Mainebiz

V O L . X X I I N O. X X S E P T E M B E R 5 , 2 0 1 6 24 ey decline to cite revenue, but say their sales fig- ures are twice the start-up loan amount they received from Coastal Enterprises Inc., the Brunswick-based nonprofit that assists with rural business development. e Brodeurs have carved a niche for themselves producing potato chips using natural, mostly Maine- sourced ingredients — potatoes, sunflower oil, sea salt, maple syrup and other flavors. Located at 491 U.S. Route 1 in Freeport, Vintage Maine Kitchen is in a 1,300-square-foot suite formerly occupied by Mom's Organic Munchies, which moved to larger quarters elsewhere in Freeport. Equipment is basic — two fryers, a packaging machine, slicing machine, sinks, pans, racks and frying utensils. Kelly Brodeur, a Lowell, Mass., native, comes to the enterprise with a culinary arts degree from Johnson & Wales University. She's spent years in the food industry and worked in restaurants from Massachusetts to Ireland. Scott, from Dracut, Mass., served as an Army medic. e couple moved to Freeport 10 years ago. Scott worked at L.L.Bean; Kelly worked for the former Wild Oats Market in Portland and later became an assistant manager at Freeport's Bow Street Market. When their daughter Merrill was born, the cou- ple decided it was time to start their own business. Being able to set their own work schedules would help make their daughter a priority. And the couple had long daydreamed about making potato chips. "Scotty and I grew up near a small-batch potato chip shack," says Kelly. "ere was nothing like those fresh, small-batch potato chips. It was some- thing we talked about as a nostalgic food memory — 'Boy, we should bring back that kind of flavor.' It was our 'someday' thing." ey took the leap and started test batches in the fall of 2014. ey established some parameters. ey wanted preservative-free, non-GMO, primar- ily Maine-sourced ingredients and small-batch production for the freshest product. Local sourcing and re-used fryer oil for bio-diesel would be envi- ronmentally responsible. Kelly experimented in her kitchen, with Merrill and Scott as taste-testers. e learning curve took months. en she landed on the right potato, prepa- ration, cooking process and seasoning. Commercializing a great idea During this time, they contacted CEI for a business loan to augment their personal investment. Brad Swanson, an adviser with the Maine Small Business Development Centers at CEI, provided business counseling. Small businesses often have great ideas but don't understand how to commercialize them, Swanson says. at's why the nation's Small Business Devel- opment Centers — funded by the Small Business Administration, plus state matches and sponsorship by entities such as CEI — are key to helping busi- nesses start and grow. "Everything we do is confidential, and there's no cost to clients for our services," says Swanson. "at was one of the important factors when the SBA started this. Small businesses just couldn't afford consultants, but they needed assistance. We help people identify clear and measurable goals that are attainable and feasible, and to put together a plan, including the marketing, management and financial components, that allows them to chart how to achieve their goals." In the first half of 2016, Swanson's clients came from businesses in various stages, including salons, boat builders, cabinet makers, wood product Kelly and Scott Brodeur, owners of Vintage Maine Kitchen, a Freeport-based potato chip company, grew up near a small-batch potato chip shack in Massachusetts. They started testing their own chips in 2014 and, with a CEI loan in hand, launched the business. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Entrepreneur-chip Old-fashioned potato chips with modern sustainability B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r F O C U S » C O N T I N U E D F R O M C O V E R

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