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Mom & Pop Shops Doing Business Together
by Lisa Diggs
How does a “Mom & Pop” deli in Southeastern Michigan learn about the gourmet products made by an entrepreneur in Grand Ledge? Through Buy Michigan Now, of course.
When Debbie and Joe Belcher opened their Harrison Township deli a few years ago, they made a conscious decision to feature as many Michigan-based products as they could. When asked why, Debbie simply said, “Because it’s the right thing to do. We’re taking care of each other when we buy from Michigan first.”
With so many great food & beverage companies available in our state, it seems like it would be an easy task to indentify local goods to carry at The Pointe Pastry, Deli & Wine shop. Unfortunately this has not always been the case.
As new entrepreneurs, the Belchers quickly discovered that finding products they thought their customers would buy, that were reasonably priced and available in a small enough quantity to try them out, is anything but easy.
That’s why we introduced them to Mich to Mich Opportunities, a unique feature on our Business page that gives organizations and consumers an opportunity to describe products or services that they are looking to purchase along with basic contact information. It is not a place to sell one’s products, but rather a place to look for new vendors.
Businesses who think they can fill a need may then make direct contact, which is exactly what Pam Redman did in this case. After viewing the Pointe Pastry Deli opportunity, she called Debbie to tell her about the many dips, dressings, and spreads available through her Grand Ledge-based business, Pam’s Pantry.
Pam explained about the convenience, freshness, and affordability of her products--each packet is hand measured to create a unique flavor with no added fillers or preservatives. They come in a wide range of tasty mixtures including: Cheesy Bac’n, Pineapple Passion, Sweet ‘N Sassy Salsa, and Definitely Dill.
As a result of that first conversation, the two women decided the next logical step was for Pam to send some samples to Debbie who in turn served them to her customers. After a great response, she began placing orders, and the rest is history, at least as it comes to Pam’s Pantry.
The Belcher’s would like to be offering an even wider variety of Michigan products; however, the same challenge exists. How do they find quality products at reasonable prices, available without large minimum order requirements?
The answer for Debbie is to go back to Mich to Mich Opportunities. “I’m still trying to find more options, so I posted another request, and hope to find someone else like Pam.” To learn more about Debbie’s need or if you have products or services that you can’t find, visit Mich to Mich Opportunities and make a post of your own, or discover a potential new customer. And when you find what you’re looking for, don’t forget to brag about them in Mich to Mich Connections.
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