For most individuals, a pizza date appears 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. Not less than in response to Michelle Jimenez it was. And in case you’re doubting her, she and her now-husband Andrea Meggiato turned a type of so-called pizza dates right into a enterprise—one you would possibly’ve seen on Shark Tank or in shops like Goal.
“He mentioned it could be probably the most unforgettable date I would ever go on,” Michelle informed me, “and he could not have been extra proper.” They went on to create The Pizza cupcake, now expanded underneath the brand new title Incredifulls.
They are not the one couple that is made it work like that. The following time you’re snowboarding, or cramming for the LSAT, and even simply killing time in a seaside city, you would possibly simply stumble in your subsequent nice concept, the love of your life—or possibly each.
That’s not simply wishful pondering. It’s precisely how issues began for 3 different {couples} who now run among 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 all the time been fascinated by the concept 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 along with your associate doesn’t must imply dropping your relationship. In actual fact, it may well really strengthen it.
“It’s been rewarding to witness our mutual development 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 difficult to clarify the ups and downs of working a meals enterprise, however we reside with the dangers and rewards each day,” she mentioned. “It’s such an excellent feeling to simply share that.”
If you happen to’ve ever puzzled what it’s actually like to enter enterprise along with your associate—the great, the onerous, and every 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 immediately on-line for a simple, genuine meal at house.
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 by way of 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 mission (and obtained married someplace alongside the way in which, too).
At the moment, their frozen meals model MìLà is accessible nationwide, with actor Simu Liu as each an investor and their Chief Content material Officer. It has hundreds of glowing opinions from followers who swear the soup dumplings alone are value clearing freezer area for.
“We approached it as a studying alternative, understanding the restaurant business is unlikely to reach,” Jen informed me, “however feeling optimistic in our problem-solving talents.”
They constructed MìLà from a shared craving to deliver their favourite Chinese language dishes into extra houses. Now married and working the enterprise full-time, they’ve realized to divide tasks—Jen focuses on product and advertising, Caleb runs operations—and navigate each excessive and low as a crew.
“There’s no ‘my facet’ or ‘your facet’ of the corporate,” Jen mentioned. “Simply us, working collectively.”
As their model has developed, so has their partnership, rooted in mutual respect and a shared imaginative and prescient for what MìLà might signify.
“I am actually proud that we have contributed to redefining the narrative round Chinese language meals within the U.S., and finished it in a method 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 buddy’s party, 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 one of the best 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 just lately 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 discovered 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 thing from mint chip ice cream to salted caramel, now bought in Complete 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, after all).
“The foodie half got here quickly after!” Maura mentioned. “Justin is a superb cook dinner and I’ve all the time liked baking, so we complemented one another straight away.”
Initially targeted on adorned 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 after they determined to enter enterprise collectively, and as Maura famous, folks undoubtedly raised some eyebrows. For them, it was all the time extra thrilling than nerve wracking.
“[We] actually knew our strengths and weaknesses,” she defined. “We’ve all the time been cautious to carve out time away from one another too.”
Maura calls herself the “product visionary,” all the time interested by “new cookie flavors, packaging updates, and collaborations,” whereas Justin handles quite a lot of the logistic particulars. “It’s an excellent synergy,” she mentioned.
Regardless of the enterprise’s development—just lately launched in Harris Teeter and increasing throughout Complete 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 maintaining our core crew collectively.”
And one of the best 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 seaside weekend with pals in Çeşme, Turkey—however that spontaneous resolution modified every 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 in all probability the factor we by no means get tired of doing collectively—consuming, cooking, exploring new locations,” they mentioned. Berk loves scouring native markets for elements, and their weekends have been typically 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 all the time felt like one thing greater 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 attainable to do that the proper method—with actual transparency, equity, and high quality.”
And whereas the work may be all-consuming, they are saying one of the best half is the liberty: “We are able to plan our life on our personal phrases…we wouldn’t commerce it for something.”
Do you assume you could possibly begin a model with a associate or liked one? Curious to listen to folks’s ideas?
