by Zuleika Buhar

Canned fish is an important food source. They are rich in protein and many other essential nutrients. Even though we live on an island, getting your hand on premium canned fish can definitely be a challenge.

Bluefish is a new female-founded and led food company aiming to make ethically sourced, premium, and delicious tinned seafood a staple in every cupboard in Sri Lanka. They provide exceptional quality, homemade canned fish products made with individually handpicked export quality fish, free from any added preservatives or flavours, and made using only healthy ingredients with an authentic signature taste.

We sat down with the founder of Bluefish and accelerateher alumni, Bhagya Sandakelum to hear her perspective on being a female entrepreneur in this competitive industry.

What differentiates Bluefish from what already exists in the market?

The ingredients we use. We use only export quality fish for our products and all our products are made using healthy ingredients without any artificial preservatives or flavours. Our products are all freshly made.

In terms of taste and flavour Bluefish is paired with Sri Lankan spices giving it its’ unique taste and flavours. Another interesting about our product is that it is ready to eat straight out of the can. With no pungent smell!

What were some unique challenges that you faced as a female entrepreneur to this business?

Most of the issues were based on gender stereotypes. Even though we live in 2022 there are still gender biases to certain industries. Even to get our family’s support. We live in a society where people think that I, as a mother or the women has to stay back and let my male counterparts run the business. It was quite difficult to get that support. Those are the main issues I had to face.

How did you get through these challenges and biases given to you in the industry?

As a mother and founder of Bluefish I face this judgement every day, I realized I can’t be everyone’s cup of tea. It has been really difficult but if people try to drag me down, I just believe in myself and go on to prove them wrong. I like to show them that I can in fact manage everything.

When you have moments of doubt, what pushes you through?

I always keep reminding myself why I started this business. I also look at my son and remind myself that this is why I want to keep on going.

What message would you give to young girls who look up to you?

Believe in yourself. That is the main thing. Have an understanding about what you’re doing and just keep at it.

How did you manage to keep your business afloat during the current crisis in Sri Lanka?

It has been a nightmare as a food business! Finding fuel, raw materials at decent prices, transport and every single thing has been tough.

Accelerateher from Hatch was really helpful for me as a guide to get through this tough time. The networking and the mentors were so helpful. That really helped me push on through.

When I had issues with my product with the current crisis, I would talk to my customers and communicate with them on how I could better prepare it.

For raw materials I had to rely on resources that were available so I had to reschedule a lot of my plans. I had to adapt.

What was the best piece of advice you received from the accelerateher program?

I started Bluefish with no prior knowledge on business. I started it with zero knowledge about finance. With the mentorship I received from this program I learned how to value my products and how to get it on the market.

What plans do you have for the future of Bluefish?

I am mainly looking to expand our production and our production unit as well. I am also looking forward to taking our products to the international market.

If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?

Learn how to value your products! Trust yourself and value yourself.

How do you personally define success?

Financial independency and good influence. I think both of those are key factors in being successful.

What are you most proud of in your journey?

I’m proud  of the title I have being a woman, a mother and the founder of Bluefish.

I am proud of my journey of health and weight loss. I am also very proud of the fact that I am a finalist of accelerateher program. I was not expecting that at all and am very proud of how far I have come.

Bubbly and eager to bring her product out in the world, Bhagya Sandakelum is an innovative and brilliant entrepreneur. We look forward to see what she and Bluefish will offer for the rest of the program. We wish her the best of luck!

Accelerateher is a curated 3-month program tailored to your startups’ needs and growth objectives.

The program mentors and experts are individuals with deep industry, investment, and entrepreneurship experience, and have worked across all stages of a startup.

They’ll be on hand to guide you and your team towards your growth objectives.

Head on over to their website to learn more!

http://www.accelerateher.asia/

The post Hatch Accelerateher Alumni- Bluefish by Bhagya Sandakelum appeared first on ChoKoLAAte Blog.

What if she doesn’t want to get married? So what?

What if she doesn’t want to be a mother? It’s her decision.

What if she wants to be a mother alone? She doesn’t need anybody else.

What if she choses education over having a family? Why doesn’t she deserve a good education?

What if she chooses to love a woman? She’s better off.

What if she decides, she’s not a she anymore? It’s their life.

Why must women stick to the stereotypes and labels that society is constantly holding them down with? What is it about this world that makes people so afraid to see a woman succeed? And someone tell me why almost every person out there believes that a woman’s only road to happiness begins with marriage and ends with a child? 

We live in the 21st century, it’s time to open your eyes, more importantly, it’s time to open the eyes of those who came before us, and the women of the next generation. It is our duty to show the young girls who are just like us that they have a choice, unlike the one’s our parents were never given. Back then if you told your mother “Hey ma, btw I’m never going to get married or have kids”, she’d drag you to a priest or find you a matchmaker, but like I said, we’re lucky to be living in time when things have somewhat eased up. At least now, you can decide for yourself how you wanna live your life, and who you want to live it with. 

Yes, things are still difficult, it’s true, we are constantly labelled only as mother, caregiver, homemaker, etc, but no one asks, what do we want? Sri Lankan women live with the constant fear that no matter what they do they will be never be good enough for their families, so some become the perfect Sri Lankan family, then there are those Sri Lankan families that at the simple mention at one of the above will have you excommunicated, and then there are those lucky few whose families will love and accept them no matter what. It is because of the messed up mindsets that society has that people tend to think that women fending for themself or being educated or being a single mother or loving who they chose is wrong. That’s why it is our job to make sure the next generation doesn’t know the criticisms or the stereotypes or the nagging that we face. Then again in Sri Lanka, nagging from relatives will never stop. 

Change the narrative, change the way people think, and change the way people view and define women. 

The post Break The Stereotype or Become The Stereotype appeared first on ChoKoLAAte Blog.