Work

Some of the best business ideas begin at home. Although Sandy Kuhlers of rural Fairmont, Minnesota had a lifelong interest in food, it wasn’t until 2003 that she came across a simply delicious way to start a business.

Sandy loves everything food related – gardening, baking, cooking and canning. For years, she made jams and jellies, giving them to family and friends as gifts. In 2003 she was invited to sell some jars of her homemade preserves at her friend’s garage sale and she made $100 in two days. “People were just excited to see homemade jam,” Sandy says. The garage sale success lead Sandy to the local farmer’s market where she sold her jams and jellies under the name Simply Homemade. “To my astonishment, I sold jelly like crazy. Every year it got bigger and bigger.”

Simply Homemade became a commercial business in the spring of 2006. “Going commercial opened many doors. I was able to buy bigger equipment and make bigger batches,” Sandy says. “Instead of making 10 small batches at home, I can now rent space at a commercial kitchen and make one and be done.” Simply Homemade offers 31 different kinds of jams and jellies, from apricot (Sandy’s favorite) to strawberry-rhubarb and raspberry hot pepper jelly. Her five varieties of hot pepper jellies are popular choices served over a block of cream cheese, used as a sandwich spread or meat rub.

In addition to selling at the Fairmont Farmer’s Market, she also travels throughout the tri-state area to sell her products at craft shows. Simply Homemade is available for sale at 19 locations throughout Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa. Sandy is a true entrepreneur, handling a majority of the business on her own. Her husband Dana and their four sons help out on occasion, but Sandy considers her friend Sandee Nelson her biggest asset. “Sandee helps me make the jellies. I also bounce a lot of ideas off of her and I appreciate that she gives me her honest opinion. We have an incredible amount of fun laughing as we do our work. She travels to shows with me from time to time.”

Sandy hopes to continue growing Simply Homemade. “At some point, I’d like to private label my jams and jellies.” While she says that starting a business was a bold move, Sandy loves making and selling Simply Homemade. “I feel like the jelly is a part of me because I made it. It’s the only thing I think I could sell.” For more information on Simply Homemade, check out her website, www.simplyhomemadefoods.com.

Products:

Jams and Jellies

• Apple Butter
• Apricot Jam
• Blackberry Jam
• Black Raspberry Jam
• Blueberry Jam
• Cranberry Jam
• Cranberry Jelly
• Chokecherry Jelly
• Elderberry Jelly
• Gooseberry Jam
• Ground Cherry Jam
• Peach Jam
• Raspberry Jam
• Rhubarb Jam
• Strawberry Jam
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam
• Tomato Jam
• Tripleberry Jam
• Hot Pepper Jelly
• Raspberry Hot Pepper Jelly
• Tripleberry Hot Pepper Jelly
• Cranberry Hot Pepper Jelly
• Strawberry Hot Pepper Jelly
• Hot Pepper Jelly

Sandy also offers Low Sugar Jams

In addition to the eight ounce size jars, Sandy offers smaller jars (2.5 ounces) for wedding favors and gift baskets.

Sandy’s Bar Recipe:

Apricot Bars

1½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup brown sugar

1½ cups quick oats

¾ cup butter or margarine

1 8 ounce jar (1 cup) Simply Homemade Apricot Jam

Mix dry ingredients. Blend in butter. Pat two-thirds of dry mixture onto bottom of greased 9 x 13 pan. Drop spoonfuls of jam onto crust. Cover jam with rest of dry mixture. Bake at 350˚ F for 30-35 minutes.

MINNESOTA:

• HyVee
  Fairmont, MN 507.238.4323
• Lake Sisseton Saloon
  Fairmont, MN 507.238.1775
• The Extra Touch
  Fairmont, MN 507.238.2484
• Kettle River Carving Co.
  Hinckley, MN 320.320.6033
• Kevin’s Market
  Lake Crystal, MN 507.726.6868
• Meats and More
  Mankato, MN 507.387.2467
• My Sister’s Kitchen
  Mankato, MN 507.625.2025
• Schmidt’s Meat Market
  Nicollet, MN
  507.232.3438
• Just Food Coop
  Northfield, MN 507.650.0159
• Tak Shak
  Sanborn, MN 507.648.3499
  www.takshakmn.com
• St. Peter Food Coop
  St. Peter, MN 507.934.4880
• Welcome Meats
  Welcome, MN 507.728.8670

IOWA:

• Boyz N Bearies
  Okoboji, IA
  712.336.4449
• HyVee
  Spirit Lake, IA
  712.336.4302
• Forbes’ Locker
  Spirit Lake, IA
  712.349.2214
• Iowa Lakes Organic Market
  Milford, IA
  712.338.2323
  www.iowalakesorganicmarket.com
• Ventura Meat Locker
  Ventura, IA

NEBRASKA:

• HyVee
  90th & Center Road
  Omaha, NE
  402.384.9072