought the Canadian street food icon "Poutine" in its authentic form to Germany. In 2020, I initiated the "Taste of Canada" campaign together with the Canadian Trade Commission and in 2021, I founded the agency FoodEmbassy to professionally expand my culinary diplomacy projects. I am also part of the Government of Canada's Global Mentor Programme, which supports food and beverage companies entering foreign markets. In addition to Canada, I now work for companies from other countries, such as Finland and the UK.
How and why did you start your company and how did you get the idea?
The company was then founded and registered in 2021. The idea came to me in 2019 during a visit to a trade fair in Toronto, Canada. It was obvious that food companies needed local support when entering foreign markets. There was no such service in the form we offer today.
Your industry is more important than ever. What are the typical problems you are currently facing?
The industry is important, but it faces many new challenges. In particular, speciality foods are not the first choice for many people in times of recession and inflation as the focus is on saving money. Our customers are also reviewing their export budgets and spending on expansion.
What challenges do small businesses in Germany face when looking for funding?
The time factor makes a lot of things difficult. Obtaining finance is often complex and involves a lot of red tape. As a result, opportunities are missed because companies cannot react quickly enough. This is where solutions like Puls come in.
What are one or two of your company's current goals that you would like to achieve in the near future? What are your personal dreams as an entrepreneur?
We increased our turnover by over 100% last year. We would like to repeat this result this year. We are also building structures in a European context and believe that we can realise even more exciting projects in cooperation with partners from other EU countries.
Personally, I would like to have more time to travel. Getting away from the daily grind creates space for new ideas. I would also like to spend more time with friends and family.
