Mom Made Foods

When she looked for a fast and healthy alternative, she found that overly processed jar food was the mainstay of the market. Heather came to the Alexandria SBDC in January of 2006 with the idea to manufacture and sell all-natural frozen baby food. The SBDC put her in touch with resources in the community and reviewed the City and State permitting processes. We discussed target markets, distribution, and other aspects of her business and recommended a book from the SBDC library, From Kitchen To Market. Heather now considers that book a must for anyone breaking into the food industry. She was fortunate to acquire the use of a commercial kitchen which is often the biggest obstacle for a startup food business.

She founded her LLC corporation in May of 2006, selling her organic, frozen baby food at the local farmers’ market. By April, 2007, her product was in 30 stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Along the way, she has sought the advice of the Alexandria SBDC as well as our colleagues in other SBDCs in markets where her product was being introduced. She has relied on our research services through the James J. Hill Reference Library to gain insight into opportunities to market her products by locating pediatricians’ offices in the areas around the stores carrying her products. Through the Alexandria SBDC she has participated in a MBA team project with the graduate students at Virginia Tech, to assess the new competition in this rapidly expanding area of the food industry. This competitive analysis will assist her as she expands her business.

Heather has moved to a contract manufacturer to produce her product according to the strict standards she demands. Since her product is frozen, it does not require the heavy processing that jarred foods do, thereby retaining natural nutrients. She and her development team are expanding into foods for older babies and toddlers and in talks with retail chains nationally. Her company has been featured in local newspapers and local news channels, as well as the Oprah Winfrey Show.