Story by Dave Eckert
It seems to me that buying local products and supporting local businesses has never been more important to consumers. Now, thanks to dozens of tasty collaborations throughout the metro, the amount of local products available to consumers has never been greater. You can find local food and beverage collaborations at a wide variety of Kansas City businesses. I sought to highlight a few that I’ve had personal experience with.
Let’s start with the always delicious André’s Confiserie Suisse. “Over the last few years, we’ve done over 15 collaborations that have become a staple at André’s and beyond. Some of our collaborations are seasonal and some are only available for a limited time. We have enjoyed working with both local and national partners and are exceptionally proud of everyone,” André’s Rene Bollier shared.
Photos courtesy of André’s Confiserie Suisse
I asked Bollier if he has a personal favorite or favorites? “I truly love all the collaborative products that we’ve created over the years. Picking a favorite is like picking a favorite child. The J. Rieger & Co. Whiskey Caramel Sauce and Q39 BBQ Quiche have created lots of excitement, but I love them all and enjoy the creation and collaborative learning process with each one,” Bollier stated. To see what collaborations André’s has cooking (literally) visit them andreschocolates.com/pages/collaborations.
Kansas City’s Mean Mule Distilling, the first Agave Spirits Distillery in the Midwest, and just the second in the nation, has a collaboration with Hermann’s Missouri’s Adam Puchta winery. “Adam Puchta Winery is the oldest single-family winery in the country. They’ve sent us some used Norton wine barrels, and we’ve been aging spirits in them for almost three years. We’re excited to see how the flavors of the wine barrels will complement our spirits,” Mean Mule CEO Jeff Evans shared.
“I love the challenge of trying something new and the camaraderie that comes from working with others. Collaborations allow us to learn from each other and create something unique that we could not have achieved on our own. As a bonus, the spirit we’ve aged is pretty darned good.” I, for one, can’t wait to try it! To learn more about Mean Mule Distilling visit meanmuledistilling.co
Up in Plattsburg, MO, Sugar Whipped Bakery owner Melissa Fahlstrom has been seeking out locally sourced ingredients for her delicious creations for years. “Our root beer float donut is made using Shatto Root Beer milk. We frequently have fun with their flavored milks and feature them often with our donuts. Then, there’s our honey whiskey cake, which features Holladay Whiskey Bourbon from Weston, and our yearly peach delivery from our local FFA,” Fahlstrom told me. “More than anything, it’s a great way to feature our fellow creators. We meet the faces behind the brand and get to know them personally. We know where the product comes from and the passion that they put into it. That makes our own product feel much more unique and special. Locals supporting locals is crucial in this market. We create with love. It’s not about profit margin and time over quality. We put so much heart into what we are baking. We love making unique desserts mixed with the classics that fit our cozy and quaint atmosphere to ensure your trip up to Plattsburg is well worth the drive.” Sugar Whipped is on full display at sugarwhippednyc.com
Photos courtesy of Sugar Whipped Bakery
From John Kennebeck, owner of 3 Halves Brewing and Barbecue in Liberty come these thoughts on collaborating with other local businesses. “Being a small local business, support from local patrons is equally as important as collaborative efforts with local businesses. We have always tried to support other local business where we can. We were excited to be able to source a few barrels from J. Reiger and Co for our barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout, Unstaved.
The batch prior to this one we used Union Horse barrels. We aren’t sure what we’ll do for the next batch yet, but we plan to keep it local,” Kennebeck told me. I stopped by to try that Russian Imperial Stout recently. It was delicious!
Finally, closing thoughts from Mariah Kinkade, owner of The Uppercut Butcher shop. Uppercut sells quite a few local products: honey, eggs, jams, and of course, seasonings, just to name a few. Kinkade also uses several local products in her own creations. Like the others, Kinkade says it’s important to support other local businesses. “It’s good for us. It’s good for the other local businesses. But, more than anything, it’s good for our customers who can purchase local, artisanal products along with our offerings,” Kinkade concluded. You’ll find The Uppercut KC in Liberty, and you can see all of their delicious offerings at theuppercutkc.com.
There you have it – fantastic local products that are great on their own made even greater when married with others. As the headline says, that’s tasty teamwork.
