“You need to back yourself and just dive in”: The CEO of Oakberry

Oakberry has quickly become synonymous with açaí in Australia. Renan Fretes Pinto, the CEO of the Australian, New Zealand, Indonesian and Pacific Island operations has led the charge in securing this market share.

Now Oakberry has almost 50 locations in Australia after Fretes Pinto brought the Brazilian business to Bondi in 2018, starting with just one store that the team physically helped construct themselves to tackle a tight budget.

Here Fretes Pinto details how his career in retail started from a love of hospitality and how he has conquered some of the challenges faced when launching a new business in a foreign market.

Inside Retail: How did you get into the retail industry, and what are the different roles you’ve held along the way?

Renan Fretes Pinto: I have always loved the retail and hospitality industries. They provide a way of bringing something new and exciting to people’s lives and showing customers a part of yourself.

From as far back as I can remember, I’ve always been involved in activities that explore culture and places through food and entertainment experiences. This ranged from arranging and undertaking cultural events at university to managing busy hospitality venues, while constantly exploring new brand ideas and new entertainment ventures. 

IR: What challenges have you faced in your career, and how have you dealt with them?

RFP: Initially coming to Australia and entering the restaurant scene, especially in the busy Bondi Beach community, was a challenge, having never been to Australia before.

And then, with the launch of Oakberry in Australia, bringing a Brazilian brand to the market was always going to be a major challenge. Although there are similarities in the markets, we had to adapt the international brand to the local market while maintaining our integrity, vision and mission. 

Introducing the Australian market to authentic acai and informing the market about how to enjoy it, has always been an enjoyable objective of the business. 

Before Oakberry arrived, acai was mostly thought of as a weekend brunch food and concentrated in the trendy areas of Bondi or Byron. However, in Brazil, we eat acai any time of day, as a meal or a snack. Breaking through this barrier meant we had to reshape the community’s perception of acai and educate those who weren’t familiar with the product on its virtues and benefits, and the sheer enjoyment of the exclusive Oakberry product.

These days, you go to any Oakberry store, whether at your local beach or in your local city centre and you see people having it for a nourishing breakfast, a restorative weekday lunch, or a delicious snack after school, and it is safe to say, “mission accomplished”. 

IR: What are your career highlights so far?

RFP: Oakberry is the highlight of my career. 

Oakberry has been built from one store in Bondi to almost 50 stores Australia-wide, and we have become the most sought-after and referred-to acai brand in the country. An expansion into the New Zealand market is in development now and we have already expanded into Indonesia.

The Oakberry brand is now connected with some of Australia’s leading sports events – The Australian Open and Formula One. Our association with these leading sports has extended our brand awareness to new customers and introduced our Oakberry Açai into new markets.

We also have Smoov – a juice and smoothie bar, which opened at the end of last year. Celebrating our growth and team achievements has been our biggest highlight so far.

IR: What do you love about your job?

RFP: I love that we are creating something new and bringing people a unique experience. 

I like that our Oakberry team is young, enthusiastic and innovative, and working in such a dynamic and exciting office is constantly motivating. 

Even though things are always busy and fast-paced, we are working on our projects, and this makes everything worthwhile. I also love the networks and contacts that Oakberry has developed participating in events such as the Australian Open, Aus Formula One Grand Prix and World Surf League has been a bonus. 

IR: What advice would you give someone wanting to get into your line of work?

RFP: Just go for it. It is easy to doubt yourself or your ideas, but to get anywhere, you need to back yourself and just dive in. I always dream big, and I am constantly thinking of the next step, the next challenge, and this keeps things moving ahead and always exciting.

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