2015. You Were a Doozy.
In many ways, Made with Local was re-born this year. It was the beginning of some seriously big/scary/enlivening leaps that have allowed our little business to come closer to realizing who it really is.
Last winter was a tough one for us. Business doubts. Sales-halting back-to-back snowstorms. Big decisions. At home with a 6 month old and going (more than) a little shack wacky. Yup, behind the scenes here at MwL we are real folks. Women in their early 30's mostly, with little kids (including a brand-spankin new babe for Kathy), undoubtedly a screw loose, and a vision to build a truly community-rooted healthy foods company.
But as it does, the universe sent us a few nudges in the Spring, and our little business had a light shone on it by some amazing humans who are now irreplaceable members of the MwL team and we just friggin' went for it. Ramped up production and went pedal to the metal and in August we launched our Loaded Oats instant oatmeal into Sobeys; then I got married 2 weeks later. Yup. Screw loose. In September we landed a really awesome opportunity to do private label bars for a grocery chain in Ontario called Farm Boy. Heard of 'em? Their 'Farm Boy' brand Real Food Bars are MwL bars in disguise!
This Fall brought a partnership with Bandha Bars who's been helping to spread our bars and Loaded Oats to many more stores in the Maritimes and our list of Sobeys has grown from 17 stores to almost 30 in just a couple of months.
The most rewarding of all is that our social enterprise production kitchen is busier than ever and we've added space and started working within a second kitchen! This means even more folks at the Flowercart in the Annapolis Valley now have gainful employment because of YOU! Our amazing customers and all of the stores who love MwL's products and what we stand for - which is to love & nourish our community.
2016 is surely going to bring all kinds of new adventures and challenges. But we're committed to continue blazing this little trail of real food + social enterprise + local love as we grow and evolve!
Wishing you all a 2016 full of joy and health and whatever fills your cup. xxoo
