In a match made in heaven, Northeastern third-year students Chloe Welch, a business administration and finance major, and Hanna Elzaridi, a business administration major with a minor in nutrition, have gone from freshman roommates to co-founders. The couple is launching SOAR Vending, a protein powder vending machine that will be installed in the Marino Recreation Center this semester.
Inspired by their love of fitness, Welch, whose concentrations are in finance and entrepreneurship, and Elzaridi, whose concentrations are in international business, health management and entrepreneurship, set out to improve the powder industry protein.
“At first we wanted to create another protein powder line,” Elzaridi said. “But then we thought, let's build something that can change the business model of the industry.”
As a result, the concept of the vending machine was born.
Working through it Sherman Center Venture Co-opWelch and Elzaridi are making final changes to the machine, which is currently housed in the maker space in Hayden Hall. The machine, which originally dispensed Jelly Belly Jelly Beans via containers, has since been modified to offer five different vegan and whey protein flavors. The two considered creating their own protein line for the machine as well, but ultimately decided against it.
“If you go to the protein powder vending machine and it's the first time you've seen this concept, it's pretty difficult just with the machine,” Elzaridi said.
Instead, SOAR Vending will dispense brands students may already recognize, including Optimum Nutrition and PEScience, to create a level of comfort and familiarity using the machine.
Although they have received some funding, SOAR Vending is primarily financially supported by its co-founders. Welch and Elzaridi bought the vending machine themselves from an Italian company.
The entrepreneurs received a prototype grant from Northeastern's student venture accelerator, IDEAand ranked second in Husky Startup Challenge. The couple has plans to enter the IDEA Go stage, the final stage of the accelerator in which SOAR Vending can win up to $10,000 in grants.
Despite studying outside the College of Engineering, the SOAR Vending team is mentored by Mark Sivak, associate professor of engineering, and Ted Johnson, director of the Sherman Center for Engineering Entrepreneurship Education.
When they needed help with the logistics of distributing the powder through the new machine, Welch and Elzaridi contacted Sivak early in the fall semester.
“On-demand protein powder, I think makes a lot of sense,” Sivak said. “It's an interesting use case for schools and universities and also for travel. They make it a lot easier for people to access protein powder and give them a variety of options.”
The majority of SOAR's product marketing has focused on the customer and accessibility.
“We shy away from the fact that protein powder is a daily staple for many people,” Elzaridi said. “Once they get used to it and like it, they become repeat customers.”
The free marketing strategy includes posting flyers around campus with QR codes to enter a free raffle and offering free starters to sports, sororities and fraternities on campus. SOAR plans to focus on the consumer by asking students to vote on alternating flavors and brands.
“One thing we learned early on in the Sherman Co-op process is how lonely it can be to be a founder,” Johnson said. “What's great about Hanna and Chloe is that they have a built-in support system as founders. It allows them to overcome challenges together.”
To combat this loneliness, Welch and Elzaridi collaborate on all aspects of the product, including marketing and design.
Once the final touches are completed on the machine, students can find SOAR Vending in Marino just outside Wollaston's Market. The pair plan to measure success by post-launch feedback rather than financials.
Marino is the first stop for SOAR Vending, but the start-up already has plans to buy a new high-tech touchscreen machine and expand beyond the Northeastern.
“We want to buy some more machines and expand to other universities in the Boston area,” Welch said. “We approached ten universities to test the waters and they were all really supportive. From there it would go to investments and trying to grow the company on a larger scale.”
Northeastern students can get their protein powder fix through SOAR Vending in Marino later this spring.
