In just two years, Lauren Chapman created and launched h.alt, Australia’s first barista crafted hemp milk.
H.alt, Lauren believes, “is the best-tasting plant milk on the market and is a great alternative for anyone looking to move away from dairy but not willing to sacrifice on taste and texture in their morning coffee.”
While the plant milk market is growing massively, hemp milk is a relative newcomer - but Lauren hasn never been deterred by the challenge of educating consumers and baristas about the benefits of her product.
As a new business, we speak to Lauren about why tech is paramount to any business wanting to scale, and why her experience partnering with Ordermentum has been so positive.
What are the main challenges you’ve had with growing your business?
One of our biggest challenges we come up against is relevance to coffee shops and retailers. Their question is always why do we need to add another plant milk to shelves that are already packed with varieties of almond, oat and soy.
However, the consistent feedback that we get from baristas - as well as their customers - is that our milk is very similar in taste and texture to dairy. Our hemp milk is creamy with a subtle sweetness, isn’t overpowering in taste, and is sustainable. This is why I believe h.alt will be the number one choice in plant milks in cafes and retailers across Australian years to come.
How have you found business has changed due to the implementation of tech?
Over the last few years technology has made it easier than ever to connect with people virtually, whether that be with your co-workers or with your customers & suppliers.
As a start-up tech has made it so easy to reach and connect with more people and partners across Australia. This means you can grow a business and brand interstate even without being able to travel due to COVID.
What makes running your business easier?
As a Founder, I wear a lot of different hats in the organisation. That’s why it’s so important to use tech platforms that have easy, intuitive navigation. It’s a small thing but it makes such a difference.
I’d love to see more platforms offer free training and customer support to help their customers get the best out of the platform. This has been one thing I love most about using Ordermentum: the customer experience.
I love being able to call, video chat or email someone at Ordermentum with a question and they are always so quick to answer and always go an extra mile! This is such a refreshing experience, and I really feel my business has been set up for success.
What were the main problems/challenges you were looking to solve by using Ordermentum?
I was looking for a platform that could connect me with new customers as well as serve my current customers.
Another problem we were trying to solve was to streamline the ordering service for our h.alt delivery van. We also wanted to stop the ordering and payment system being manual.
How has Ordermentum helped you solve them?
In terms of new customers, the Growth Engine feature has been a great tool that’s allowed us to connect us with new customers in new areas.
Ordermentum helped us streamline the ordering service for our delivery van by letting our customers connect with us via a QR code and set up an account quickly and without a fuss.
Customers order via the app, and payment is taken automatically when the stock is delivered.
This was great for us as a small business as we no longer have to follow up invoices and customers don’t have to worry about paying on time as they are busy and have more important things to worry about.
What is your favourite feature of Ordermentum?
I love having quick access to customer information and being able to place an order on a customer’s behalf if they’ve forgotten to place one.
Are there any Ordermentum features/benefits you’ve been pleasantly surprised by?
It’s really convenient to have easy access to customer details. It means I can reach out to customers if I need to touch base or check in.
What feedback do you get from your customers using Ordermentum?
Overall feedback on Ordermentum from all our customers has been great. They find it very easy to use and they universally like that they can connect to multiple suppliers through the one platform, making ordering easy, quick and stress free.
And it just makes our lives so much easier when you meet a potential customer and they say “I know your juices and I love them.” And you say “well, we're on Ordermentum.” And then you literally receive an order about 15, 20 minutes later and you're doing business with someone. It’s basically instant.
How is Ordermentum helping you to reach your business goals?
Ordermentum has helped us reach our business goals by connecting us with new and existing customers by offering a system that is easy to use for business and consumers alike.
What would you say to anyone considering using Ordermentum?
I strongly recommend jumping on Ordermentum. It really will make your life easier and streamline the ordering process for your customers.
Main Wins
New customers with Growth Engine "The Growth Engine feature has been a great tool that’s allowed us to connect us with new customers in different areas."
Easy customer onboarding "Our customers connect with us via a QR code and set up an account quickly. It’s no fuss."
No more chasing payments "We no longer have to follow up invoices and customers don’t have to worry about paying on time."
Be like h.alt and streamline your business operations. It's so easy to book a demo and let us take you through how we can transform your business.
