Confessions 1

This is something I’ve made a couple posts about, but I wanted to take some time out to explain this a bit more. You may have noticed that some of our top selling products are either out of stock or low on stock. The exception being marmalade and preserves. If you’ve read my previous blog, you know that they are now a strictly seasonal item. Anyway, back to the topic! The reason some of our top selling items i.e. Virgin Islands Rub is out of stock is because I haven’t had a licensed production facility since the end of the summer. So, I haven’t been manufacturing anything for a few months now. Lucky for me I really stocked up on our concoctions back in the spring/summer!

For 3 years I was sharing a facility with a bakery in Towson until they closed their doors. I did some searching for a few weeks before I narrowed down the best all-around option for me and the company. I wanted this to be a quick transition and to jump right back into it without skipping a beat. However, that didn’t happen. Transitioning to a new facility is quite costly for a small business. It is literally just me! I’m not some big corporation with endless funds. I can be completely transparent and say that If we didn’t have our family we wouldn’t be in operation. Anyway, not only do we have to pay the health department for this move, but we also need to get all new labeling that supports our new facility address. I won’t put a number on it, but it is a lot.

That’s the cost to do things the right way. A lot of small local companies don’t have a facility they operate out of. Some are operating out of their home and their labeling is not up to standards. Be wary of what you purchase and know where it is coming from. Sure, some things can be made at home and be supported under a “Cottage Food License”, but even that has restrictions. The health department is really understaffed and there are many loop holes that individuals take advantage of. Next time you sample something at an event, ask where it was made, inspect the label, all that good stuff.

Throughout this process of losing a facility and finding/securing a facility I was beating myself up mentally and emotionally. I am my own worst enemy. I became depressed and it started to show physically when I came down with strep throat and then shingles a few weeks after. It took a couple months for me to come to terms with everything and truly understand that I’m doing all that I can do. You can only control what is in your power. You must let go anything that you can’t. It’s an everyday practice, but I’m becoming more aware of my emotions and understanding them instead of forcing them into the abyss of my mind only to resurface later.

So where is our new facility going to be located? DRUMROLL…… Parkton, MD! This is just a production facility, and not a retail store. We never actually had a retail store, but I always got asked where my store was lol. Just like a local news station that was reporting on our cooking classes said we own a restaurant! That was news to me! Where is this restaurant, I want to eat there lol! The best part about this facility is it is super close to my house. I won’t have a long drive to and from depending on what hours I may be in the lab. I can’t wait to get back into production and to introduce some new things we’ve been planning! As always, thank you for the continued support. We truly appreciate you all!