What’s in Your Sausage? The Importance of Certifying Food free-from Allergens
Eating at a Meeting Podcast Episode 56
Celebrating Women’s HERstory Month with Loree Mulay Weisman
From first selling sausage for a local 4th of July Festival in 1990, Loree Mulay Weisman is proud to run the 31 year old food company that sells all products that are clean, paleo-friendly, gluten-free, and top 8 allergen free.
Though the ingredients are now “on-trend” her recipes is from her family’s centuries old tradition.
Learn how Loree ensures her food is certified allergen-free foods and how that allows everyone to eat together. She shares how she sources the pork and beef, been successful in marketing the products, where to buy them in stores and for food service.
What do you do?
I lead a company called Mulay’s Sausage. The company was founded in 1990.
What inspired/instigated you to do what you do?
As ski bums in Crested Butte, CO we were looking for ways to supplement the low wages working four jobs. We used my Nana’s recipe from Sicily, linked up 400 sausages and sold out at the 4th of July fair.
How did you get here?
It was a long journey to today as Mulay’s was a “hobby business” for so long. After 20 years in the lodging business, Mulay’s had grown enough to make it our primary business.
How are you making a mark — HerStory — in the global food and beverage system to ensure it is safer, more sustainable and inclusive?
I am a woman in a man’s world. We have committed to only buying sustainably raised heritage pork from small family farmers. We pay our farmers a living wage, a negotiated set price not based on commodity markets. Our recipes are simple, clean and natural, the way my family has made sausage for generations.
What are your greatest career accomplishments?
Being able to survive through the hardest times and pivot the business to continue to grow. I think I am only getting better at what I do, learning and growing as I go.
It is women’s history month…how do you want to be remembered in history?
As a strong, stubborn woman who got things done, cared about people and made a difference in their lives. Living life to the fullest having no regrets.
What has been your greatest obstacle and greatest joy from what you do?
It’s was a challenge trying to communicate the benefits of what we do early on as we have always been ahead of the curve. The most hurtful was having trusted business partners take advantage of our inexperience and almost put us out of business. Using that experience to learn, grow, and thrive has been exciting.
I love making people happy with food! Good food, healthy food! There is nothing like seeing a person cry with tears of joy because they can now eat a meatball or a breakfast sausage.
What words of wisdom did your mother/grandmothers/aunts share with you?
My Mom, if Catholic, would be a saint. She is the most selfless, giving person I will ever know. She instilled in us (I have 2 sisters) a great sense of self confidence and responsibility to do the right thing. We were always held accountable for our actions.
Who has significantly influenced your life?
My Mom and Dad, and our great, large loving family. I am very lucky.
Looking back, what would you have done differently? What would you do again?
No regrets! I never want to go back and love the thrill of moving forward.
If you could have anyone in the world over for dinner, who would you choose and why?
My friends and family, because I love them and they love me.
Links:
Connect with Loree — Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn | Pinterest
Check out other featured guests on the Eating at a Meeting podcast
Read about the other women who are making HERstory in food and beverage.
