Worcester Business Journal

34 Worcester Business Journal | April 29, 2024 | wbjournal.com P O W E R 1 0 0 F O O D , D R I N K & M A R I J U A N A Allie Catlin Co-owner Smith's Country Cheese, in Winchendon Employees: 14 Residence: Winchendon Colleges: Franklin Pierce University; Suffolk University In a country full of mega farms and as small businesses across all industries struggle with the move to even more online commerce, Smith's Country Cheese is a breath of fresh air. Running a small dairy farm and creamery was something Catlin and her co-owners had to learn, but seven years in, they seem to have the right idea. Bringing a flavor of dairy-farm haven Vermont to North Central Massachusetts, Catlin, her husband Jake, and her brother- and sister-in-law Mike and Leah raise 200 Holstein dairy cows on 43 acres in Winchendon, producing 180,000 pounds of Gouda, havarti, and cheddar cheeses for sale at Smith's Country Cheese farm store, local farmers markets, and online. Using raw milk free of antibiotics and hormones and locally sourced herbs and spices, Smith's is committed to selling fresh and natural food. Allie and Jake left jobs in fitness and law enforcement and bought the business from founder Dave Smith seven years ago. Smith and his wife founded the business in 1985 and trained the Catlins for 18 months before they took over. They didn't have experience, outside of their summer jobs spent working on farms growing up in nearby Ashburnham. Mike and Leah, also novices, joined the family business to create a working farm operation open to the community. People are invited to visit the cows and watch Smith's employees make the cheese when they come to the shop. Sustainable farming is a central aspect of Catlin's philosophy. A grid-tied photovoltaic solar system offsets 70% of hot water and 30% of electricity costs on the farm, according to the company website. Meanwhile, the Catlins make their own compost from cow manure to manage farm waste in a green way. - E.M. Caroline Frankel President Caroline's Cannabis, in Uxbridge and Hopedale Employees: 25 Residence: Douglas College: Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island Frankel has been breaking down barriers in the legal Massachusetts cannabis industry since its beginning, and her latest breakthrough will make it easier for entrepreneurs and small businesses to find a foothold in an industry dominated by large, multistate operators. Industries across America are male-dominated, and the nascent cannabis indus- try is no exception: Only 39% of cannabis executives were female in 2023, accord- ing to a report by industry trade publication MJBizDaily. Frankel represents one of more visible women leaders in the marijuana space as the name, face, and brains behind Caroline's Cannabis, with dispensaries in Uxbridge and Hopedale. In 2024, the business celebrated five years of operation. is is no small feat for any small business, but it is particularly noteworthy in the cannabis space, where in- tense competition and tight regulations have already sunk a number of businesses. Frankel made waves in January, when her company settled a lawsuit against the Town of Uxbridge over the government's community impact fees, a provision of Mass. law allowing municipalities to collect a percentage of revenue from cannabis firms to cover costs imposed on the municipality. e settlement returned $1.7 million to Caroline's, with Frankel and other leaders in the industry immediately calling on all municipalities to abandon these fees, which they have long argued are onerous and don't reflect the actual impact of cannabis businesses on communities. Frankel has upgraded her business, too, as Caroline's now possesses a manufac- turing license from the state, allowing the company to produce pre-rolled joints. Her business has even attracted cannabis royalty, as the rapper and famous fan of marijuana Snoop Dogg visited the store in 2020, which attracted hundreds of people to Uxbridge. - E.C. Dani Babineau Co-founder & CEO Redemption Rock Brewing, in Worcester Employees: 12 Residence: Worcester College: Babson College Redemption Rock is known for brewing beer, but Babineau has been hard at work brewing a sense of community and kinship in Worcester's small business community. While Redemption Rock is not among the largest craft breweries in Central Massachusetts – ranking 18th with 736 barrels brewed in 2022 – the brewery has punched above its weight by becoming a staple of the local business community. As one the co-founders of the brewery and taproom, Babineau has been vocal in bringing attention to the issues faced by local small business owners, as they collectively battle against rising costs and changing consumer habits. This communal spirit runs through everything the brewery does. The business' dedication to paying staff members a livable wage allows the brewery to send collected tips to local nonprofits, and the brewery's status as a certified B Corp – one of only four in Central Massachusetts – requires Babineau to constantly consider the wider social and environmental impact of all business- related decisions. More than just a brewery, Redemption Rock's taproom provides a communal meeting space for numerous events. This includes providing a safe haven for Love Your Labels Drag Story Time and being the location for a number of networking events, including the No Jerks Network, a self-described monthly meetup for cool people doing good work hosted by local graphic designer Travis Duda. Babineau's collaborative spirit extends to the brewery's products, as Redemption Rock has teamed up with a number of local organizations to produce co-branded products. e most recent example of this teamwork is "She's e Man," a Shakespeare-inspired unhopped IPA the brewery released in partnership with the Hanover eatre Repertory to help highlight the 2024 season. - E.C. PHOTO | COURTESY OF CAROLINE'S CANNABIS

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