Meet Amerae Vercueil

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amerae Vercueil . 

Hi Amerae, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Boemboe Foods was started by Malan & Julia Bartleman in Kwazulu Natal in 2018. They saw not only a gap for better wholesome Tempeh but affordable tempeh! A year later they managed to have the product stocked nationwide. As the demand grew so the factory did. After the pandemic, they noticed they would like to spend their time with their two sons in Julia’s home country, Holland. Boemboe was sold to a client, Amerae Vercueil, who had an established brand: Food that loves you back. I (Amerae) have been the new owner, running and rebranding Bomeboe to the product we see today. As tempeh has so many health benefits (gut, protein richness and it is a whole food) I felt this product would perfectly fit under the umbrella of a Food that loves you back! This product has been so exciting to communicate and educate to people in South Africa, we are hoping to keep the momentum going as tempeh should be as much of a household item as chicken is – Just better for you and the environment. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I just told a friend the other day: If you are not at the point of crying every day. You probably are not pushing hard enough! This has been the journey since we have combined the two companies: Food that loves you back & Boemboe Tempeh. The manufacturing of tempeh is not only extremely complex and sensitive but to market this product and get people open to trying it has been most difficult. Those who adore tempeh will do so forever, but the challenge is getting others to experiment and look into a product (tempeh) that is healthier, cleaner, and better for you than other overly processed plant options. What is important to us too is not to label ourselves as VEGAN or plant only, Food that loves you back & Boemboe is only here to convince you to choose the right options that are best for your body. The secondary benefit is the environmental impact the plant options have, but first and foremost we have to be fit and healthy enough to do so! To summarize, our biggest challenge is to set a new infrastructure for a new product (tempeh) in South Africa and be there once the way is paved to reap the benefits too, so maintain the monopoly amount our competitors. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Food that loves you back was born during the pandemic. I have worked as a chef, food editor, and foods stylist for 5 years prior. Once the pandemic hit, I was unemployed. I decided to follow my passion: food, but more than that, dare to share my journey with food. I took the challenge of writing a book to create a new roadmap for my relationship with food (which was not always a healthy journey from my teen years). Among many of the recipes, 5 of them in the book was made with Boemboe Tempeh! This recipe book was sold online as an eBook for myself to generate income. Things suddenly fell into place when this eBook fell into the correct hands – Penguin Randomhouse South Africa picked up this creation and asked to physically publish it. A year later, today, you can find the book in all major book stores and our products online or in specialized delis with the added addition of Boemboe foods to the brand which was added in May 2021. 

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
There is one primary quote from Theodore Roosevelt that has been the foundations of many decisions I have made in life: 

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly” 

This has always given me a massive appetite for risk-taking, what has been more important to me than success was being in the arena. I don’t want to be on the sidelines, commenting and watching how others are challenging themselves on the ‘battlefield’ – I want to be in it with them!! 

Even if I am defeated at the end, what is important is that I dared greatly and utilized my passions to do so! Someone once asked me: Even if you knew that this which you were sweating, working, and wondering about day-in-and-day-out, was going to fail. Would you still do it? My answer is yes, as long as my face is marked by sweat and blood, I am satisfied that I am challenging myself every day and taking risks! To me, the risk lies in placing yourself in that area, not being in the sidelines. This applies to every single aspect of our lives, not only our careers. 

Pricing:

• Bomeboe tempeh R60 retail price (R45 on our online store)
• R400 for Food that loves you back recipe book online or book stores
• More products online

Contact Info:

• Email: hello.lovesyouback@gmail.com; boemboetempeh@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.foodthatlovesyouback.co.za/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/food.thatlovesyouback/
• Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/boemboetempeh/

Suggest a Story: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.