Under The Radar is our monthly column where we highlight some of the coolest and most inspiring logo founders in the home and kitchen space.
It’s a familiar struggle for many shoppers: getting to the end of the line at the grocery store and knowing you’ve forgotten your reusable shopping bag. Even if you have a stack of them near your door, you end up buying one, adding Place it in your development pile when you get home and unload the food. This situation, born out of the ban on plastic bags aimed at reducing waste, caught the attention of the founders of Lotus Sustainables, Farzan and Jennifer Dehmoubed.
Initially supporters of California’s ban, which became law in 2016, Carlsbad citizens saw it as a positive step for the environment. “My wife and I were thrilled because we were so passionate about the environment,” says Farzan, who has avoided plastic bags even before the ban. “We were the ones who brought our vegetables home without a bag and drove around in the car. But when California implemented the ban, we temporarily found that it forced other people to use thicker bags, more unnecessary bags that we now have to pay for at the store. “
Seeing their friends and family frustrated by this cycle of buying and forgetting bags, they identified an opportunity to innovate. The husband-and-wife team set out to design a grocery bag formula that was not only more sustainable, but also more effective and shopper-friendly.
Farzan had recently sold her advertising agency and Jennifer, then a prominent school teacher, was also contemplating a career change. “We were looking to create something meaningful in combination and became obsessed with finding a true reusable solution,” Farzan recalls.
“After months of designing and experimenting with prototypes, we developed the Lotus Trolley bag. This is a set of 4 bags that stretch out on your cart like an accordion. Designed to fit comfortably in the cart thanks to our patented rod design, which allows consumers to pack, sort, and organize while shopping.
What makes this formula stand out is not only its eye-catching accordion design, but also its many thoughtful features. One compartment is insulated to keep frozen food fresh, while another includes suitable slots to protect sensitive parts such as egg cartons. . The bottoms are made of mildew-resistant mesh and all bags are devices for easy cleaning. With a combined capacity of 50 pounds, those bags can be used for individual use, extending their utility beyond the grocery store.
“When you buy a set of wheelie bags, you expect to use them every week and that they will last you for years. “
Sustainable Lotto
Farzan attributes the good fortune of his design to gathering feedback from real-world users. They didn’t just form groups; They went straight to the source. “I literally stood in front of our grocery store, pulled other people apart and said, ‘Hey, what do you think?’It worked because everyone sees something a little different. “
Better understanding their customers’ desires not only meant perfecting the wheeled bag, but also the Dehmoubed’s most important goal of reducing our plastic footprint.
“When you combine all those little innovations into a solid formula that makes people’s lives easier, that’s how we make an impact on sustainability. Everyone needs to be sustainable, but they also need to make it easy. The advantages have been to be customer-first, and that’s what this product delivers.
Amazon
After perfecting their design, the Dehmoubed planned to check the market before committing to a giant order. They bought a small lot, expecting it would take them at least six months to sell it. However, 3 days later the Lotus Trolley Bag – or LTB as they call it, launched on Amazon in 2017, went viral. “We ended up promoting all of our stock in thirteen days,” Farzan says.
Amazon
Lotus Sustainables now had a waiting list of consumers eager to get their hands on the sold-out bag. His next technique was clear: order more bags. However, in the rush to temporarily produce and ship some other batch, the manufacturer had obviously cut corners. “The quality just didn’t meet our expectations. Even though it was probably more than 80% of the bags available, it wasn’t something we were looking to combine as the last bag we needed. “
After investing all of their savings at this time, the couple learned a valuable lesson: “Nowadays, each and every time we order materials, each and every time we order products, they are subject to third-party audits. and testing to make sure they meet our quality standards. “
This commitment to quality extends to newer products, such as their recently introduced mesh bags and silicone bags. While Lotus Sustainables aims to become a one-stop-shop for consumers looking to eliminate single-use plastic, they also give back by donating 10%. of its benefits to sustainability-focused organizations.
“We built our business to make an impact, and as we achieve that, we need to give back,” says Farzan. “For us, it’s not just a product. It’s a way to drive change. “