Sheila Rhodes founded Small Batch Kitchen in 2014 - hand crafting low-sugar fruit spreads from fruit grown in her own garden or by local farms. The intention that first year was to sell her delicious spreads at a local farmers market a couple Saturday’s a month. By the end of the first season, Sheila had been approached by local stores looking to carry her products - and she started looking at the business a little differently.
Every few years since that season, the business has had to adapt to accommodate business growth and demand. In 2016, Sheila and her husband built a dedicated kitchen in their basement. In 2017, Sheila quit her job to pursue the business full time. And by the fall of 2018 it was clear that Small Batch Kitchen had once again outgrown it’s space.
After searching and visiting different locations for a few months, Sheila toured what is now the cafe and market during Christmas break in 2018. Knowing she had found the perfect space for her complete dream and vision, things progressed rapidly. 2019 was a whirlwind year: signing a lease, working with an architect on plans, getting permits and approvals, and diving into construction. Just 6 months after signing a lease, Sheila and her team were moving in and on July 18, 2019 - the cafe and market were open to customers.
Small Batch Kitchen: Cafe & Market now houses all of Small Batch Kitchen’s activities. Our production kitchen cooks up all of our low-sugar spreads, soups, and cafe items. Our cafe menu is centered around gourmet grilled cheese - with our spreads and locally made bread, cheese, and toppings. The cafe also serves up delicious house made soups and salads - with a focus on local sourcing. Our market features the full line of Small Batch Kitchen products including our house made spreads, soups, specialty herb sauces, and gourmet grab and go items. We also carry items from local farmers like glass bottle milk, pasture raised eggs and meat, and fresh produce. We support other local producers and carry locally made hot sauces, nut butters, maple syrup, honey, pasta, sauces, salsas, and more! And lastly - our market has a beautiful selection of gifts, home goods, and sustainable living items.
I am thankful that as Small Batch Kitchen has grown, we’ve been able to stay true to our values of supporting local farms, reducing waste, creating delicious - healthy - food, and creating an atmosphere of positivity.
