We were lucky to catch up with Marcy Thornhill recently and have shared our conversation below.
Marcy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
Despite the skepticism of friends and family, Marcy Thornhill saw potential in the humble apple. In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 global pandemic, Marcy tapped into the idea of turning apples into a gourmet applesauce that could capture the essence of home in a jar. Armed with a family recipe, a small savings account, and a relentless spirit, Marcy took the plunge. She began by renting a small commercial kitchen, Marcy then began the arduous process of peeling, cooking, and mashing apples by hand. The beginning was fraught with challenges – from machinery breaking down, pains in her back and hands to struggling to find a market for this artisanal product. Yet, Marcy persevered, believing in the magic of the product.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
To distinguish my applesauce brand from others in the market, I had to really think about my own unique selling points. I mean, what makes Mrs. Marcy’s Homemades Applesauce so special? Simply put, my heart. My compassion for people and desire to make a healthy, homemade product is important to me.
Also, my traditional cooking methods, custom recipes and our unique process that retains more nutrients appeals to those looking for a healthier or more artisanal option
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
Now that I have created this amazing product, I need customers. Building an audience on social media for applesauce lovers required a mix of creativity, engagement, and strategy. My focus is both the fact that it is made from my very own homemade recipes and the numerous health benefits of applesauce, Next I had to create high-quality, engaging, and informative content that appealed to applesauce enthusiasts. Use of graphics, video, and health information allowed me to connect with a wide variety of people.
We’d love to hear your thoughts about selling platforms like Amazon/Etsy vs selling on your own site.
When considering the best e-commerce platforms for selling applesauce, it’s crucial to evaluate the platforms based on their ability to cater to food products, particularly perishables, their reach among target consumers, and their support for small to medium-sized businesses if that’s your scale. I first started with my own website because I wanted more control over my sales. Then i moved into wholesale straight to stores. Now, I’m looking a other e-commerce like.Amazon, Etsy or other stores as a drop shipper. We shall see.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mrsmarcyshomemades.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrsmarcyshomemades/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrsMarcysHomemade
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@mrs.marcyshomemades806?feature=shared