by Elaine Theriault-Currier

Specialty food manufacturer Maine Crisp Company has expanded its production capacity tenfold by relocating to a Winslow facility. Expected to be fully operational by May 2021, the facility’s extensive capacity is necessary to fulfill demand generated by Maine Crisp’s recent New England-wide distribution deal with Whole Foods Market.

Maine Crisp launched in 2014 in a licensed home kitchen. Three years later, it transitioned to a 2,500 square foot manufacturing facility at 10 Railroad Square in Waterville, leasing 3,500 square feet of additional warehousing space in Benton as product demand grew. By relocating to the 17,500 square foot facility at 20 Lithgow Street, in Winslow, the award-winning producer of gluten-free and plant-based crisps will consolidate and grow its manufacturing, packaging, and warehousing operations.

“The new facility in Winslow offers the scaffolding to sustain our growth trajectory and ambitious distribution targets,” explains Steve Getz, Maine Crisp co-founder and VP of Marketing. “We are thrilled to have found a space that allows us to continue growing in central Maine, a region that has supported us from the beginning, when we graduated from home kitchen to industrial facility.”

The expansion of Maine Crisp’s manufacturing capacity is expected to triple employment within the next three years. Currently, new employees earn a minimum of $15 per hour and are offered health insurance and paid time off, including their birthday. The Winslow headquarters will support a diverse mix of jobs, from receipt and inventory of bulk ingredients, manufacturing, packaging, and finished goods inventory to marketing, logistics, and management.

With all operations unified under one roof, Maine Crisp is working with the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) to design a layout that optimizes current production flow while accommodating projected future demand. In addition, as a specialty food producer, Maine Crisp requires an FDA-approved, dedicated gluten-free environment that meets regulatory guidelines to maintain the company’s non-GMO, allergen, and Kosher certifications. The 20 Lithgow St. facility also provides three-phase power, multiple loading docks, ample storage space, office space, and a front lobby for visitors and on-site retail.

“Working with MEP has been a fantastic experience – we are building a production flow that is flexible enough to support us for years,” states Claire Getz, manager of product quality control at Maine Crisp. “The MEP consultants’ deep, multi-faceted expertise makes them invaluable partners as we face the exciting challenges of scaling up while maintaining our artisanal quality.”

As a family-operated business committed to Maine, Maine Crisp utilized local service providers to finance and design the Winslow headquarters, including Kennebec Savings Bank and local architect Jim Shipsky. Maine Crisp sources its crisps’ primary ingredient, buckwheat, from Aroostook County and works with Lewiston-based branding and marketing firm Anchour. Maine Crisp products are available in Maine Hannaford stores, Whole Foods Markets throughout England, specialty shops along the East Coast, and online at mainecrisp.com.

by Mark Huard

The year 2020 has been a difficult year for many across the nation and world. Maine families are not an exception to the havoc Covid-19 has brought on the human race. Many times we find ourselves here in Maine on the moderate side of worldwide tragedy but not this time. Many families have suffered financially and physically throughout this pandemic. They have been without loved ones and without work, and nobody really knows where the end is.

We all know what this has felt like, but imagine adding cancer to that mix. Imagine for a minute adding a heart condition of your young child to that already daunting load. The Garay family has been attempting to manage it all. There are three children in this family unit: Kobe, eight years old, Jordan, six, and Layla is four. Jordan had a pacemaker put in at just nine days old and is due for a replacement in the spring of 2021.

Vic, the children’s father, was diagnosed at the start of the pandemic with stage 4 colon cancer. Due to the way the cancer mutated, chemotherapy is not an option. He underwent emergency surgery and has had bi-weekly visits to Dana Farber, in Boston, ever since for immunotherapy and thankfully that is helping.

To say the least, this family has been under pressure and stress on top of this pandemic. Despite all of this they have found ways to make this holiday season special for the family. They have remained focused on their children and brought the magic of Christmas into their hearts and home.

The family signed up for the Kringleville Light up the Town Event. They also joined in with many other Kringleville families, and rang the Bells for Santa. The children were excited and the family was able to focus on the positive joys of Christmas in Maine. They rang the bells to let Santa know where they are so he can make their Christmas dreams come true.

The strength of this family is truly an example of the magic of Christmas. We pray for them as they ring out 2020 and ring in 2021. May the silver linings you’ve found this year wrap around you with blessings in the year to come.

by Dan Cassidy

Several volunteers recently answered the call “We need help” that appeared in the local newspaper recently. Weed whackers, leaf blowers and sweepers joined in to help clean up the large Park.

The Central Maine Veterans Memorial Park was in dire need of general cleanup of weeds, rocks and other flowering plants that have grown through the granite stones of the Park.

Volunteers and donors are needed to continue as funds have dwindled over the past few years. Anyone interested can call Karen Loftus and Patti Libby at Winslow Supply Company, 567 Benton Avenue at (207) 873-5608.