Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Corrine Smith. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Corrine thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
What would become my CorEats mission started a little over 20 years ago when I was a young, new momma.
In infancy, my beautiful baby girl began displaying troubling symptoms when acid reflux would cause her bursts of uncontrollable screaming from pain. Later, a confusing assortment of reactions to immunizations, along with light & noise sensitivities developed. When she reached the age of 3, we began navigating through speech delays, temperamental mood swings, and an unsettling preliminary diagnosis of Autism. Let me tell you, this momma bear went into full fight mode. I needed answers and I needed them NOW. I was DETERMINED… This giant wasn’t going to stop us, put us in a box, or dictate our future. We were going to move through it and THRIVE… My family’s health journey was about to begin!
My research led to appointments with specialists from Hopkins, to holistic and integrative visits with various authorities across the country. I was certain of one thing- something that was confirmed repeatedly throughout our journey- Treating the symptoms would never address the root cause or underlying issues, or result in complete healing. I now knew that inflammation was at the root of my daughter’s symptoms. Her blood presented irregular blood cells full of
microbes that were, as one specialist told me, “equivalent to the health of an 80-year-old woman.” Let me tell you, THAT is not what a mother wants to be told! Long lists of allergies were uncovered. I would have never believed sensitivities and allergies could change a temperament until I watched it literally unfold before my eyes. You see, when she would be tested with an allergen her body didn’t like, her temperament would take a complete 180°. For example, she would go from calmly and happily coloring a picture, within lines mind you, to becoming erratic, furiously scribbling, or angrily throwing things against a wall once injected with a small dose of a suspected allergen.
As we began addressing each of these findings, one by one, and with various treatments, her body started calming down and healing. Enter in the beautiful moment when I learned how important and fundamental diet is.
The food we eat matters. I went from paying ZERO attention to the foods we ate, to reading every mile long food label. To say I was overwhelmed is putting it lightly! I literally thought there was nothing we could eat! Why? The number of processed ingredients, preservatives, fillers, chemicals, and GMOs were painful to read. Not only weren’t we eating REAL food, but these caustic, inflammation causing ingredients were fueling many of the negative health issues and symptoms we were witnessing.
This was the point where my WHOLE family went on a diet overhaul. As I started rethinking food, what was once challenging became easy. With each step taken, my family thrived more and more. What started out as an, “I can’t,” became an, “I can!” Our bodies healed and food allergies disappeared. As this journey unfolded over the next 15 years, a passion for good, wholesome, quality food flourished… CorEats was born.
I believe in overcoming obstacles. Once you do, it puts you in the unique position of leading others through theirs, too! I want everyone to not only have success in the kitchen, but to thrive in the kitchen- enjoying the freedom of cooking and baking the foods they love. Food is one of life’s greatest joys and it should be enjoyed as it fuels your body to thrive.
Years before, that diagnosis would put a glass ceiling over my daughter’s life before it even began. But it didn’t belong to her, nor would it define her! She has grown into a flourishing, determined, and incredibly hardworking young woman who knows how to lean in for the fight. She is passionate about soccer, physics, and science, and by the time she graduated high school, she had also completed a 1-year leadership academy, completed first full year of college, fulfilled the role of president of National Honor Society, earned the title of salutatorian in her 500+ member class, and had accepted a full ride scholarship to dual study Physics and Engineering.
Her future is promising… And so is yours! You have everything, and I do mean everything, you need right on the inside of you to be a blessing to your generation. You are an overcomer! And as you overcome, you will be ready to lead. THAT is the CorEats mission- Freedom and victory!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Corry and I am the founder and the “Cor” behind CorEats. CorEats is a mom-owned and operated company based in Pittsburgh, PA that specializes in gluten-free baking mixes. We focus on providing delicious and wholesome food options without compromising on taste or dietary restrictions. CorEats is a play on the word “core,” which Merriam-Webster defines as “a central and often foundational part.” Core Eats reflects our commitment to creating central and foundational food products that are free from hidden preservatives, gluten, grain, dairy, refined sugar, and soy. You can enjoy amazing food that caters to a variety of dietary needs while savoring every bite. The CorEats foundation is built on delicious and wholesome food that everyone can enjoy. Eat happy, eat wholesome, and never compromise on delicious!
Really, CorEats began years ago with my family and my health journey when, out of necessity, my need to rethink food quickly became my passion. Looking at food labels and reading through miles of unpronounceable ingredients was very frustrating! But even more frustrating was finding that the so-called “healthy” food tasted more like cardboard than anything else. As my family and I taste-tested the limited variety available, thinking outside of the box, finding ways around mainstream ingredients, and claiming the freedom of eats n’ treats for my family quickly became my focus.
What the CorEats brand provides its customers blossomed from experimenting in the kitchen with simple, on-hand, and wholesome ingredients to recreate the beloved comfort foods and staples I had grown up with. That grew into gifting baggies of pre-filled ingredients for friends who’d requested them. You see, not only had I discovered that there was a real need for easy-to-make, family-friendly foods, but I quickly saw that my success in the kitchen didn’t necessarily mean theirs. I wanted to create something EVERYONE could make, no matter their skill set, that was consistently amazing! CorEats Mixes was born!
***Food is one of life’s greatest joys- No matter your dietary preferences, nothing should hold you back from eating the foods you love! Rather, it just means you need to rethink how to make them! Eat happy, eat wholesome, and never compromise on delicious!
Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?
CorEats started in my home kitchen as a limited food establishment. We got permission from the local health department to sell to a single, local, and family-owned business/farm market. We were met with such positive feedback that we purchased our facility and obtained the necessary licensing allowing us to sell, unrestricted, to additional businesses. At this time we made small batch baking mixes, mixing each recipe individually by hand! As we began outgrowing this system, two things happened simultaneously. First, we updated our system by investing in commercial equipment that allowed us to speed up our production process. Second, we embarked on a relationship with a co-packing facility who asked if they could co-pack for us- A reputable company within the health food industry who not only supplied many of our ingredients, but who would also be co-packing in the very facility that our raw ingredients were already being packaged in!
Looking back, this move was a bit premature for the size of our company. Hindsight is 20/20, but we certainly learned a lot and it freed up additional time for us to focus on sales and marketing. Having said that, our order sizes were small compared to other larger and established businesses. We were forced to seek out another co-packer when we could not meet the updated minimum order quantities, or MOQs. However, we had grown enough during this time that we needed to come up with a new plan; one that would allow us to lean on a relationship with a co-manufacturer, while also maintaining in-house production capability. We learned that in order to maintain control of our business, we would always need a plan “B,” or a way to continue on amidst any unexpected detours such as price increases, MOQs changes, ingredient sourcing, etc. The future of our business would stay fully in our hands.
Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?
CorEats took a leap of faith stepping out with the 2024 KeHe Holiday Show. Not only was it a huge investment for us considering our limited sales via that channel, but it was an entirely new experience that stretched us- and let’s face it, those moments can be a bit uncomfortable. A deer in headlights comes to mind!
But that stretching paid off! At the show, not only did we make many wonderful contacts, but I was able to meet the senior leadership of Giant Eagle; I had been trying to get an audience with them for YEARS! They were amazed they hadn’t heard of me sooner and were excited to support & carry us. To say it was exciting would be an understatement!
We were placed in their store at an unmatched pace for a retailer of that size. Within a month, we experienced an unprecedented turn around, reaching a rate that would typically take a year when dealing with such a large retailer. Early sales data is very promising, beyond expectation, and we are dramatically outselling our competitors. Giant Eagle wasn’t even a part of KeHe at that time! They had just re-signed and were simply visiting the show as their kick-off. Sometimes you have to take the risk and go where it’s uncomfortable, reaching in places you don’t expect to find fruit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.coreatsmixes.com
- Instagram: @coreatsmixes
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coreatsmixes
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/corrine-smith-529345205/
- Youtube: @coreatsmixes5543
Image Credits
Tiffany Farley