An Introduction

I created Ciolo in 2006 because I thought a food business would be fun.  I was, after all, a decent home cook.  I had also grown up in New York, had lived in Los Angeles, and had eaten in many of the great food cities of the world.   I also believed what someone once told me about finding a new career.  She said to pick a field that had trade magazines I liked to read.  Since I subscribed at the time to about five food publications (now probably 25), that’s the field I entered.  Predictably enough and not long later, I realized how insanely difficult the food industry is and was soon spouting all the regret-filled clichés about how “if I knew then what I know now…” 

While Ciolo appeared successful (lots of great customers, delicious products that consumers loved and rapidly expanding sales), the details of running a business like this were overwhelming.   Packaging, distribution, ingredient sourcing, regulatory issues, plant operations….all things that a former technology marketer knew nothing about, yet are the nuts and bolts requirements of a food manufacturing enterprise.

Along came the White Knight.   On a plane.  From Plymouth, Wisconsin.   And there were two of them.  Jim Sartori, CEO and Jeff Schwager, President.  Together they oversaw the senior management team at Sartori, an award-winning cheese manufacturer with a 65 year history and all the knowledge and experience (not to mention money) that we didn’t have.  

Some people sell their business and end up sorry.   A year after our deal closed (in September 2010), I’m not only without regrets, I’m very happy.   The Sartori Company is full of people who both love what they do and know what they’re doing.   They are taking the company places I could only have dreamed of.   And more, they are giving me the freedom to do things like write this blog and talk about our products and how to use them; about the process of creating new ones, about where ideas for flavors come from, and how to use what we create.   In short, I’m one lucky gal.   

I promise to try and keep these posts relevant and interesting to people who are curious about food and who want to make what they eat and serve a little tastier every day.

I welcome feedback and suggestions.  I might not take every idea that’s offered, but I’ll at least try to acknowledge that I’ve received it and have thought about it.   How’s that for a deal?