November 22, 2024

Giada De Laurentiis — known for her nearly 20 years on Food Network as a celebrity chef, cookbook author, and restaurant owner— is ready to take another “leap” with her personal brand and e-commerce site Giadzy.
De Laurentiis said she’s on a mission to “bring real, good, authentic, organic ingredients from Italy to the United States” and provide a place for her fans to buy ingredients she often uses herself. However, the chef told Yahoo Finance that the decision to dive into Giadzy “took quite a while,” adding it was “a leap I wasn’t sure I wanted to take.”
Since launching the site in 2016, her team has grown from 3 to 7 people, and is ready to grow even more. In 2022, Giadzy raised $1.4 million dollars in funding led by Watertower Ventures and BAM Ventures. Currently, the platform features 200-plus products from 30-plus different purveyors in Italy, with a 200% growth rate compared to a year ago.
This fall, the company will have an have an official re-launch of the website with a new customer experience and showcase more than 150 new products in the shop, with more than 100 items to come for the holiday season.
“It’s been a fun adventure to learn all about the entrepreneur business, which is completely different way of thinking than what I’ve been doing for 20 years, so I’ve learned a lot and I’m hoping that it’s a long, fabulous journey,” De Laurentiis said.
She adds that having big names to back this dream certainly helps.
“It took … I’d say eight to nine months before we were ready to go to market and actually pitch this, and I’ve been lucky enough to be in business with two bigwigs in the VC [venture capital] world, especially in Los Angeles, Brian Lee from BAM and Derek Norton from Waterhouse.”
With celebrity chef status, Giada thinks people probably assume it’s easy to get funding, but said “I don’t think it is.”
She added, “The VC world has changed dramatically in the last year and so I think it’s become very difficult.” She said the same questions come up from potential investors: “Do you really have time to do this? Because you do so many things, and you’ve got a child and all the rest.”
According to Harvard Kennedy School, the 30-year average of all-female founders’ share of VC funding is 2.4 percent. De Laurentiis encourages other female founders to “stick to our guns” in times of adversity, adding that “there’s a wonderful community of female founders out there.”
She recommends networking with other female entrepreneurs. “I always say to people, if you’re looking to do this, really tap into that female founder community because they really will help you sort of navigate the business.”
Social media is also key for De Laurentiis. With a combined 5 million-plus followers, she says the platforms help to keep people interested in food.
“I started doing social media years ago when it first started and I remember people saying to me, like, ‘Why bother?'” Now she says it consumes her most days. “I really enjoy the medium of the way that TikTok and Instagram Reels and all of the quick bites— you know, I come from a world of longer form shows.”
Giada says the apps “make cooking and food and ingredients hip and cool, which means that everybody will want to know more about it and then we’ll become a healthier society as a whole.”
She thanks her daughter Jade for helping to launch her initial online presence.
“It is so much fun. I enjoy it. Thanks to my daughter, I got in it early, and it’s a great way for us to bond as well.”
Brooke DiPalma is a producer and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at

bd******@ya**********.com











.

Click here for the latest trending stock tickers of the Yahoo Finance platform
Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks
Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
Download the Yahoo Finance app for Apple or Android
Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, and YouTube
Giada De Laurentiis always knows how to add a bit of spice to some classic dishes. Whether it be dessert or a pasta dish, she knows how to make our mouths water almost instantly. This time, she’s making a classic Italian dish a bit more accessible. On Aug 19, De Laurentiis uploaded a cheesy, stomach-rumbling […]
Actress, author and 'Food Network' star Valerie Bertinelli shared a funny and relatable Instagram rant after a chaotic day of traveling.
Valerie Bertinelli and Kelly Clarkson got candid about childhood body image during “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Both shared the effects of media discussing their weight.
Selena Gomez and her younger sister Gracie were seen sharing a sweet moment while singing along to Olivia Rodrigo's "Driver's License" in a TikTok video shared Friday
Here's where players will start the Tour Championship and a breakdown of the money they'll earn at the finish.
It's the first win for Nelly Korda since returning from injury.
Ex-AG Bill Barr was accused of misleading the public and spinning special counsel’s findings in favour of then-president
Deion Sanders hired former Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Zimmer to be an analyst for Jackson State football.
This is the 15th fatal crash in Abilene in 2022 − for a total of 20 deaths.
And the tallest platform heels.
Singer Jessie James Decker looked stunning at Miami Fashion Week when she hit the runway in her own swimwear line for Kittenish by Jessie James Decker.
Critics have seen the first six of the ten episodes in the prequel series, and reviews are mixed for House of the Dragon
Being able to go to the bathroom, grab a snack, and do a quick "what else is on TV" check all during a commercial break is a skill that is lost on today's kids.View Entire Post ›
Jennifer Lopez saved her most breathtaking wedding dress for her big showstopper second wedding to Ben Affleck in Georgia. See the first look.
The market hasn't been kind to Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) since it was spun off from AT&T (NYSE: T) and merged with Discovery in April. Despite having a leading streaming service in HBO Max, access to some of WarnerMedia's top franchises, such as Harry Potter, and some top broadcast channels, it is also riddled with debt, owns the flagging CNN network, and has been unable to consistently capitalize on what ought to be some powerhouse brands from its DC Comics portfolio. As a result, Warner Bros. Discovery stock has lost 45% of its value since the spinoff — and that's just one reason investors ought to consider buying shares today.
Alternatives to expensive cable packages are doing more — and faster — damage than once thought possible.
Sleepwear, daywear — same thing.
Kate Middleton's dresses from designer Alessandra Rich always include this "naughty" detail.
Jennifer Lopez wore two dresses for her surprise nuptials to Ben Affleck in Las Vegas. See photos of both dresses here.
Lamborghini took the opportunity of being at Pebble Beach and Monterey Car Week to unveil a major update to its exclusive lineup of vehicles.

source

About Author