Innovative Approach to Digitizing Food Distribution | Blanca Espinosa Escorza from Alima

Ernesto Quezada: Welcome to today’s episode. Let’s talk about today’s guest. We have Blanca, co-founder and CMO at Alima. How are you doing today, Blanca?

Blanca Espinosa: Hi, Ernesto. I’m good. Thank you. How are you?

Ernesto: I’m doing great. We’re talking a little bit about what Alima was, and I’m excited. You’re changing something old into something new. Tell me a little bit more about Alima so our listeners can get a good understanding.

Blanca: Sure. Alima is a solution for suppliers and distributors of food service. Basically, we digitize their businesses. Historically, these types of companies don’t rely on technology to scale and grow. In the previous business model we built at Alima, we grew quickly as a supplier by building the company with technology at its core. That’s the tech we’re now commercializing and selling through a membership model as a solution to new customers—suppliers and distributors in the food service and hospitality industries. That’s what we’re focused on solving.

Ernesto: That’s awesome to hear. For our listeners to get a better understanding of your company, what would you say is the key problem you’re solving for your clients?

Blanca: Beyond the lack of technology and digital tools for suppliers, they spend a lot of time generating invoices and collecting payments from their clients—restaurants, hotels, schools, etc. These businesses order daily, especially for perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, meat, and fish. The volume of orders, invoices, and payments is overwhelming, leading to late payments and inefficiency. We offer automated invoicing systems, payment reconciliation solutions, and ecommerce functionality. Many suppliers still rely on old-fashioned in-person sales, but after the pandemic, procurement behavior shifted towards online buying. By providing a white-label ecommerce platform, we open a new sales channel for them. Ultimately, we help them either sell more or become more efficient—these are the two main problems we focus on.

Ernesto: That’s important. So, is your ideal ICP suppliers and providers selling food products to restaurants?

Blanca: Yes, our ICP is suppliers and distributors already delivering to restaurants and food service businesses. In Latam, the food service industry has many players with little standardization, creating a disorganized market. Our goal is to help them organize their operations, provide valuable data and reports, and enable better decision-making. Many of these businesses are still using pen and paper or scattered Excel sheets. Our solution centralizes and digitizes their processes.

Ernesto: Perfect. For our listeners, you can visit them at Alima.la. What role does the website play in client acquisition, Blanca?

Blanca: I’d love for the website to play a larger role in acquisition. Right now, it’s more about brand awareness. Less than 10% of our clients come through the landing page. In this industry, personal relationships are critical when adopting technology. Demonstrations, expos, and in-person events help us engage directly with prospects. While we use tools like WhatsApp, email, and even Facebook groups for lead generation, the website acts as a place to show what we do and refer people who’ve heard about us before.

Ernesto: On that note, are there any tips or methods you’d recommend for website lead generation?

Blanca: Definitely. Simplify your value proposition on the hero header—make it super clear and easy for customers to understand. Use testimonials or showcase well-known clients to build trust. If you’ve been part of an accelerator like YC or 500 Startups, mention it in your bragging bar to increase credibility. Clean, visually appealing designs with minimal text also help a lot. These strategies have helped us improve from 5% to 10% lead generation via the website.

Ernesto: Great advice. Let’s switch gears and talk about you as a leader. What are some key tasks you focus on as co-founder and CMO at Alima?

Blanca: Right now, I’m focused on speeding up our funnel processes—from acquisition to onboarding and retention. Our onboarding process involves uploading catalogs, images, and training clients, which can take one to three weeks depending on their availability. I analyze how to make these steps faster and more efficient. We’re also segmenting our ICP to focus only on profiles likely to retain with us, avoiding time spent on non-ideal customers. It’s a lot to manage daily, but it’s rewarding.

Ernesto: Sounds like you have a lot on your plate! How do you stay up to date with marketing trends and news?

Blanca: I follow the Growth Hackers newsletter, which shares great insights and webinars. Even though we’re not in the growth stage yet, it helps me prepare for when we scale. I also rely on the YC community for advice and insights. Talking to other founders in the same space or industry is invaluable—they’ve often faced similar challenges and can offer great advice.

Ernesto: Let’s jump into our rapid-fire question round. Are you ready?

Blanca: Absolutely.

Ernesto: First, what’s the last book you read?

Blanca: “Without a Doubt” by Service Sarna. She’s a YC partner and an inspiration as a founder and mother. Balancing work, family, and everything else is a constant challenge, but her journey is very motivating.

Ernesto: If there were no boundaries in technology, what’s one thing you’d fix as a marketer?

Blanca: Identifying the ICP faster and more accurately. It’s a time-consuming process, and getting it wrong can lead to wasted resources. Some sort of intelligence to pinpoint your ideal customer would be amazing.

Ernesto: Lastly, what’s one piece of advice you’d give yourself if you were restarting your marketing journey?

Blanca: Don’t try to replicate what worked in a previous role or company. Every context is different, and what worked before may not work now. Be adaptable and learn from your current environment.

Ernesto: Fantastic advice. Before we wrap up, what’s one thing you’d like listeners to remember about Alima?

Blanca: We simplify the lives of suppliers and distributors by making their businesses more efficient and organized.

Ernesto: Perfect. Thank you so much, Blanca, for joining us. To our listeners, thank you for tuning in. I’m looking forward to our next episode at Pathmonk Presents. Thanks a lot, Blanca!

Blanca: Thank you, Ernesto!