2025 was quite the year! I’m stepping into 2026 with renewed creativity and love for what we do.

The first few months of 2025, I had unexpected side effects from a surgery that impacted my tastebuds. Spicy food tasted dull, sweets tasted bitter, salty foods tasted sweet. Recipe development (the thing I love the most) wasn’t possible. There was no way to know how long it would last. I had a tough time navigating this, combined with the overall economic uncertainty we all felt. I’m thankful every day that my taste gradually came back.

In March, we introduced protein cups! They have been a super popular addition to the menu. In May, we started offering a fresh, made-to-order bulk option for our meat alternatives.

For my birthday at the end of May, I went on a Wander Women trip to the North Shore of MN. What a great experience (and so beautiful)! If you’ve never been camping or have dietary restrictions, and are interested in their trips, don’t hesitate. They are so accommodating!

In June, I was inducted into Les Dames — an international philanthropic organization for women in hospitality.

In July, we were a vendor at the Northside Market — I loved making brand new items, talking to you about our food, and putting more faces to names.

In August, Justin and I eloped to Colorado! Going on a brand new adventure was the perfect way to kick off our marriage. If you’re considering a CO elopement, I cannot recommend our photographer Kimberly Crist enough.

In September, we shifted towards compostable packaging! We are now almost 100% plastic-free.

In November, I was selected as one of 40 Women to Watch by the Iowa Restaurant Association.

In December, we started our partnership with the Refill Market — a long time in the making! We also took time off, and I was able to find a great balance of rest and recipe development, which was an energizing way to ring in the new year.

If your year is starting out rough, or you’re feeling unsure where you’re even going, remember that in a few months, you just might be in a completely different place. Thank you, as always, for being here through it all. See you soon ♥️

- Madeline