Today we’d like to introduce you to Bimal Bhojani.
Hi Bimal, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Born in Uganda, I became a refugee in the early 1970s when Idi Amin came to power and ordered the mass expulsion of Ugandan Asians. Amin gave anyone of Asian origin 90 days to leave the country. My family and I were forced to flee to London. Despite this terrible situation, I watched my parents work incredibly hard to support me and provide me chances they never had. They eventually opened their own business, a sporting goods store. I worked there from the age of 14. That’s where I developed my love for business, my work ethic, and my desire to innovate whatever field I was in. As a young adult, I knew I wanted to be in charge of my own success. I worked as a trader in the financial markets, and though I found success doing this, I wanted a different life for my family. Seeking better opportunities (and nicer weather), I began the immigration process in 2001.
In 2007, I immigrated to the United States on an E2 visa. Subsequently, I entered the visa lottery process (green card lottery) and ended up winning, eventually becoming a proud dual national. I came to the US to start a business and create jobs in my new community. I constructed a private school from the ground up, where I did lots of outreach work in the community, helping many families in need by providing free VPK seats. In 2016, I was elected to the School Board for the Early Learning Coalition of Pasco and Hernando Counties. In 2018, I felt the need for another change in my life. My kids were getting older, and I knew it was time to shift gears because I stopped waking up with the same excitement I was used to. Instantly, coffee came to my mind. For decades, my family had coffee farms in Uganda, so it seemed right from the start.
After coming up with the idea for Raining Berries, I immersed myself in doing industry research. I organized meetings with coffee experts on the West Coast and connected with grassroots and long-standing individuals in the business, learning and building lots of wonderful relationships along the way. As the brand expands, we have forged strong relationships in the community and have strong expansion plans across the United States. It’s been a long journey, but each experience has helped me learn as grown personally and professionally.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Throughout my life, I’ve faced many challenges and doubters. However, I live by the idea that with passion and belief in yourself, anything is possible. After a 7+ year immigration process, uprooting my life and family, and coming to the United States, I’ve faced the challenge of starting a business in a new country, establishing myself, and ensuring my family is taken care of. Working on this project has solidified my belief in possibility. After losing our initial location and fighting diligently to secure this one, we opened the doors to the Raining Berries corporate store just weeks before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; it has been an incredibly challenging road.
Seven weeks after opening our doors, we had to essentially shut them. Just as we began building a client base, getting our name out there, and finding our rhythm, everything came to a halt. In what is a thriving area, it was incredibly unfortunate to see so much devastation for local businesses. Our second location (Central Avenue, St. Petersburg) was supposed to go under construction in 2020 but has been halted for over a year due to the pandemic. Thankfully, it is underway as of a few weeks ago. Our landlords have been empathetic and understanding, and we are incredibly grateful for our dedicated team, community, and other local business owners for their support and perseverance. I have to thank our wonderful customers for standing by our brand, They are the heart and soul of Raining Berries and allow us to do what we love each and every day. We owe every success to them.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Raining Berries?
For many years, I stopped at a chain coffee shop every morning on the way to work. I paid a premium for a generic, machine-made beverage. In 2018, I knew I was ready for a career change. After looking into a few options, I found myself continually returning to coffee. With over 200 years of family ties to the coffee industry in Uganda, and countless cups each day of my adult life, I realized how fundamental coffee was to my day-to-day life. I founded Raining Berries with a simple goal in mind: authenticity and unity. The laughter, connections, and memories that can be formed over a simple drink are the reason I have dedicated myself to it. Raining Berries specializes in ethically and sustainably sourced coffee, each drink made with freshly pulled espresso shots. Our organic açaí bowls are made without blending in additional fruit, and our smoothies contain a variety of fresh fruits and other premium ingredients.
We are passionate about our eco-friendly practices and will continue to improve as we grow. As of now, we offer e-receipts, reusable mugs, plates, and silverware for dine-in orders, sip lids to reduce straw usage, and use LED lights. Our cold clear cups are made by a leader in environmentally safe products; our bowls are Sustainable Forestry Initiative Certified. Several drinks are offered in mason jars that customers can keep and reuse!
Our corporate store has a 16-seat conference room available for reservation through our website. Perfect for local professionals, professional organizations, networking events, team-building, and interviews, it is equipped with two TVs, Chromecast capability, free WiFi, charging stations, and more.
We have set ourselves apart by prioritizing our customers. Our products are made-to-order, our large menu caters to vegan and other diets, and comfort and ease are at the forefront of our design and decisions. Our space is great for getting work done, socializing, or just grabbing a quick bite. Our innovation, eco-friendly commitments, and people-oriented business model help us stand out from the rest. We did everything with the customer in mind and will continue to make improvements as we grow as a brand.
What’s next?
Aside from maintaining our customer service and product quality standards, the goal is to make Raining Berries a nationally recognized brand. Over the last few months, we have worked incredibly hard to build a team of people and resources dedicated to our franchising opportunity. We are incredibly grateful that we have received so much interest from across the state of Florida and the Southeast United States. Our St. Petersburg and Brandon locations are set to open in the next year, with multiple other territories under consideration and set to start construction in 2022.
As we grow, we will continue to prioritize people. From our team members to our community supporters, it is our goal to be a safe place for all. We see Raining Berries as the future of coffee and açaí. Our combination of ethical and sustainable coffee, healthy and delicious ingredients, modern atmosphere, and commitment to community will be a great addition to any area. Our recent partnership with SABRE Advisors will allow us to reach new markets, grow our business, and extend our franchise opportunity to cities across America. We can’t wait to build relationships, better ourselves and our brand, and take our vision to the next level.
Contact Info:
- Email: marketing@rainingberries.com
- Website: https://rainingberries.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rainingberriesofficial/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rainingberriesofficial/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/rainingberries?lang=en
- Other: Conference Room Booking: https://square.site/book/A46BE51A5JG94/raining-berries-lutz-fl
