entrepreneurship from the belly
14-Jun-2023
Healthy entrepreneurship is on the rise. That is why every Wednesday we let inspiring Belgian entrepreneurs talk about their healthy products. This week: Jeffrey Balrak of DZJING .
1. What is DZJING?
“DZJING is a company from Mol, feel free to call it a corona startup. We produce organic mixes of ginger, lime, cane sugar and spices. A base for mocktails, cocktails, teas and more. Our products can be found in the better specialty stores, organic stores and gift stores. Our hospitality clientele consists of businesses looking to add value to their menu. From coffee bars to culinary restaurants.”
2. Why/how did you start with the brand?
“As a six-year-old boy, I already loved the Surinamese ginger lemonade my aunt made every year. Very sweet, very spicy, with delicious aromas of lemon, almond and cloves. As a hobby cook, I developed my interest in cooking with pure ingredients and adventurous spices. In 2021, after a long career as an IT professional, I made the choice to do something concrete with this passion. As a basis, I used the family recipe. A mini-project as a side job in the kitchen became a life project in a few months: DZJING BV was founded. Since June 2021, I have been working full-time on this ginger adventure. With 250 professional customers in Flanders and beyond, we are in full growth.”
3. Why is it a “healthy” brand?
“All the ingredients in the DZJING mixes are 100% natural and organic. In addition, ginger is not only delicious but also super healthy. Recently, a German study once again highlighted the power of ginger as an immunity booster. Our DZJING mixes are perfectly mixable. They contain organic cane sugar which promotes storability and gives a nice flavor balance. If you dilute them correctly with fresh or warm water, you get delicious drinks with a sugar content of 3 to 5%. That’s a lot lower than common soft drinks.”
‘Beyond having a positive impact on your physical health, you will see in our communications that we draw people’s attention to the importance of enjoying the moment. This is a personal endeavor that I like to integrate with our story. We need to live more in the now, because that’s the only thing you can be sure of. If we can make people more aware of this and thus increase their mental resilience, we would consider that a beautiful accomplishment.
4. What were your highs and lows?
“Entrepreneurship is an intense adventure. Especially after 25 years in salaried employment. Starting from scratch, without sector experience, is not obvious. Creating a product, a brand and the marketing around it, finding customers, optimizing logistics, finding the right partners, dealing with growing competition,… It constantly creates issues and new challenges. Often things don’t turn out the way you would wish. On the other hand, fortunately you also have moments that confirm that you are on the right track.”
“I remember the moment when – having gathered some courage – I walked into the Pomphuis in Antwerp, in full service (worse timing couldn’t be), to introduce DZJING. Still, they took some time and tasted the products with enthusiasm. The day after, I immediately received an order. Two years later, they are still loyal customers. That moment gave me a boost and the confirmation I needed at that moment.”
‘What you can solve practically is not a low point for me. ‘Focus on what you can change. Sometimes things go wrong but you have to look forward. If I regret anything, it’s that my mother – who died far too early last year from dementia – was never really able to experience DZJING consciously. She would have been infinitely proud.’
5. Is there anything you would do differently now?
‘DZJING is experiencing nice growth, and that in a niche market with many players and an economically unfavorable situation. We continuously receive compliments on our product quality and branding, even though there is no professional marketing agency or flavor laboratory involved. Entrepreneurship is done from the gut. I am an atypical entrepreneur, surrounded by professionals and a growing network of experts to whom I often seek advice. I mirror that advice to the DZJING story, to see if it also rhymes with our philosophy. From there, we move forward and take steps toward greater success. We certainly could have forced more growth, but that’s not in my nature. Through organic growth, we do now have a solid foundation to take bigger steps toward professionalization.
6. What do you still want to accomplish?
“If I may dream, DZJING will become a reference of quality, honest and delicious ginger-based products, in Belgium, Europe and beyond. We are ambitious, and when we see what we have been able to achieve in two years with very limited resources, this is actually not a dream, but a healthy and realistic ambition. Meanwhile, we especially want to enjoy the experience.”
7. What other entrepreneur do you look up to?
“As a start-up, you meet a lot of other start-ups who are working with a lot of passion and trying to make their dreams come true. There is very much mutual respect. I look up to each of them. If I can name a more seasoned entrepreneur, it’s Katrien Delaet of Silva Cacao. In the world of chocolate – dominated by a handful of big players – she travels the world to taste, select and purchase the best cocoa beans directly from small farmers for renowned chocolate makers worldwide. Top quality, but with a heart for the world. Honest, with respect for nature and people.”
8. Did you have a plan B?
“Since the founding of DZJING in 2021, I have never looked back. There has never been a plan B.”
9. Do you have a golden tip for others who want to be entrepreneurial?
‘The most important tip I received – which was very valuable – is that you have to know your story and put it into your business as DNA. What are your core values in life? Why did you embark on this adventure? If you can write down an authentic story, it makes making the right decisions and building your brand so much easier. Furthermore, you have to persevere, because nothing comes naturally. Everything can go wrong, but it will come right again. Set goals, but most of all enjoy the road to your destination.
