Dana Company Looks to Husk For Growth
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowDana-based Brooke's Candy Co., the parent company of Brooke's Naturals has announced a partnership with a food incubator. Husk Foods in Greenfield will help produce and market the supply of Brooke's Naturals gluten-free baking mixes. Co-owner Brooke Schmidt says Husk has also set up an Amazon store for Brooke's Naturals brownie, banana bread and cookie mixes. Brooke's Naturals says the partnership will allow it to focus on its chocolates business.
February 25, 2015
News Release
DANA, Ind. – Over the last year and a half Husk Foods, of Greenfield, Ind., has placed their products on the shelves of more than 250 Midwest grocery stores from retail giants to small independents. They are best known for preserving locally grown vegetables. This month, Husk Foods is set to take their production skills to a new level, by partnering with Brooke’s Naturals, of Dana, Ind., baking mixes.
Brooke’s Candy Company, the parent company for Brooke’s Naturals, has ramped up their production since they were honored to have their handmade chocolate placed in the Grammy gift baskets. “It has been such a whirlwind. We are fortunate to partner with another small local company to produce further and market our wonderful baking mixes,” Brooke’s Candy Company President and Co-Owner Brooke Schmidt said.
Brooke’s Naturals formerly made their certified gluten and rice free mixes in a kitchen fit for a studio apartment in Manhattan. “We have a 5,000 sq/ft manufacturing facility that we can devote to manufacturing Brooke’s Naturals baking mixes in large batches,” Co-Founder of Husk Foods Nick Carter said. The partnership will allow Brooke’s Candy Company to focus on their worldwide recognized chocolates and Husk Foods to fill a void of their own.
Growing Into the Big Leagues
From June to September Husk Foods is inundated with processing local vegetables from sweet corn to butternut squash. From September through June, their factory is underutilized, but don’t let their big footprint diminish quality. “Our operation is still small. There are three people that work at the plant, Justin, Michelle, and Ryan. It is just that we are using a little bit bigger equipment, in a little bit larger space, doesn’t mean it is not handmade,” Carter said.
Under Husk Food’s company division Farm League, they will not only help to maximize the supply of Brooke’s baking mixes, but will help market her product too. The name Farm League stems from baseball where you may start in the Farm League before you make it to the Big Leagues. Husk Food’s goal with Farm League is to help food startups make it into the Big Leagues. “Husk Foods is a trusted vendor to Kroger, Whole Foods, and the list goes on. With their trust, we can introduce new products to them that we vetted,” Carter said.
The relationship between Husk Foods and Brooke’s Candy Company blossomed when Brooke attended a professional grower’s meeting in Indianapolis, with samples in hand. Carter’s wife is restricted to a gluten-free diet and fell in love with Brooke’s Natural baking mixes on the spot. “One of our biggest issues with gluten free food is it usually tastes very gritty. A lot of them rely on rice flour. It has an odd texture. One of the first things we noticed with Brooke’s gluten and rice free baking mixes is, I could not tell that it was gluten free,” Carter said.
Carter added “She has a product that can service millions of people across the country, and we have the skill to help her do that.” His first step was to launch Brooke’s baking mixes on Amazon, the largest Internet-based company in the United States. Now folks when ordering everything from books to Band-Aids can add in a case of their favorite gluten and rice free baking mix without ever leaving the comfort of their living room chair.
If Husk Foods products are not currently being sold by your local grocer do your part in helping to drive the local food economy by requesting them. For more information on Husk Foods visit: http://huskfoods.com/
Brooke’s Candy Co. is located at 247 Maple St. in Dana, Ind. The candy and gift shop hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. For more information or to order online, visit their website at www.brookescandyco.com.
Source: Brooke’s Candy Co.