Business name: McSteven’s.
Co-owners: Brent Huston and Dave Demsky.
Address: 5600 N.E. 88th St.
What the business does: McSteven’s manufactures specialty foods, which it sells wholesale as well as through the Web and an onsite factory store. Products include mixes for cocoa, cappuccino, brownies, bread and lemonade, and are offered in tins, packets, bags and gift sets.
How has the economy affected your business: Mani Boatright, marketing manager, said the company was challenged at the start of the recession, but McSteven’s used the time to create new products that are doing very well now that the economy is beginning to move again.
Greatest challenge: Government regulations and wholesale customer requirements that change constantly. Boatright said they have hired two full-time people in the past year just to make sure they follow and meet all the requirements.
What’s ahead: Boatright said the company is expanding its programs and product offerings. It now offers more hot chocolate in collegiate colors for more than 100 colleges and universities. It has also increased products that can be used for fundraising or corporate gifts and has obtained licenses to sell products with links to Mary Engelbreit, Peanuts, Elvis, Hello Kitty and others. She said the company is doing more to promote its retail factory store and use that space to offer a range of gifts, not just from the McSteven’s product line.
