For most individuals, a pizza date appears to be like one thing like selecting a cute restaurant or possibly panicking over what to put on. However once you’re an expert chef, a pizza date is nearly like a cooking class. A minimum of in accordance with Michelle Jimenez it was. And in case you’re doubting her, she and her now-husband Andrea Meggiato turned a kind of so-called pizza dates right into a enterprise—one you may’ve seen on Shark Tank or in shops like Goal.
“He mentioned it might be essentially the most unforgettable date I would ever go on,” Michelle advised me, “and he could not have been extra proper.” They went on to create The Pizza cupcake, now expanded below the brand new identify Incredifulls.
They don’t seem to be the one couple that is made it work like that. The subsequent time you’re snowboarding, or cramming for the LSAT, and even simply killing time in a seashore city, you may simply stumble in your subsequent nice thought, the love of your life—or possibly each.
That’s not simply wishful considering. It’s precisely how issues began for 3 different {couples} who now run a few of the fastest-growing meals manufacturers within the nation. They didn’t all have formal culinary coaching. They weren’t all on some five-year marketing strategy. However they did have two issues in widespread: a shared love of meals, and a willingness to construct one thing collectively, each personally and professionally.
I’ve at all times been fascinated by the thought of going into enterprise with somebody you’re keen on. Possibly that’s as a result of nobody in my household does it. We’re all in numerous industries, and admittedly, I don’t know if we’d work nicely collectively. However speaking to those founders undoubtedly made me rethink issues. It seems, constructing an organization together with your associate doesn’t must imply shedding your relationship. Actually, it could really strengthen it.
“It’s been rewarding to witness our mutual progress as we stretch our capabilities and evolve our interpersonal dynamics, administration kinds, and different expertise at a speedy tempo,” mentioned Jen Liao, co-founder of MìLà.
Maura Duggan, founder and CEO of Fancypants, echoed that sentiment: “It may be a bit tough to elucidate the ups and downs of operating a meals enterprise, however we stay with the dangers and rewards every single day,” she mentioned. “It’s such an excellent feeling to simply share that.”
Should you’ve ever puzzled what it’s actually like to enter enterprise together with your associate—the nice, the exhausting, and every little thing in between—you’re not alone. I caught up with 4 {couples} who’ve constructed meals manufacturers collectively to listen to how they’ve made it work (and what they’ve realized alongside the way in which).
Founders: Jen Liao & Caleb Wang
What do they make? MìLà provides restaurant-quality Chinese language staples—from juicy soup dumplings to hand-pulled-style noodles and daring, savory sauces. Discover them at Goal, Costco, or order straight on-line for a simple, genuine meal at residence.
Photograph by MìLà
Some {couples} begin a enterprise after years of planning, however Jen Liao and Caleb Wang began one whereas residing on reverse coasts. The 2 met on a ski journey in Whistler in 2014, saved in contact through Skype, and dated long-distance for 4 years. Someplace between the slopes and all these late-night calls, they determined to open a restaurant as a facet venture (and bought married someplace alongside the way in which, too).
In the present day, their frozen meals model MìLà is accessible nationwide, with actor Simu Liu as each an investor and their Chief Content material Officer. It has 1000’s of glowing opinions from followers who swear the soup dumplings alone are price clearing freezer area for.
“We approached it as a studying alternative, realizing the restaurant trade is unlikely to reach,” Jen advised me, “however feeling optimistic in our problem-solving talents.”
They constructed MìLà from a shared craving to convey their favourite Chinese language dishes into extra houses. Now married and operating the enterprise full-time, they’ve realized to divide obligations—Jen focuses on product and advertising and marketing, Caleb runs operations—and navigate each excessive and low as a group.
“There’s no ‘my facet’ or ‘your facet’ of the corporate,” Jen mentioned. “Simply us, working collectively.”
As their model has advanced, so has their partnership, rooted in mutual respect and a shared imaginative and prescient for what MìLà may characterize.
“I am actually proud that we have contributed to redefining the narrative round Chinese language meals within the U.S., and completed it in a approach that feels true to our private story,” Jen mentioned.
Founders: Michelle Jimenez & Andrea Meggiato
What do they make? Frozen pizza snacks and breakfast cups with a real-deal Italian twist—now bought at Goal.
Some dates finish in dessert. Michelle and Andrea’s led to a enterprise. The pair met at a pal’s celebration, and never lengthy after, Andrea requested her out on a pizza date however with a twist.
“The twist was that we have been going to make it ourselves,” Michelle mentioned. “It ended up being the most effective cooking class of my life.”
That date set the tone for what would develop into their frozen snack model, initially known as The Pizza Cupcake and not too long ago rebranded to Incredifulls. What began as a enjoyable dish they delivered to events—a greater model of the frozen pizza bites Michelle grew up consuming—has develop into a nationally distributed model, first catching fireplace after a deal on Shark Tank in 2021. Their signature? Brioche-based dough with a nod to Andrea’s roots in Venice, Italy.
“We’ve realized the significance of dividing and conquering—leaning into our strengths, speaking brazenly, and prioritizing our psychological well being, marriage, and household,” Michelle mentioned.
Over time, they’ve found out what it takes to work nicely as each co-founders and household.
“The actual problem was studying to stability my huge ‘sure!’ vitality with Andrea’s extra considerate, operations-first mindset as we turned this concept right into a enterprise.”
Founders: Maura Duggan and Justin Housman
What do they make? Crispy, flavor-packed cookies impressed by every little thing from mint chip ice cream to salted caramel, now bought in Entire Meals, Costco, and grocery shops nationwide.
When Maura Duggan met Justin Housman on St. Patrick’s Day at an Irish bar in New York, they have been each academics. Baking wasn’t the plan—a minimum of not but (they did bond over a Guinness, in fact).
“The foodie half got here quickly after!” Maura mentioned. “Justin is a superb cook dinner and I’ve at all times liked baking, so we complemented one another immediately.”
Initially centered on embellished shortbread cookies, Fancypants has since grown right into a full-blown snack model with crispy cookies in nostalgic flavors like birthday cake, chocolate chip, and salted caramel.
They’d been collectively for 4 years once they determined to enter enterprise collectively, and as Maura famous, folks undoubtedly raised some eyebrows. For them, it was at all times extra thrilling than nerve wracking.
“[We] actually knew our strengths and weaknesses,” she defined. “We’ve at all times been cautious to carve out time away from one another too.”
Maura calls herself the “product visionary,” at all times serious about “new cookie flavors, packaging updates, and collaborations,” whereas Justin handles numerous the logistic particulars. “It’s an excellent synergy,” she mentioned.
Regardless of the enterprise’s progress—not too long ago launched in Harris Teeter and increasing throughout Entire Meals within the Mid-Atlantic—Maura is most pleased with how they’ve stayed true to their roots: “We’ve been capable of change the route of Fancypants fully…whereas additionally preserving our core group collectively.”
And the most effective a part of working collectively? “Having the ability to assist one another. It’s such an excellent feeling to simply share that.”
Founders: Berk and Sena Bahceci
What do they make? Natural, early-harvest olive oils from a 100-year-old household grove in Turkey. Launched in 2023, Heraclea makes each on a regular basis cooking oils and daring, infused blends. Their oils are PDO, natural, and Truthful Commerce Licensed.
In 2016, Berk Bahceci was deep in LSAT prep and nearly skipped a seashore weekend with pals in Çeşme, Turkey—however that spontaneous resolution modified every little thing. “If he hadn’t proven up that day, none of this might’ve occurred,” Sena mentioned.
Meals has been a shared ardour from the beginning. “It’s most likely the factor we by no means become bored with doing collectively—consuming, cooking, exploring new locations,” they mentioned. Berk loves scouring native markets for substances, and their weekends have been usually spent cooking Turkish dishes with their very own twist.
And for them, it simply labored. “It’s made us develop into higher companions and communicators,” Sena defined.
In 2022, Berk left his authorized profession to launch Heraclea, turning his household’s century-old olive grove into a contemporary model rooted in sustainability and transparency. Sena’s position within the enterprise grew naturally: “Heraclea at all times felt like one thing larger than simply beginning an organization—it was about getting Turkish olive oil the place it deserves on American tables.”
Their proudest milestone? “Getting Truthful Commerce Licensed. Not only for us, however for what it means for Turkish olive oil,” they mentioned. “We’re elevating the bar…displaying that it’s potential to do that the correct approach—with actual transparency, equity, and high quality.”
And whereas the work will be all-consuming, they are saying the most effective half is the liberty: “We will plan our life on our personal phrases…we wouldn’t commerce it for something.”
Do you assume you possibly can begin a model with a associate or liked one? Curious to listen to folks’s ideas?
