Gold Coast business: How twins Sylvana and Cass Shamoun racked up $2.6m in revenue in one year with Unicorn Superfoods powders
Gold Coast twins Sylvana and Cass Shamoun have turned a passion for healthy living and wellbeing into a multi-million-dollar business with a worldwide following.
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GOLD Coast twins Sylvana and Cass Shamoun have turned a passion for healthy living and wellbeing into a multi-million-dollar business with a worldwide following.
The pair launched Unicorn Superfoods in 2017 selling colourful superfood powders and eco-friendly products.
Last financial year their turnover reached $2.6 million thanks to slick social media marketing that capitalises on attractive images of baked goods, pancakes, smoothies and more made using the powders.
Sylvana said they started exploring the use of natural remedies in food and drink to ease anxiety and stress after a close family friend was diagnosed with cancer.
They engaged a Queensland-based manufacturer to make their powders with ingredients such as blue spirulina and pink pitaya that weren’t widely used at the time.
Sylvana said they were able to build a strong social media following through platforms including Pinterest and Instagram by posting pictures of food and drink made with recipes that incorporated the powders.
“We wanted to bring out something that was nutritious and visually appealing at the same time,” Sylvana said.
“The colour comes from the pigment naturally found in the fruit we use.
“We posted images of really beautiful food we created and it went worldwide.”
Sylvana said their following grew organically without the need for a massive spend on social media.
Today they ship product all over the world including Canada, US, China, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and India.
“I don’t think there is a country we haven’t shipped to,” Sylvana said.
Most sales are online but they also have a network of 60 health food stores that stock Unicorn Superfoods in Australia.
Cass said the next step for the business was the launch of a range of vegan protein powders made using pea protein and brown rice.
“We had a lot of requests to bring out a vegan range,” she said. “We worked closely with a naturopath to create powders that are delicious and don’t have a bad aftertaste.”
Sylvana said they were aiming to expand on the range as well as open up their own office.