Ender Bolat (FoodVision): “International expansion is one of the core pillars of our long-term strategy”

Less than a year after its launch, DOZZ — the brand of soups in aluminum cans — has achieved two major international recognitions: a Gold Award at the prestigious Lunch! – The National Food-To-Go, Retail and Coffee Shop Event in London, where the jury called DOZZ “a game changer in the soup market,” and the Most Innovative Product Award at Wabel in Barcelona, as voted by international retailers.

This success has been accompanied by rapid expansion — the brand is already present in seven European markets and is preparing for accelerated growth in the years to come. AdHugger talked with Ender Bolat, Chief Executive Officer FoodVision, and found out more about the company’s strategy, the idea behind the innovation, as well as the challenges and the expansion process.

How did the innovation process start and develop?

The innovation process started with a simple but powerful observation: in many modern retail formats, from vending machines to convenience stores, petrol stations or small-format groceries, there was no suitable packaging for ready-to-eat meals or soups. Drinks and snacks dominated the space because cans and PET bottles were the only formats that worked logistically.

We asked ourselves: if a can is the simplest, most portable and universally accepted packaging for beverages, why couldn’t it also become the ideal format for a fresh, natural soup?

From there, we began exploring recipes, processing technologies, cold-chain requirements, sustainability aspects and consumer expectations for convenience and clean-label eating. Along the way, new questions kept surfacing, and we searched for the best possible answers. One stood out above all: we’re all constantly on the move, grabbing snacks or whatever is most convenient, even if it’s not the healthiest or the most satisfying option. But why should we have to choose between tasteless “healthy” food and fast junk food just because we’re short on time? A busy, full life shouldn’t come at the expense of eating well.

We all deserve better. We need to solve this everyday struggle in people’s busy lives – when hunger strikes but they don’t have time to eat right. 

Step by step, the concept took shape: a fresh soup, with no preservatives, in a 100% recyclable aluminum can, ready to eat hot or cold, anytime, anywhere.

How long did it take from the idea until the product was created and on the shelves? 

From the moment the idea took shape to the day DOZZ was finally available on shelves, the process took roughly 4 years. It was a long, meticulous process, driven by curiosity, experimentation and a lot of perseverance. We spent considerable time in R&D, searching for the right recipes and perfecting a technological process that would keep a fresh, clean-label soup stable for months. In parallel, we refined the concept through repeated rounds of consumer research to make sure the product answered real needs and expectations.

A major part of the timeline involved adapting production technology to a completely new format: a chilled soup in an aluminum can — something that required innovation, countless tests and close collaboration between engineers, food technologists and designers. Setting up the production facility, installing specialised equipment and navigating all the food safety authorisations added another layer of complexity.

Meanwhile, the brand itself was taking shape: defining the identity, developing the design and creating packaging that would be both functional and instantly recognisable. The final step was bringing everything to market…securing retail partnerships, establishing distribution and ensuring that once DOZZ reached consumers, it delivered exactly what we had envisioned.

All in all, those four years were about building something genuinely new, piece by piece, until the idea became a product people could finally hold and taste.

What were the main challenges during that time and how have you surpassed them? 

Our challenges were both technical and perceptual. One of the biggest hurdles was adapting production to a fresh product packaged in an aluminum can. Traditionally, aluminum cans are used for beverages, while soups belong in tin cans, pouches or glass jars. We needed to fill our soups in aluminum cans, maintain a fresh and natural profile without preservatives and still ensure a chilled shelf life of 6–8 months. This required extensive R&D, process optimisation and rigorous testing, but eventually we found the right technological solutions.

Another challenge came from the retail side: convincing retailers that a “soup in a can” could, in fact, be fresh. Many of them instinctively associated cans with drinks and soups with ambient products in tin cans. Once we explained the technology, the clean-label benefits and the potential of introducing a new segment within chilled ready-meals, retailers quickly understood the opportunity, both for consumers and for their own business.

Consumer education was also essential. The concept was completely new, so we focused on clear communication, sampling and storytelling to help people understand that DOZZ is not a traditional soup. It’s a fresh, modern, convenient meal in sustainable packaging: a new way of eating on the go.

Soup in a can may feel unconventional, but we believe that’s exactly what makes it exciting.

What made you decide to create a soup in a can? Who had the idea?

The idea originated from our shareholders, from analysing gaps in both packaging and consumption behaviour. They noticed that the market lacked a suitable, portable format for fresh soups and ready-to-eat meals in vending, convenience and small-format retail. Aluminum cans already offered everything consumers wanted: portability, safety, ease of use, sustainability and intuitive understanding.

So the question that triggered everything was: “If cans are perfect for drinks, why not for soups?” That question became the foundation of DOZZ.

How was it perceived at the beginning?

Initially, people were surprised in a positive way. The combination of “fresh soup” and “aluminum can” was unexpected, but immediately intriguing. Retailers and consumers were curious, wanting to understand how the product worked, how it stayed fresh and what made it different. Once they tasted it and understood the logic behind the packaging, the perception shifted quickly from surprise to enthusiasm.

What were consumers’ feedbacks and opinions so far?

Feedback has been extremely strong across all markets. Consumers consistently highlight the taste and freshness of the soups, as well as the clean-label recipe with no preservatives, something increasingly important for people who want convenient food without compromising on quality. They also appreciate the portability of the product and the fact that it can be enjoyed either hot or cold, depending on the moment. And, of course, the innovative, fun, modern format stands out immediately and sparks curiosity.

For many people, DOZZ genuinely solves a problem they face every day: finding a natural, convenient meal that fits seamlessly into a fast-paced lifestyle. It gives them something quick, good, and reliable without feeling like a compromise.

What represented winning the innovation awards?

Winning two major innovation awards so early validated everything we built. It confirmed that the concept is not only surprising, but truly valuable for the market. The awards gave retailers confidence, strengthened our credibility and accelerated our international discussions. For us, it was recognition that DOZZ is not just a new product, it’s a new concept opening a new category.

Will your advertising and marketing campaigns focus more in the future on the innovation side, as well?

Innovation will always remain a core part of our story, but our communication going forward will take a more balanced approach. Beyond highlighting the uniqueness of the format and the convenience it brings, we also want to emphasize the natural, clean-label aspect of the product, the fact that it contains no preservatives and fits the needs of consumers who care about what they eat. At the same time, an important part of our messaging will focus on lifestyle and utility, showing how effortlessly DOZZ integrates into the rhythm of busy, modern, on-the-go lives.

Our goal is not only to present the novelty of the concept, but to educate, inspire and ultimately help shape new consumption habits. We want people to see DOZZ not just as an innovative product, but as a smart, everyday solution that makes their lives easier and tastier.

Will you be entering other festivals in the future?

Yes. Innovation festivals and industry competitions are important for a disruptive brand like DOZZ. They help us gain visibility, credibility and valuable feedback. We intend to participate in more local and international events in the coming years.

What can you tell us more about the international expansions? What are your plans for the next 2 years and why?

International expansion is one of the core pillars of our long-term strategy. In the very first year after launch, we entered eight foreign markets and we are already actively working on more than ten additional countries. The appetite for innovation is strong and DOZZ has proven to resonate far beyond Romania.

Over the next two years, our focus will be on scaling in Western Europe, where consumers are highly receptive to new formats. At the same time, we plan to expand into regions such as the Middle East and Asia, where on-the-go consumption and convenience retail are growing at an exceptional pace.

We are also preparing to test the US market and gradually build a presence there, it is the largest and most dynamic market in the world and one that is naturally aligned with the DOZZ concept.

Another key part of our plan is to strengthen partnerships with major retailers and distributors, ensuring a solid route-to-market and long-term visibility for the brand.

The reason behind this strategy is simple: the global demand for natural, portable, ready-to-eat solutions is rising faster than ever and DOZZ is uniquely positioned to meet that demand. In many Western markets, the on-the-go category is already mature and significantly larger than in Romania, which gives us a strong opportunity for accelerated growth.

Meanwhile, Romania remains an important market for us, but it is still at an early stage in terms of convenience consumption, another reason why international expansion is both timely and necessary.