Mainebiz

V O L . X X X N O. X X V N OV E M B E R 4 , 2 0 2 4 22 FA M I LY - OW N E D B U S I N E S S F amily dynamics are just the tip of the iceberg of what family-owned businesses deal with on a daily basis. ree family-owned food businesses Mainebiz spoke with — Gifford's Ice Cream in Skowhegan, Raye's Mustard in Eastport and Len Libby Candies in Scarborough — say owning a family business has pros and cons. Challenges range from what every business deals with — competition, labor shortages and inflation — to the dynamics of working with a sibling, spouse or relative and lack of boundaries. And that's not to mention keeping up with contin- uous change while getting ready to pass the business to the next generation. ese family-owned businesses have faced various challenges, including fire, floods, construction proj- ects, and the development of new products. "e only way I can explain it to someone is, 'When [else] would you be able to see your siblings, aunts and uncles, cousins and parents daily?'" says Lindsay Skilling, CEO of Gifford's Ice Cream. "It really is unique and rare. You always have that support system from your family no mat- ter what kind of day you have. You know you can depend on them and they will lift you up and like- wise for me to them." Ice cream brand ready for 2025 Gifford's Ice Cream is a fifth-generation company that operates manufacturing in Skowhegan and retail stands in Bangor, Skowhegan and Waterville. Skilling's grandfather, Randall Gifford, and his wife Audrey bought a dairy in Farmington and in the 1970s purchased Hunt's Dairy in Skowhegan, where production continues today. In 1983, they sold the milk portion of Gifford's to Oakhurst Dairy, where Gifford's still get its milk and cream. Later, they transitioned from the third generation to Skilling's father and uncle. Skilling became CEO in 2016. Each of the siblings and cousins started in roles where the family had a need, and then from there, based on strengths and what was the best fit for the business. "My brother, sister and cousin are members of our senior leadership team, which meets regularly," says Skilling. "is group is charged with guiding the company's strategic growth and direction. While we may disagree at times, we're extremely collaborative. As CEO, I value having this trusted group to discuss important initiatives, especially as I weigh and con- sider long-term company goals." Each family member has a role, but they all know how to multitask. "We literally work side by side most days and if we have to, we can wear multiple hats in order to get the job done," Skilling says. "For many of us we've worked in different roles at Gifford's and can empa- thize with our colleagues' challenges and are ready to help solve problems if needed. We work together well because we share common values. We all believe in the same mission — to make the best ice cream pos- sible — and to do it in an environment that values the people making that ice cream, the customers buy- ing it and the people who enjoy it." e past two years haven't been easy at Gifford's. In February 2023, a fire caused extensive damage to the main production facility in Skowhegan, forcing the plant to shut down for months. In the short-term, the company worked with out-of-state manufacturers to produce ice cream for retail, food service and ice cream stands. At the same time, Gifford's made the necessary repairs to the building. e fire was ruled accidental and production has resumed. is past winter, the ice cream stand in Farmington was damaged by flooding. In August, the company made the decision to close the stand permanently. e Farmington stand opened in 1982, two years after Gifford's had established its first shop in Skowhegan. "at stand was the second stand that we opened and a core piece of our history," says Skilling. "Dealing with all that in one year was a lot, but get- ting through it every day is a new challenge. at is life and business. We keep moving forward." Although the business has faced many chal- lenges over the past two years, Skilling says she is optimistic about the future. Renovations are fin- ishing up on a mini-golf project at the Waterville stand, which will reopen in the spring. "As far as the manufacturing end of things, we are just hoping to get back to more normalcy once our factory is 100% completed so we can return to making all of the flavors we used to make and prod- uct lines," says Skilling. Mustard company expansion Raye's Mustard was founded in 1900 in Eastport by J. Wesley Raye, the 20-year-old son of a sea captain. He had just returned home from the Spanish-American War and had the idea to produce mustard to supply Eastport's then-thriving sardine industry. e business took off, and since then, the Raye family, now in its fourth generation of ownership, has maintained its vintage machinery that dates to the second Industrial Revolution. e machinery uses the traditional cold-grinding process, which preserves the qualities of whole seeds, natural herbs and spices. "We view ourselves as stewards of a family tra- dition and an iconic Maine brand that is a source of pride for Eastport," owners Kevin and Karen Raye, a husband-and-wife team, write in a joint email. "We know how rare it is for a small family business to survive for four generations, and we look forward to handing it off to the next genera- tion at some point." With the collapse of the sardine industry in the early 1980s, Raye's reoriented the business to gour- met and specialty mustards that could be sold in supermarkets and specialty shops. 3 family-owned businesses share how they make it work While Maine's family-owned businesses are facing challenges, one thing is keeping them going B y A l e x i s W e l l s F O C U S P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F G I F F O R D ' S I C E C R E A M From left, Lindsay Skillings, JC Gifford, Staci Gifford and Sam Plourd.

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