MetroWest495 Biz

beautiful area and we've been riding our bikes in Concord … on the Min- uteman path and swimming in Walden Pond," Weiler said. With its plentiful outdoor amenities, and vibrant local food scene, Concord also aligns with the DRINKmaple brand, according to Weiler. She said it's "really, really exciting to be surrounded by like-minded people." Beyond 'tofu and twigs' That includes other food businesses, such as Debra's Natural Gourmet, a longtime natural grocery next door to DRINKmaple's headquarters in West Concord. Debra's is a local mainstay that sells many of the products made by small local food companies, including the DRINKmaple beverage; Number Nine Chips and Salsa products produced by Paino Organics, another Concord com- pany; and Pure7 Chocolate products, made in neighboring Carlisle. Adam Stark, whose mother, Debra, founded the business 25 years ago, back when natural food "was all tofu and twigs," agreed with Whelan, the town manager, on the point that the history and culture of Concord is creat- ing a breeding ground for the local food industry. "These are people who were drawn to Concord as a community and then said, 'Let's start a business,' " said Stark, who owns a minority stake in the business and plans to take over when his mother retires. He added that he would prefer to — in fact, he really wants to — "resent the competition," especially from busi- nesses that compete with Debra's for lunchtime customers. "And yet these people do such a good job," Stark said. 'A good time to be in business' For John Paino, a natural foods industry veteran and owner of Paino Organics in Concord, the more com- petition, the merrier. Paino, whose company makes the popular Number 9 Chips and Salsa products sold in the natural foods section at many small grocery stores, said he likes to get feedback on new products, such as the Swoffle, the company's new waffle cookie inspired by the Dutch Stroop- wafel, from others in the local food industry. Paino said conditions are ripe for the industry to continue to grow, here and elsewhere. "There's a real resurgence of local and farm-to-table (consumption), not just here but in this country," Paino said. He added that natural foods are becoming more mainstream, and that means the opportunity for natural food companies to sell products at regu- lar grocery stores as well as specialty stores. "It's a really good time to be in busi- ness," Paino said. Meanwhile, Whelan said town officials are considering revising the permitting process so that food compa- nies, and companies of all types, might find the process of opening in Concord a little easier. As Stark puts it, "If you want to be here, you've got to jump through some hoops." It's a fact he attributes to the town's historical nature. "So much of the (town's approach) is really about preservation," he said. Streamlining permits on the table? Whelan said that while preserv- ing Concord's character is important, Town Hall also wants to be as agreeable as possible when it comes to permitting projects. Recently, the town issued a request-for-proposals for a plan to help streamline the permitting process. "We are trying to make it more transparent and a little bit easier for folks," Whelan said. While the permitting process was ar- duous for Canty, of Woods Hill Table, it's been tempered by the enthusiasm town officials have shown for her busi- ness since it opened. And it was well worth the work to be part of the Concord food scene. Canty loves the fact that she can get her ingre- dients from other local businesses, and she foresees the formation of some kind of industry association in the future. "I feel like we're having a food revo- lution," Canty said. n John Paino, who owns Paino Organics in Concord, sees growing interest in farm-to-table eating. MetroWest495 Biz | May 2015 25 Looking for a Successful Business Exit Strategy? — ROCG Can Help! — ROCG specializes in helping small to medium-sized, privately-owned and family businesses with exit/transition planning, value building and change or succession planning. A recognized thought leader, we've developed a unique understanding of the dynamics and psychology of owner-managed companies and what it takes to drive the results they need. We help dozens of business owners each year meet their personal and financial objectives. For more information, call Terry Shepherd at (617) 412-4640 or email him at terence.shepherd@rocg.com UPCOMING SEMINAR: Planning for Business Exit Westboro Double Tree May 28 • 7:30-9:30am Sheraton Framingham Hotel June 11 • 7:30-9:30am In conjunction with: ROCG BOSTON OFFICE 1671 Worcester Rd, Suite 303 Framingham, MA T: 617.412.4640 Terence.Shepherd@rocg.com https://americas.rocg.com business exit & transition specialists CONCORD s page 23

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