From Vision to Exit: How SmartGourmet’s Founder Successfully Transitioned to FLAVVA

How does an F&B entrepreneur balance ambitious growth targets with the dream of eventual independence? For Jad Atallah , former founder of Smart Gourmet, the answer lay in strategic scaling with an eye toward future valuation — a strategy that recently culminated in a successful exit.

This article was inspired by the interview done during The Entrepreneurship Marathon-Freedom Edition with Andre Abi Awad & Jad Atallah in 2021

Jad faced a common entrepreneurial dilemma: creating a business that could thrive without his constant presence while maximizing its future value. His dual objectives required careful planning and structural innovation within a competitive industry — work that ultimately positioned Smart Gourmet for acquisition.

Rather than focusing solely on past accomplishments, Jad adopted a future-oriented mindset that potential investors would value. He validated multiple business ideas while simultaneously strengthening SmartGourmet’s management structure. His strategy involved building a team that treated the company as their own — a crucial step that made the business attractive to buyers.

SmartGourmet positioned itself as an innovator in the F&B sector, with significant investment in process automation. This…