Tune into the podcast episode above or on Spotify or Apple
00:00–4:35: Show, episode, and guest intro
3:30–7:30: Han and Jenny’s family roots in health
6:39–8:08: Jenny’s entrepreneurial drive
8:09–10:39: OHME!’s origin story
10:49–11:53: How OHME! innovated its yogurt crunch line
11:54–14:06: How OHME! grew from pop-ups to retail
14:07–17:12: How OHME! prepared for retail
17:13–19:13: Why OHME! has taken off
19:14–22:31: Taking risks and overcoming the challenges
22:32–24:29: Finding the right partners to work with
24:30–26:49: What’s been pivotal to OHME!’s growth
26:40–27:49: Jenny and Han quitting their 9-to-5s
27:50–30:35: Reflections on entrepreneurship
30:36–32:00: Advice for other early stage founders
For Jenny and Han Yue, their journey in building one of North America’s fastest-growing freeze-dried snacks began when a break-in turned into an opportunity.
During the pandemic lockdown, the Yues were navigating the stress of working from home late into the night while adjusting to life as first-time parents. Like many, they turned to their pantry to cope—that is, until they noticed the scale tipping.
Health wasn’t just a practice to them; “it flows in our genes,” the Yues say as both come from families who practiced Western and Chinese medicine.
Wanting to set a better example for their son, the couple—who were then project managers building digital health systems—applied the same approach they used at work to their personal lives: starting with small steps.
The Yues swapped their usual breakfast for oatmeal but, over time, found it hard to sustain.
They tried switching it up with toppings, though the options were either overly sweet, stripped of the benefits, or simply didn’t satisfy their cravings.
So, they began freeze-drying their own fruit. Compared to dehydrating, it retains 95% of nutrients instead of 60%, offers a light, crunchy texture rather than chewy or leathery, and keeps the color and freshness closest to the original.
Making it themselves also allowed them to enjoy more variety since products in stores were typically limited to imported blueberries.
The Yues started with strawberries, then experimented with other fruits like bananas and even durian.
It was a hit with their biggest food critic—their son—and with their family and friends too.
So, when a friend suggested putting their products on the market, they decided to test demand in an unlikely location: an e-scooter store called Urban Machina.
At the time, the owners invited the public to use their space as a pop-up for free while it underwent repairs after thieves crashed their vehicle through the window.
Many shoppers had never heard of freeze-drying, yet they kept coming back to the stall for more.
Then, popular cafés The Federal Store and Mah Milk Bar DMed the Yues on Instagram to carry their products.
They never planned to be in retail. They thought sharing their freeze-dried fruits would just be a fun weekend activity.
Still, they decided to give it a try. It was a small part of their day that made a difference in improving their health and they hoped that it could do the same for others.
The brand is now known as OHME! Foods.
Founded in 2023, the company’s freeze-dried snacks use fruits and yogurts from farms across B.C. They’re also made in small batches to ensure every bag “tastes fresh and real.” No added sugar, artificial colors, or preservatives.
Along with offering a variety of fruits like dragon fruit and mango, the company has expanded by innovating a yogurt coated version—which won a Good Housekeeping Best Snack Award.
OHME! has now grown to more than 450 stores across North America in cafés, boutiques, grocers, and even chains like London Drugs, Healthy Planet, and Urban Outiftters. And running OHME! is now the Yues’ full-time job, as both quit their 9-to-5 this month to meet the growing demand.
This is the story of a family who started with a stall, then drove around Vancouver to 10 stores and were rejected by all of them, to getting approached by their dream retailers and growing revenue by over 300% year over year.
Learning on the go
At every step of the way, the Yues had to rely on themselves to learn how to start a venture.
Neither had the “traditional qualifications,” says Jenny. No academic background in business, industry connections, or even friends with their own companies. They also didn’t look to any outside of funding, bootstrapping it with just a few thousand dollars.
When asked how they first got started, the Yues shared that beyond tuning into podcasts and searching on Google, they took every opportunity to ask around about what they should know and for recommendations.
In the case of packaging, the couple consulted the owners of the commissary kitchen they were in who introduced them to an expert in compliance with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency—a government department that enforces food safety and labeling regulations. The Yues also made frequent trips to one store after another to compare what information popular snacks were emphasizing and what they should consider.
What was also key to creating early traction was pivoting fast.
In the first two weeks after launching, the Yues used clear acrylic boxes to package their freeze-dried fruits. But a friend pointed out that the fruits would get “mushy” after about an hour.
Realizing it was because the boxes weren’t airtight, they switched to pouches instead, ensuring the products could last between two to three years.
A few months later, the couple found themselves facing another challenge that wasn’t as simple as swapping materials.
Many shoppers thought the brand was offering oat products since the original name was OATME—an ode to all the oatmeal bowls they ate that inspired them.
So, the Yues decided to change the name to OHME!, a reminder to customers to focus on themselves.
“It was scary,” says Jenny, as they were still trying to establish themselves on the market.
They chose to take the risk anyway after considering that as they grew, it would become more difficult to educate customers like they were able to at pop-ups.
Ahead of the rebrand, the Yues informed their community of the change through email, social media, and events.
The response following the rollout was extremely positive and not just from customers.
OHME! started getting more opportunities to collaborate with brands, like superfood beverage company Blume, and offers to expand further into retail, catching the attention of Urban Outfitters.
The couple shared that the company’s reported revenue has “grown by over 300% year over year.”
On lessons learned from the experience, Jenny reflects, “Your brand will evolve as you evolve, even just a few months in. Don’t resist the change.” And that “momentum can be rebuilt when you’re rooted in purpose.”
Driven by passion, perseverance, and community
Like with any startup expanding, not every day felt like a win.
Jenny recalls there was a time when she drove around the city, visited 10 stores asking if they’d be interested in carrying OHME!, and was rejected by each of them.
The Yues didn’t give up and found more pop-up markets to set up at. Although nervous as some cost a few hundred, the couple continued as they found themselves building a community with their customers.
Overtime, OHME! spread through word of mouth.
To keep up with demand, the couple moved production into a facility. But meeting that momentum soon came with difficulty.
Costs had risen to the point that it was putting the company at a loss.
Fortunately, OHME! found a new manufacturer that kept operations running smoothly. No more bottlenecks, just “great quality products consistently rolling out,” shares Jenny.
They Yues now treat partnerships like signing a marriage prenup.
Otherwise, Han says, it’ll be harder to have the necessary tough conversations if and when issues arise. He adds that setting clear standards, boundaries, and guiding principles is just as important to ensure who you work with uphold your values.
Jenny emphasizes carefully reading the “fine print” in contracts to avoid surprises, like sudden increases. And to not be afraid to ask as many questions as needed, even about the worst-case scenarios. “Once you get all the ugly things over with, you’ll be able to find a partner you can work together with long-term.”
Looking back on what’s been pivotal to OHME!’s growth, the Yues highlight listening to their customers feedback and suggestions.
It didn’t just help them narrow down which offerings to focus on, but also taught them how versatile they can be. Regulars often shared the different ways that they used the products beyond toppings or on-the-go snacks—inspiring others to enjoy them in more ways, like baked goods, craft drinks, charcuterie platters, or with their pets.
Along with valuing feedback from their fans, the Yues remain intentional about which opportunities to pursue, rather than holding onto the notion that they need to say yes to every one to scale.
“There’s never a cookie-cutter approach, especially when it comes to CPG,” says Han. “It’s nice to hear perspectives from other people, but also, you know your company best [...] what works, what doesn’t, and your gut feeling [...] Lots of opportunities may arise, but you have to know which one is good and which may not be at that time.”
On advice for aspiring founders looking to pursue their own brand, Jenny encourages them not to hold back on whatever idea they believe could work.
“I’ve had many other side gigs and businesses. They all failed, and it’s okay because you learn from the journey. There are always key takeaways from everything that you do. So don’t be afraid to just go for it, and maybe one day it will become the next thing.”
