Oh my have we been busy

We have all had one of those days. I have had one of those quarters. Now with everyone on their feet we are looking forward to a great 2016. Here is a little insight into my life and business from my end of the year letter. Hopefully it will inform a little bit of why I have been so quiet for so long and what I am looking forward to in the coming year. Best wishes to you all for 2016!

"Whew! 2015 blew by. We had a strong year with over a 75% growth in sales by August, and in May we were awarded a small business development grant by Whole Foods Market. We utilized that money to make much needed updates to our packaging, and it also allowed for some experimentation with recipes- out of which came one of the most popular jam flavors of the year: Cantaloupe Lime Mint. I will be working hard this summer to come out with a full line of melon jams; keep an eye out for them at markets in the late summer and early fall.

Also this year Ben and Max snack sponsored the Sac Food Swap in partnership with the River City Marketplace. This is an opportunity for members of the community to come together and swap (no cash is exchanged) great foods that they make in their home. At our last swap there was all kinds of great food: jams, salsa, bread, etc. We look forward to continuing the food swap in 2016 and building an even better relationship with River City Marketplace, which is quickly becoming one of the preeminent maker's markets in the central valley.
At the end of 2015 we experienced a setback that is all too common for sole proprietors. We had two family medical emergencies in October: my mother broke her hip and my youngest son Teddy fractured his skull. Though everyone is on the mend and business is quickly returning to normal, this derailed all business activity until the last two weeks of December. While we had strong sales in our last few weeks of the year, we will have to spend some time rebuilding in the first quarter. This is also why many of you that I work with on a regular basis did not hear from me in the last quarter of the year.
We are all looking forward to growth in 2016. With markets, classes, media appearances and speaking engagements already booked, it is shaping up to be a banner year. It will also hold some much needed updates to the website to drive more sales and an increasing presence at markets and events around the central valley and bay area.
 
Jen Cooper
Owner Ben and Max Snacks
www.benandmaxsnack.com
Max (5) and Ben (2) and Baby Teddy (1) too!"