Robert Jakobi

Robert Jakobi
Born April 7, 1985
Alma mater University of Pennsylvania (A.B.)
Occupation Managing Director of Metcalfe’s Food Company

Robert Jakobi (born April 17, 1985) is a Food entrepreneur. He is the Managing Director and Co Owner of Metcalfe's Food Company, which was founded by Julian Metcalfe in 2009.[1]

Early life and education

Robert Jakobi grew up in London and then moved to the US to study. Jakobi attended Duke University, and then the University of Pennsylvania where he graduated in May 2007.[2]

Career

Barclays Capital

Jakobi started his career as an Analyst in Investment Banking at Barclays Capital in New York.[3]

Pod bites

In January 2010, whilst working in Finance, Jakobi founded a food company called Pod bites, which was a range of chocolate, and yoghurt covered edamame.[4] He launched Pod bites in Harvey Nichols and Selfridges amongst others in March 2010.[5]

Metcalfe’s Food Company

Through Pod bites Robert Jakobi met Julian Metcalfe who is the Co Founder of Itsu and Pret A Manger.[6] Jakobi approached Julian as he was keen to get Pod bites into Itsu and Pret A Manger.[7] Jakobi agreed to become the Managing Director of Metcalfe's Food Company in October 2010.[1]

Since joining he has grown the company from £300,000 in sales to over £10 Million as of May 2014. The company has forecast to achieve £50 Million in sales within the next 3 years.[8]

As of December 2014, Metcalfe’s Food Company were ranked the fastest growing privately owned food and drink company in the UK.[9]

Awards

In December 2013, Metcalfe's Food Company were featured as one of ten ‘Ones to Watch’ in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100.[10] The Fast Track 100 ranks the fastest growing privately owned companies in the UK.[11]

In April 2014, Robert Jakobi along with Julian Metcalfe were named as London & South finalists for the 2014 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.[12] The award is considered one of the world’s most prestigious business awards and is held in more than 145 cities and in more than 60 countries worldwide.[13]

In May 2014, Metcalfe’s Food Company were announced as one of the winners of The Santander Breakthrough 50 Awards. The awards celebrate the UK’s top 50 most exciting fast-growth companies.[14]

In July 2014, Robert was selected as one of 30 Young Guns. Young Guns celebrates annually the best 30 entrepreneurs aged 35 or under in the UK. [15]

In December 2014, Metcalfe’s Food Company were ranked at number 4 in the Sunday Times Fast Track 100.[16]

In January 2015, Robert was selected on the Forbes 30 Under 30 in Food & Wine. [17] In 2015 Forbes picked 600 people in 20 fields including Food & Wine.[18]

Appearances

One Young World

On 16th October 2014, Robert was invited by One Young World as a special delegate to head a panel on successful young entrepreneurs at their annual summit in Dublin.[19] The panel was chaired by Barclays CEO Anthony Jenkins and also included Hailo’s Jay Bregman, made.com’s Julien Callede, One Fine Stay’s founder Tim Davey and YouTube celebrity Michelle Phan.[20]

The summit brings together the generations’ most passionate young people to debate issues of universal concern.[21]

Jakobi explained that the panel was to have a particular focus on the importance of inspiring youth entrepreneurship in an interview he did with Bloomberg prior to the summit.[22]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Itsu founder nurtures a new generation". The Financial Times. 2014-01-21. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  2. ↑ "Robert Jakobi; from Pod bites to Metcalfe’s Food Company, we talk to this entrepreneurial MD". YHP Online. 2014-11-10. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  3. ↑ "Robert Jakobi MD of Metcalfe’s Food talks to The Startup Magazine". The Startup Magazine. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  4. ↑ "Metcalfe’s Food Company: Shaking up the snack industry". Real Business. 2014-04-08.
  5. ↑ "Cinema-goers snap up snack beans". The Evening Standard. 2010-03-10. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  6. ↑ "Every Friday I Have Dinner With My Family' - My Style - Robert Jakobi, MD Metcalfe's Foods". Management Today. 2014-07-11. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  7. ↑ "How To Make Your First Million Dollars - Yo, Hailo And Others Explain". Forbes. 2014-08-13. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  8. ↑ "Popcorn maker tastes explosive growth". The Telegraph. 2014-02-24. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  9. ↑ "Metcalfe’s is the fastest growing private food and drink firm". Food Manufacture. 2014-12-08. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
  10. ↑ "Fast Tracks Ones to Watch". Fast Track. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  11. ↑ "Fast Track 100". Fast Track 100. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
  12. ↑ "Dynamic London and South entrepreneurs create 24,000 jobs and turn over £4.6 million". Ernst & Young. 2014-04-24. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  13. ↑ "EY Entrepreneur of the Year". Ernst & Young. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  14. ↑ "Metcalfe's Food Company Breakthrough 50 Awards". Breakthrough 50. Retrieved 2014-09-01.
  15. ↑ "Robert Jakobi: Metcalfe's Food Company". startups. 2014-10-29. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  16. ↑ "Fast Track 100". Fast Track 100. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  17. ↑ "2015 30 Under 30: Food & Wine". Forbes. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  18. ↑ "2015 30 Under 30". Forbes. Retrieved 2015-01-15.
  19. ↑ "One Young World Special Delegates". One Young World. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  20. ↑ "Three ways young people can become entrepreneurs". The Telegraph. 2014-10-20. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  21. ↑ "One Young World About Us". One Young World. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
  22. ↑ "Where to Find the Davos for Young People". Bloomberg. 2014-10-15. Retrieved 2015-01-18.