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First of all, Happy New Year, friends!! Whether you welcomed 2024 dressed to the nines surrounded by fellow revelers or, like us, fell asleep in Los Angeles before the ball dropped in New York, I wish you nothing but peace, joy, love, and, of course, all the deliciousness 2024 has to offer.
You may have noticed that I've been pretty quiet over here for the past couple of weeks, having taken some much-needed time to be present with friends and family and to reflect on things both personal and business-related. 2023 was a whirlwind year full of both triumphs and challenges, and I am grateful for all of it, although I am admittedly still trying to coalesce all of the lessons of the past year into a clear plan for the new one.
Changes to the A Bite of Good Product Lineup
One key lesson I learned in 2023 is that I need to make some changes to my product lineup. I currently make nearly 100 individual products across 6 product categories, and keeping them all in stock at all times is, frankly, unsustainable. I spent so much time keeping up with the manufacturing of my products last year that I had no time to do things like write and share new recipes or experiment with new flavors and ideas. This is a product-based business, yes, but it is also my creative outlet, and that aspect got lost in the hustle last year. If I'm going to keep going with this business (which I absolutely want to do), I have create some balance for myself before I completely burn out.
One of the ways I am going to try to create more balance is to focus more on seasonality. I have always advocated for "eating the seasons" - cooking with seasonally available produce that is preferably grown locally, making it more likely to be picked at its peak - and it's high time that my product lineup reflect this philosophy. As such, I have gone through and placed each of my products into one (or more) of 5 sub-categories:
Year-Round Pantry Staples (available all year)
Spring Sensations (available March through May)
Summer Sizzlers (available June through August)
Fall Flavors (available September through November)
Winter Warmers (available December through February)
You will not be able to Pre-Order items that are not "in season," but you can sign up to be notified when those items are back in stock so that you can come back and order them when they are at their freshest. The one exception is larger format spice blends. If you are ordering an 8-ounce or 16-ounce jar, you will be able to order any spice blend in my lineup no matter the time of year.
I hope you'll take a few minutes to look around the Shop and explore these new seasonal categories. You can do so via the Shop drop down menu at the top of the page or by using the Filter feature on the "All Products" page. You're going to see that a lot of items are still out of stock right now, but that will change as I continue to restock inventory over the next couple of weeks. As as I mentioned above, you can now sign up to be notified when an Out of Stock item is back in stock.
With fewer products that I need to keep stocked at any given time, I look forward to being able to publish more seasonal recipes and help you all get excited about cooking seasonally as well. Please consider subscribing to my Newsletter as well as following me on Instagram so you don't miss out on any of it.
In-Person Events
The other major change I'm making this year is with regard to in-person events. In the 3.5 years since I started A Bite of Good I have tried out all different kinds of in-person events, from my local weekly farmers market to various makers collectives to, most recently, Shop & Sip events at my home. While each of these types of events has its own pros and cons, it is safe to say that Michael and I found the most satisfaction from the Shop & Sips. We love inviting you into our home, preparing food and drinks for you that show you some of our favorite ways to use my products, and having the chance to chat and hang out with you. And based on the feedback we've received after our Shop & Sips in November and December, it seems that you all seem to love these events too.
So, I'm excited to officially announce the 2024 A Bite of Good Shop & Sip Calendar!
Spring Shop & Sip: Saturday, March 9 from 10am to 2pm
Summer Shop & Sip: Saturday, June 8 from 10am to 2pm
Fall Shop & Sip: Saturday, September 7 from 10am to 2pm
Thanksgiving Shop & Sip: Saturday, November 9 from 10am to 2pm
Winter/Holiday Shop & Sip: Saturday, December 7 from 10am to 2pm
I've decided to schedule these events on a quarterly basis (plus an extra one in November in advance of Thanksgiving) in order to lean in to the concept of seasonality, with each Shop & Sip focusing on the upcoming change of seasons, from the decor to the products offered to the snacks and sips we make for the event. And, as always, I hope to continue to find ways to incorporate the offerings of other local businesses because even though I have shifted away from popping up in person with other makers, my small business community means everything to me, and I would be nowhere without them.
So mark your calendars, friends! We can't wait to see you!!!
There may be other changes around here as I get back into the swing of things, but I think this is enough for one day. As always, thank you for stopping by and for all your love and support.
Cheers,
Laurel