The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our world upside down, with small businesses being hit especially hard. This is a pivotal time for SMBs, and the way they respond to the pressure will determine how their business runs for years to come. Many companies are taking this difficult situation and turning it into an opportunity. In our Positive Pivots series, we’re diving deeper into what these innovative businesses have done, and what lies beneath the surface to produce this kind of creativity and resilience.

This week we spoke with VanTrang Manges, Founder of Green Mustache, to discuss how she diversified her customer base during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is Green Mustache and how did you get started?

Green Mustache is a Brooklyn-based, woman- and minority-owned business focused on creating better for you, plant-based foods. I started the company in 2014 after having worked in finance for many years — but I always knew I wanted to do something on my own. Green Mustache was inspired by my older daughter who was a very picky eater and, in particular, would not eat any greens. As a mom, I was determined to find a solution to ensure that she would get in her greens, which are full of vitamins and nutrients.

This resulted in the launch of our first product, an organic green smoothie. Beyond beverages, I knew I wanted to create a company that would serve as a platform for other “better for you foods,” to address changing consumer tastes. People are looking for healthier alternatives! A few years later, we launched Mustache Munchies, which are Goldfish-inspired crackers that are organic, vegan, and gluten-free — a perfect snack for kids and adults alike.

How did COVID-19 affect your operations?

Similar to most businesses, we experienced numerous challenges due to the pandemic. Most significantly, a large part of our customer base, pre-COVID-19, was in the foodservice channel, for example, vending machines in schools, airport markets, and corporate cafeterias and pantries. With many people working from home, quarantining, and socially distancing, that part of our sales significantly slowed down.

How did you respond to changes due to COVID-19 at your company?

When the foodservice side of sales shut down, we quickly tried to diversify our customer base. We leaned into retail and ecommerce, both of which were seeing growth as a result of COVID-19. We’re gaining more retail accounts and online vendors, and are continuing to work with some of our foodservice accounts who have also pivoted and found new ways to meet the needs of their customer base. Although we saw a dip in sales initially, things are beginning to pick back up.

What is your best general advice for other businesses out there during this time?

Stay focused, flexible, and positive — while these are challenging times, being an entrepreneur is about addressing problems and looking for opportunities. Think about how your customers’ actions or purchasing behaviors are changing to see if there are ways you can pivot to meet their needs. As things return to “normal,” you may find that the ways you’ve had to adapt your business during COVID-19 will remain relevant and even become permanent changes to your business model and strategy.