Highlights from 2016
Dear Zen Friends –
Thank you for joining us on our slow cooking journey!
Before we look toward the New Year together we would like to take a moment to look back at our highlights from 2016…
- Doubled our sales
- Our first in-store demonstration at Whole Foods Market
- Finalist in Chicago’s Next Best Food Product
- Appearing on Windy City Live and NPR‘s Morning Shift
- Created and funded a successful Kickstarter Campaign
- Exhibited at the Fancy Food Show in New York City
- Co-branded 2 meal kits with Peapod
- Finalist in 10th Congressional District Entrepreneurial Excellence in Leadership award
- Sold over 1,200 blends at the One of a Kind Show
and give thanks to the people who have helped us along the way starting with…
Our partners at Peapod – we can’t even begin to tell you how much we have enjoyed our experience working with this company. From the VP of Merchandising, Tony Stallone, who took a chance on us, to Peapod’s Prepared Foods Manager – Donna Munsterman, and our local friend and consultant, Caryn Africk , we have been blown away by their high level of professionalism and quality. If you haven’t tried Peapod – DO! You’ll love the simplicity and ease that it will add to your week, especially our Number 1 selling Chicken Tortilla Soup Meal Kits!
My amazing sister, Ann Jones, for overseeing the terrific Kickstarter campaign first conceived by two young interns from Lake Forest High School, Allen Yuan and Lucas Sacherer, and then created by Jane’s friend and neighbor Sonya Booth and our videographer Rachael Glass.
Our fabulous grocery partners at Whole Foods Market such as Ruben Augustino (Team Leader) and Jack Jasper (Grocery Team Leader) at their Deerfield store, who have helped educated us on the ins/outs of growing within the Whole Foods family. And new local grocery store managers such as Tom Harris of Kramer Foods (Hinsdale) who are giving us a spot to grow. We also loved our experience with Ira Samuels and the team at Mrs. Green’s, and growing with independent local butchers – Paulina Market (Chicago), Vermont Butcher (Manchester, VT) and Grant Street Grocery (Caspar, WY)
Darlene Jafske, head of Entrepreneurism at Lake Forest College, for sending fabulous interns to work with us each Spring!
Our new friend and social media guru Cheryl Leahy who has generously shared her time and talent to help us gain more visibility within the very crowded online world.
Our fellow foodie, The Bread and Buddha founder, Pam Gross. We’ve loved collaborating with her and are excited to partner with her next week on Slow Down & Savor (spots still available!)
Our Zen Design team of Linda Cassady and Kerri Sherman who have helped us create the “look of Zen.” Our behind the scenes team member Amy Loveland, who continues to stay focused, calm, and attentive to all the details.
New team member Ani Mattson who has helped us add ten more stores to the Zen ranks in just a few weeks, and Linda Krusmark who jumped in mid-November to help package and seal over 300 individual mulling spices.
Good friends such as Khris Condon, for pulling together the details for our new place on Amazon and Peggy Jadwin, for spending countless hours putting together the framework necessary for us to grow.
Our New Year’s post wouldn’t be complete without saying thanks to individuals in our kitchen cabinet. The group varies from year to year, but members who have been a consistent presence, such as Melissa Oakley, Joanie Muench, Mason Reay and Heather Wright, have been particularly helpful to us as we made crucial decisions along the way.
And last, but never least, my amazing business partner, Jane McKay. Jane has both overseen the creation of our blends and recipes and personally packaged over 10,000 by hand. Her kindness, intelligence and integrity, along with her beautiful smile, help make each day at the zen of slow cooking joyful!
So as we enter a new year, with new challenges and new opportunities for growth, I invite each of you to slow down, be gentle with yourself, and practice the art of patience.
With gratitude-
Meg & Jane
