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I remember the first time I stumbled Kola Goodies Instagram and she immediately screamed because there was a bad desire for a woman as a face behind the mark. In a year when I thought it would be almost impossible to make connections, I’ve seen creators like it Sajani Amarasiri in addition to embracing this year-round challenge wholeheartedly, you also need to take the time to foster connections and lift those around you. Amarasiri and I connected in an episode of my podcast, Fill the Teapot–listen to his episode here“And when I tell you it’s one of the brightest suns I’ve ever known, I’m not exaggerating.”
After emigrating from Sri Lanka to the US to school and working with some well-known brands (while directing side riots Colombo Cooperatives In Sri Lanka), Amarasiri made the leap to creating his own wellness brand in Kola Goodies. In my interview with him I confirmed that success will come when you truly create something that is true for you. Amarasiri’s main product, Kola Kanda, Is a morning show in Sri Lanka that encourages representation along with an equitable supply chain that translates cultures and communities with “welfare” practices that we borrow – not at all inspiring.
We spent the morning with Amarasi in his San Francisco apartment to find out how he starts his day (no green juice!) And to learn what he learned from his entrepreneurial journey.
In building its brand …
I was born and raised in Sri Lanka and came to the US in 2009 as a university student. I always tell people that I grew up in Sri Lanka but I became myself in the US. I worked in technology at giants like Microsoft and Amazon before jumping into life-long entrepreneurship. My biggest passion and advantage is connecting my two cultures (Sri Lankan and American) in an accessible and fun way, and this has been common in my business. I started with Kola Goodies because I wanted to bring wellness packaging and South Asian ingredients grown in the US, while maintaining the cultural representation and attribution that is almost always excluded from the industry.
There are natural remedies and foods on the other side of the world that can help with worries like current stress or getting enough vegetables, so I wanted to create a wellness brand based on balance and culture to address these issues. me and everyone there. It became frustrating to see that brands that had no connection to Asian origins and capitalized on rituals from South Asia needed to be changed. the welfare supply chain must ensure that people, communities and cultures with these components make the most of their knowledge and traditions. All of these reasons came together in a perfect storm to enliven Kola Goodies!
To find out what arrives in the morning …
I drink hot water in the morning. I get cold, so it helps me warm up and according to Ayurveda is a good way to start your digestive system. Most days in the morning there is a latte with otea milk and on some days Sri Lankan Milk Tea (so delicious!). I’m not very breakfasty, that’s why ours Super green latte it is essential for me. It is a creamy blend of nutritious greens, a very nutritious and filling Kola Kanda (herbal porridge) inspired by a Sri Lankan breakfast drink. So launching this product was pretty unique and it was advantageous for me too, haha!
Kola Kanda is a traditional green breakfast drink from Sri Lanka. It is a mixture of nutritious foods like Moringa, Gotu Kola, Shatavari, Curry Leaves, warm spices like ginger and cinnamon, mixed with coconut milk (a big part of Sri Lankan cuisine) and boiled rice. Everything is mixed up and it has been hot in the morning. We would have it every day when we grew up and my mom makes it home every day. It’s not such a good day for you, when you start with spices and green heaters, because it keeps you full, it’s really a balanced meal in a glass.
What does “going back to your roots” mean to him …
As an immigrant, I believe my roots are in Sri Lanka and here in the US. My parents still live in Sri Lanka, my childhood friends are still there, and many of the things I know about well-being and self-care come from Sri Lanka. For me, it means being able to advance rituals, goods, ingredients, being able to tell stories about heritage, in a way that pays homage to culture, and at the same time creating communities with ingredients and products.
Its beauty is a must …
I’m really new to thinking about beauty, I probably started thinking seriously about skin and makeup about five years ago. Lately, I love this Cera Ve Acne Foaming Cleansing Cream, All Fat and Moon Cream (amazing products and company), and good lip paint. I always need good lipstick, even if I don’t have a drop of makeup on my face.
I’ve also been trying out different sunscreens; it’s very difficult to get a good mineral sunscreen, especially one that doesn’t leave a blush that isn’t available on the skin, so I’m trying others. When we grew up we had no use for it, I wasn’t great on the tropical island where I grew up. Yes, it’s amazing, but it’s not surprising, if people have been thinking for a long time that you’re brown, that you don’t need sunscreen, it’s wrong.
In the best and worst habit of the morning …
Best … to send thanks to the universe and meditate, saying that I love you when I wake up with my husband
Worst of all … even before I get out of bed struggling with my to-do list, I’m trying to be good and learn to be more at the moment.
What does the house mean to him …
For me, home means having people I love, having a space full of so much love, and reconciling space with things that are unique, things that I feel, my style, and those that inspire me. For me the house also needs to be filled with light. My interior design style has grown and evolved over the years as I have gathered different life experiences such as traveling to over 30 countries and become more of myself. I want to have as many pieces with stories as ever in our home.
In his favorite decorative pieces …
I have an intricate gold bowl that belongs to my parents. This Restoration Hardware (yes, before I was an RH) was the first spirit of the Versailles chair and we got it for the first home we bought six years ago – I see it as a timeless piece that can be generational. This Shyama Golden, a piece of mobile art inspired by the historical styles of Sri Lankan women, encounters a futuristic world. Three Peruvian Mirrors in a Peruvian bazaar are gold, intricate and beautiful. Bi engraved art Isabelle Feliu hangs in my mantle – the colors are earthy, soothing and the art has a calm and harsh confidence to it, even one of the women in the pool reminds me of the strength to rest. Natural and elaborate wooden chairs made by Arhaus, two of which do not look the same.
They are essential in his kitchen …
A rice cooker, my Breville coffee machine, a good wok and a good salon to mix my Kola Goodies.
In his favorite cookbooks …
I don’t have favorites by myself, I enjoy it Alison Roman’s cookbooks because the recipes are pretty easy and delicious to follow. I prepare a lot of Sri Lankan food, so ask my Amma or look on YouTube to see how to make something.
About the things you will always find in the fridge …
Really good butter, oat milk, a parippu (Sri Lankan style lentil curry) and boiled rice (aupa, I never thought of this question and it’s very interesting! Haha).
Always on top of items in storage …
Sri Lankan curry powder, Ceylon Tea, local coffee beans, coconut milk cans and Kola Goodies.
At a meal he always makes at home …
Pancakes. I KNOW I’M STRANGE! But I only like Sri Lankan-style pancakes – it’s a thin pancake-like pancake made with coconut milk and no one else makes it, so I make it at home.
What does “well-being” mean to him …
Balance. Wellness is not a separate box that you need to check as it has become a day, it is life, you want to live your well-being in life and that does not mean extreme diets and workouts. For me it means living a balanced life, drinking my Moringa so I can take that glass of wine that I love too.
About some of the lessons he has learned as an entrepreneur …
Dominate yourself, dominate your thoughts and make your head work for you, not the other way around. It’s the hardest thing you have to do and I’m still learning.
In his greatest inspiration as an entrepreneur …
The biggest inspiration is the parents who owned small businesses in Sri Lanka. One thing I know and have seen is that you can never expect to be good all the time and in all truth, at the end of the day, you will have that peace of mind that you can cheat, lie or do wrong to anyone which matters more than ever.
About taking the community as an entrepreneur …
It has been the core of my projects; I am always there to represent and unite the communities I am part of (Sri Lanka and USA). The biggest and best way to see this in Kola Goodies is how our community came together to launch our brand: our farmers, designers, photographers and packers are all from Sri Lanka or are working together in the diaspora to create our brand and products. with real cultural representation.
Fill in the blank:
Perfect mornings … sunny, deliberate and with Kola Goodies.
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