Your name:  Barron Lau

Year the company was started:  2022

Where are the products made: Otelia products are made in partnership with suppliers in various locations, while the company is headquartered in Shanghai, China. 

What is the ‘key ingredient’ that makes your product line special? USDA Organic Walnuts

What motivated you to start your company and create the products that we see today? 

Otelia was founded with the goal of creating nutritious, high-quality foods like walnuts, walnut oil and high-protein pasta, aimed at elevating both taste and health in everyday meals. My passion for healthy living drives me to bring top-quality products to market that are affordable and accessible.

What are your company’s core values?

• Accessibility: We make healthy eating convenient and accessible for all, ensuring everyone, everywhere, can enjoy nutritious foods without barriers.
• Sustainability: Committed to protecting our planet, from sustainable sourcing to responsible production, ensuring a healthier future for all.
• Community: Bringing people together through food, promoting healthier lifestyles, and building a connected community around nutritious choices.
• Quality: Crafted to the highest standards, using pure ingredients that ensure our products are always nutritious, organic, and delicious.
• Trust: Trusted by families, with high standards and certifications like USDA Organic, ensuring safety and quality that you can rely on.
• Integrity: We operate with transparency, honesty, and a commitment to doing what is right for our customers, partners, and the environment.

If you could tell a retailer three things about what makes your brand different, what would they be?   

1. The high smoke point of Otelia’s Walnut Oil (220°C), is achieved through a proprietary 5-stage filtration process that ensures purity. Perfect for any type of cooking, from stir-fries and frying to salads.
2. The versatility of our organic walnut oil's neutral taste works with any type of cuisine or dish.
3. The highest omega-3 content of any cooking oil, 16X the omega-3 of olive oil.

What are some challenges you've had to overcome to bring your business to its current state?

We faced the challenges of scaling production while maintaining quality, navigating market expansion into North America, and balancing sustainability with competitive pricing. Additionally, COVID was a big challenge but also a blessing, as it highlighted the importance of health and the need for affordable premium choices amidst economic downturns. The economic downturn pushed us to focus on offering high-quality products at accessible price points, ensuring that nutritious foods remained within reach for everyone, even during challenging times.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I am a health, fitness, and nutrition enthusiast as well as a passionate home cook and family man. I love experimenting with different cuisines and finding ways to hack my health, like creating nutrient-packed versions of classic dishes such as cauliflower fried rice or using fermented foods to boost gut health.