After dedicating six years to a finance role that no longer ignited his enthusiasm, Mike Adair reached a pivotal realization: life is too fleeting not to pursue what truly fuels your passion. “I simply wanted to engage in something I genuinely loved,” Adair shares with Entrepreneur. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that would lead me to making burritos.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Pink’s. Mike Adair.
Fast forward to today, the entrepreneur based in Franklin, Tennessee, is the visionary founder and CEO of Pink’s All Natural, a company specializing in frozen breakfast sandwiches and burritos.
From Passion to Business: The Birth of Pink’s
Adair’s entrepreneurial journey began during his time at an alternative college in New Hampshire, where he maintained an open-minded outlook about his future. His desire was to craft a tangible product that could bring people together. Inspiration struck one evening while savoring a homemade burrito prepared by his wife, Paige.
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Named after Adair’s beloved rescue dog with a reddish coat, Pink’s officially launched in 2009.
“Initially, I was running from grocery store to grocery store, demonstrating the product and trying to sell it during evenings and weekends.”
Like many startups, Pink’s faced early hurdles, especially in scaling production. Adair recalls the challenge of securing a USDA-approved facility to process meat-based products-a task that proved to be a significant obstacle. Compounding this, the manufacturing facility he selected went bankrupt after producing 3,000 chicken burritos for Pink’s.
“I had to discreetly retrieve my chicken burritos from the back of the facility,” Adair recounts. “Of course, I left a check for the goods. By then, I had a tangible product to sell, so I loaded them into my car’s cooler and hit the grocery stores again, demoing and selling on nights and weekends.”
Early Retail Success and Product Refinement
Pink’s first retail partner was Walter Stewart’s Market in New Canaan, Connecticut, in 2010. The journey was filled with lessons, especially from customer feedback. Adair recalls that their initial 11-ounce burrito, priced at around $6, was difficult to reheat due to its size-a harsh reality when it sat on store shelves.
Fortunately, consumer response to the flavor was positive, prompting Pink’s to pivot. They downsized the burrito to a more manageable size, reducing costs and improving reheating convenience. This smaller version remains the brand’s flagship product today. As demand grew, Pink’s expanded its offerings to include breakfast burritos, which became another major hit.
Innovating with Breakfast Items
Following the success of their core products, Pink’s faced a new challenge: creating a high-quality breakfast sandwich suitable for freezing and microwaving. The initial concept was met with hesitation, but the team persisted. The result was the Egg’Wich-a high-protein, gluten-free breakfast sandwich featuring meat and cheese between two egg patties. As air fryer technology gained popularity, Pink’s collaborated with bakeries to develop breaded breakfast sandwiches that maintained quality after reheating.
“Ultimately, the customer’s preferences are paramount.”
Adair emphasizes that customer feedback has been instrumental in refining their products. “We’ve made more mistakes than we can count, but our goal remains to deliver products that resonate with consumers. If they don’t like what we offer, we adapt-adjusting flavor profiles, pricing, and packaging until we hit the mark.”
Scaling Up: Manufacturing and Expansion
By year seven, Adair was ready to address one of Pink’s most significant operational challenges: co-manufacturing. His vision was never to make Pink’s the largest food company globally but to create a meaningful brand that positively impacts lives and fosters community. Ensuring quality at every step-from raw material sourcing to production and packaging-became a core focus.
In 2017, Pink’s established its first manufacturing plant in South Dakota. Building this facility was a labor-intensive process, but it proved to be a strategic move. Today, Pink’s products are available in major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Costco, Sprouts, and Albertsons across the United States. The company’s growth has been remarkable, with a 200% increase over the past five years, attracting over a million new customers last year alone. Pink’s is projected to reach $300 million in annual revenue.
Strategic Investment and Future Outlook
In 2022, Pink’s attracted a majority investment from Bansk Group, a private equity firm focused on consumer brands. Adair highlights that building a successful business requires a deep commitment to the team. Learning from past missteps, he advises entrepreneurs to start with smaller retail partners that can grow alongside the brand. Choosing the right retail partners from the outset significantly enhances the chances of sustainable expansion.
Hiring the right talent remains crucial. Adair stresses that cultivating a strong company culture and environment attracts top-tier professionals, creating a positive cycle of growth. “When you focus on assembling a talented team, they attract others, and the momentum builds like a contagious virus,” he explains.
Looking Ahead: Commitment to Quality and Simplicity
Today, Pink’s employs around 70 team members, each vital to the company’s success. As Adair envisions the future, his primary goal is to continue delivering products that simplify consumers’ busy lives without compromising quality. “Our approach is straightforward-we produce high-quality items, freeze them quickly, and provide clear cooking instructions so customers can enjoy an exceptional experience,” he states. “Our focus remains on breakfast and snack categories, and if we stay true to that, success will follow.”
