Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Paganin.
Hi Claudia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
In 2007, I settled in Austin, Texas to raise my family and build a life rooted in creativity, resilience, and good food. Brazilian cheese bread was always part of our story—more than a recipe, it was a tradition. When my values evolved and I chose a vegan lifestyle out of respect for animals and the planet, I quickly realized something was missing: the foods I loved no longer existed in a way that aligned with my beliefs.
In 2020, I saw that gap as an opportunity. With unexpected time on my hands and a clear problem to solve, I went back to the kitchen—not as a hobbyist, but as a product developer. I tested relentlessly, measuring, mixing, failing, and refining until I had created something that delivered on taste, texture, and purpose. The result was a plant-based Brazilian cheese bread that my family loved just as much as the original.
That product became the foundation of RioGood. I didn’t just want to make a better bread—I wanted to make plant-based living easier. RioGood was built on the belief that when sustainable choices are convenient, familiar, and delicious, they scale. By lowering the barrier to entry, we can help shift everyday eating habits and create meaningful change in the food system.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Starting a company is never easy. The road is full of bumps, and every decision—big or small—matters. I learned quickly that mistakes are inevitable, but addressing them early, while they are still small, can make the difference between moving forward and being forced to start over.
One of our early challenges was finding compostable bags that met both our sustainability standards and our product needs. Even when the product itself was ready, packaging proved to be a complex and time-consuming hurdle. Getting into markets was another major challenge—but staying there was even harder. Shelf space is limited, and for every product that makes it onto a shelf, there are thousands more waiting for the same opportunity.
These challenges taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of persistence. Building a company isn’t just about having a great idea—it’s about continuously solving problems, learning from setbacks, and pushing forward, even when the path isn’t clear.
As you know, we’re big fans of RioGood. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We specialize in vegan cheese bread and vegan parmesan, offering high-quality dry mixes that customers can easily customize at home. What truly sets us apart from other brands is this flexibility — our mixes allow consumers to adjust ingredients to fit their dietary preferences, whether they’re vegan or not, oil-free, or simply want to add their own creative touch.
We are a family-owned business, and that spirit of collaboration is at the heart of everything we do. Everyone pitches in, from product development to packaging to customer service, which allows us to maintain close attention to quality and build genuine relationships with our customers.
You can find our products in select retail stores as well as online, making it convenient for people to enjoy delicious, plant-based comfort food wherever they are.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
When starting a business, it’s important to keep an open mind. There are always challenges and so many new things to learn along the way. Sometimes, you may even end up selling something completely different from what you originally planned — and that’s okay.
For example, we initially started developing frozen vegan cheese bread. But then we had to ask ourselves: how are we going to ship this efficiently and affordably? That question made us rethink everything. Instead of giving up, we went back to the drawing board and developed dry mixes instead — a solution that is easy to store, simple to ship, and still delivers the same delicious experience.
Being flexible allowed us to turn a challenge into an opportunity, and that shift ultimately helped shape who we are today.
Pricing:
- Small Cheese bread mix $7.00
- Large Cheese bread mix $12.00
- Small vegan parmesan mix $6.00
- largevegan parmesan mix $10.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://riogood.com
- Instagram: eatriogood
- Facebook: eatriogood
- LinkedIn: caludia paganin newl;ands
