SEPTEMBER 2021
localmatters
in
Southern Minnesota
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PAGE 3 culinary love — chocolate. Sugar-free chocolate sea salt caramels are a perennial favorite. “I’ve always enjoyed cooking. I learned how to make candy from one of my neighbors when I was growing up,” said Trenda. “As an adult, I travelled to Quebec on a business trip. While I was there, I toured a chocolate factory and museum. I loved watching the chocolatiers at work.” After returning home, Trenda took an online course to become a certified chocolatier. She 121 W. Main St., Owatonna tested out her class 507-451-3396 creations on friends and Hours: family, and started sell- 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ing her con- Monday-Friday fections at All sugar-free candies craft shows shortly after and sweetener blends are graduaavailable for purchase online tion. As that at curlygirlzcandy.com. business grew, she quit her job to focus full-time on candy-making — ultimately opening Curly Girlz.
IF YOU GO
Curly Girlz products aren’t just sugar-free, they’re low carb, keto-friendly and delicious.. (Photo courtesy of Curly Girlz)
Sugar-free? Yes, please!
Curly Girlz Candy makes healthier sweets that everyone can enjoy By BRIDGET KRANZ
T
his is not your mother’s sugar-free candy. In Paula Even Trenda’s case, it’s not her grandmother’s sugarfree candy. Trenda is the founder and owner of Curly Girlz Candy in Owatonna — specializing in sugar-free sweets that you’d never know were sugar-free, as well as keto-friendly and low carb. “My grandmother ate sugar-free candy when I was growing up, and it tasted awful,” said Trenda. “When I started making candy fulltime in 2014, it felt like there still weren’t a lot of great options on the market.”
“I worked with nutritionists, studying different types of sweeteners that were healthier and more natural,” said Trenda. “As better options became available, we started relying less on sugar alcohols. We settled on a formula and since then, we’ve made our own sweetener blend.”
Local ingredients, national acclaim While all of the products offered online are sugar-free, keto-friendly and low carb, Trenda also continues to make some seasonal sugared goods to sell in the store. Those include limited edition specialty items for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. She makes caramel apples herself every autumn — turning to local
Caramels and chocolates and toffees — oh, my!
Since opening Curly Girlz in 2014, Trenda has continuously expanded her range of home-made chocolates and candies -- with a growing emphasis on sugar-free options. In 2016, she launched sugarfree caramels. As of last year, over Trenda began experimenting 95% of Curly Girlz’s production is with making her own sugarsugar free. The business has grown free candy after getting frequent at the same time. Trenda relocated Curly Girlz’s owner Paula Even Trenda requests from customers. At the from Medford to a larger space in time, most sugar-free manufactur- was named Minnesota’s 2020 Small Busi- Owatonna in 2017, and has since exness Person of the Year by the U.S. Small ers replaced sugar with maltitol panded within her building on Main Business Administration. (Photo courtesy — a sugar alcohol that still raises of Curly Girlz) Street. blood sugar and can cause stomIn addition to sugar-free caraach upset as well. Even though mels, Curly Girlz makes a variety of maltitol was the norm, Trenda knew she wanted to do sugar-free brittles and toffees — from almond- to coffeethings differently. flavored. And Trenda also continues to create her first
Curly Girlz also makes limited edition specialty items for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. (Photo courtesy of Curly Girlz)
growers for the apples. Year-round, Curly Girlz sources as many ingredients as possible from southern Minnesota farmers. Local ingredients include the apples, premium butter, and even hemp hearts — another healthconscious touch to Curly Girlz’s sweet treats. “We use raw hemp hearts in our hemp brittle. Hemp hearts are incredibly heart-healthy, and they help give our brittle a unique flavor,” said Trenda. “It has a nice fall flavor. With cinnamon and vanilla, it almost tastes like a candied granola.” Curly Girlz’ unique business model has earned the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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LOCAL
AWARD WINNING Chankaska Creek Ranch Winery & Distillery has distilled Kremes and spirits — gin, rye, vodka and whiskey — for about six years. (Photo courtesy of Chankaska Creek Ranch Winery & Distillery)
Chankaska Creek Ranch Winery & Distillery offers wine, spirits and food in a relaxing rural setting By JANE MOORE
R
aise a glass to Kent and Jane Schwickert, proprietors of Chankaska Creek Ranch Winery & Distillery in Kasota! The entrepreneurial couple first planted vines on the 25-acre property in 2009 and opened the doors to Chankaska’s tasting room in 2012. Their labor has produced enticing fruit over the past decade. “Initially, our business plan was to provide a great experience with wine, appetizers and wood-fired pizzas for people to enjoy,” said Jane, Chankaska’s general manager. “Then we started distribution to local retailers and liquor stores, and around 2015-16 we decided to distill spirits.” My, how they’ve grown. Today, Chankaska’s award-winning wines, spirits and Kremes are distributed in Minnesota and nationally, and a spacious event center graces the property to accommodate large events yearround. “We can host weddings for up to 350 guests, or concerts for between 400 and 500 people,” said Jane. Whether you’re a party of one or a dozen, Chankaska has an experience for you. “We have tables for one to 12 people,
and we have several smaller spaces for events of 50 people or less,” said Jane. “We can accommodate just about any event here.” Namely, family reunions, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, anniversary celebrations, private tastings, political gatherings, class reunions, fundraisers
IF YOU GO
1179 East Pearl St., Kasota 507-931-0089 chankaskawines.com Hours: Noon-9 p.m. — Monday-Saturday Noon-7 p.m. — Sunday and weddings; all are among the broad range of events Chankaska expertly hosts. “We have a great team of employees,” said Jane, mentioning Chankaska’s 15 full-time staff plus many additional part-time workers. “Some have been with us since the
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MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA beginning, while others have been here several years; their experience is a real asset. Chankaska is a great place to work.” Located about a mile south of St. Peter and a few miles north of Mankato, Chankaska is easily accessible and thus a popular site for area residents. But it’s also a destination for guests from the Twin Cities, Rochester, New Ulm and beyond, all of whom are drawn by Chankaska’s relaxing ambience coupled with delicious food and an increasing variety of terrific wine and spirits. “We have four regional sales managers working to distribute our North Forest Kremes and Ranch Road
PAGE 5 Spirits in the Dakotas, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Kentucky,” said Jane. She recommends Chankaska’s spirit-based cream product — North Forest Kreme — available in walnut, maple bourbon pecan, pumpkin, peppermint and huckleberry vanilla flavors. “It goes well in coffee, too,” she said. Autumn is a beautiful season to visit Chankaska, Jane suggests. “Harvest is going on,” said Jane, “And there’s usually nice fall weather. It’s a great time to enjoy our wines and spirits.”
On a beautiful day, enjoy a bite, a glass of something tasty and the company of fiends on Chankaska’s outdoor patio. (Photo courtesy of Chankaska Creek Ranch Winery & Distillery)
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company wholesale clients across the country — and beyond. One of their largest wholesale customers is supermarket chain Hy-Vee (although their candies aren’t carried at the Owatonna location — you’ll have to stop by the Curly Girlz store for your fix in town). For individual customers, the shop offers convenient online and in-person ordering. In addition to homemade candies and chocolates, Trenda also packages and sells her unique sweetener blend for those looking to make sugar-free desserts at home. “We sell the sweetener online and at our retail location. It comes in both powder and granulated form,” said Trenda. “People who are looking to cut back on their sugar intake will buy it and use it for baking at home. Nobody notices the difference. I use it often for crisps, pies, even jams. You really don’t notice that it’s not sugar.” For her innovation in the world of sugar-free sweets, Trenda was named Minnesota’s 2020 Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. While finding her niche — and setting Curly Girlz apart with an innovative sweetener blend — Trenda has also made a difference in the lives of countless people who either need to or choose to reduce their sugar intake. “Our focus has really been on creating a healthier option for consumers to enjoy. We wanted to make candies that weren’t full of sugar, that people could enjoy as part of a healthier lifestyle,” said Trenda. “I hear from a lot of families with type 1 or 2 diabetes, or other illnesses where they have difficulty breaking down sugar. It means a lot to be able to buy a bag of sugar-free candy and give it to their kids’ teacher. Now, when the class is getting a treat, their child has a safe and healthy way to participate.”
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3 Sugar-free? Yes, please! Curly Girlz Candy makes healthier sweets that everyone can enjoy 4 Chankaska Creek Ranch Winery & Distillery offers wine, spirits and food in a relaxing rural setting 6 Big Dream Organics is southern Minn’s go-to-source for CBD 7 From farm to fork, Schmidt’s has — and does — it all 9 ‘Escape’ from everyday, discover exciting Minnesota wines at Vintage Escapes Winery 10 APT Machining: running strong after 30 years 12 Wenger brings music to the lives of people everywhere 14 Jarraff Industries doubles size, sales in St. Peter 16 Hobby turned business, Mineral Springs now an Owatonna staple 18 Create in Faribault! Make your own unique jewelry with locally designed beading kits 21 Rooted in southern Minn, AmesburyTruth makes window, door hardware for the world 22 Froggy’s Cotton Candy Bar puts a flavorful spin on the traditional treat 26 Dream it, design it, make it with TyNik Molding 28 Faribault Foods means delicious food and a great place to work REGIONAL PRESIDENT: RANDY RICKMAN REGIONAL GENERAL MANAGER: CHAD HJELLMING REGIONAL MANAGING EDITOR: SUZANNE ROOK REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF SALES: TOM KELLING DESIGN LAYOUT: KATE TOWNSEND-NOET ADVERTISING: JORDAN ANDREAS, AMBER CASTERTON, KATHLEEN DAVIES, VICTORIA DAVIS, JENNIFER FLOWERS, CRYSTAL HOBART, BRITNEY MARR, TIM MART, MARK NELSON, DEANNA WALTERS All advertising contained herein is the responsibility of the advertisers. This publication is ©2021 by APG SoMinn and no content can be reproduced without permission. Made In Southern Minnesota is delivered to all subscribers of Owatonna People’s Press, Faribault Daily News, Northfield News, Kenyon Leader St. Peter Herald, Le Sueur County News and Waseca County News.
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Jerry Collins and his life and business partner Angela Obermeyer own and operate Big Dream Organics. (Photo courtesy of Big Dream Organics)
By JANE MOORE
Minnesota-produced products are readily available at Big Dream Organics, which has locations in Owatonna and Albert Lea. (Jane Moore photo)
Big Dream Organics is southern Minn’s go-to-source for CBD
S
eeking natural relief from chronic pain, anxiety, seizures, insomnia, inflammation or another ailment? Big Dream Organics may have just what you need. “We’re northern Iowa and southern Minnesota’s go-to source for cannabis education, information and products,” said Jerry Collins, who owns and operates Big Dream Organics’ two locations with his life and business partner Angela Obermeyer. Big Dream Organics, a licensed cannabis grower and manufacturer, also sources some of its products (for
instance, CBD edibles, which can’t be legally produced in Minnesota) from reputable organic growers in other states. Collins, formerly an IT professional, opened Big Dream Organics after his personal experience with CBD products sold him on their benefits. “For a long time I wasn’t sleeping well—maybe two to three hours a night—then I tried cannabidiol [CBD],” said Collins. “Within a couple of days I was regularly sleeping six to seven hours a night, which was pretty awesome.” Collins and Obermeyer, a registered nurse, market CBD (a natural essential oil extracted from the flowers of cannabis plants) in the form of
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Best-sellers at Big Dream Organics include gel caps and gummies. (Jane Moore photo)
tinctures, gel caps, topical salves, balms, vape cartridges, edibles, pet products and even bath balms.
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Big Dream Organics strives to offer the highest quality local and national cannabis products for the best possible price. “We love being part of the small business community and we do our best to support other local cannabis growers and manufacturers, as well as non-cannabis small businesses,” said Collins. “And we see a ton of military veterans. CBD helps with symptoms from traumatic brain injuries and PTSD and relieves neck, back and knee pain.” CBD products for animals — edible treats or oil tinctures — are also useful for pet owners. “If you have really rambunctious or anxious animals, or older pets with degenerative diseases, cannabis is great at calming, or keeping pets comfortable as they get older,” said Collins, noting doses for animals are figured by weight; additional factors are taken into consideration for humans. With their several years of research and constant
monitoring of the CBD industry, Collins and Obermeyer are happy to spend time educating customers. Said Collins, “We’re small business owners whose goal is to serve people looking for more holistic, natural ways to manage a variety of symptoms.”
IF YOU GO
216 Bridge St., Owatonna Or 1723 West Main St., Albert Lea bigdreamorganics.com Big Dream Organics on Facebook Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
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Terry and Julie Johnson, originally from Sleepy Eye, come to Schmidt’s for the summer sausage, but appreciate the hundreds of offerings. (Suzanne Rook/southernminn.com)
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Schmidt’s offers all kinds of meats, both prepackaged and by the pound at the meat counter, at its Nicollet store. (Suzanne Rook/southernminn.com)
From farm to fork, Schmidt’s has — and does — it all By JANE MOORE
hen it comes to meat, Schmidt’s can’t be beat. Whether you’re hankering for some head cheese, salivating over snack sticks or craving brats, you’re bound to be satisfied by the array of options awaiting at
Schmidt’s. “Our signature product, hands-down, is our summer sausage,” said Ryan Schmidt, president of Schmidt’s Meat Market and the third-generation owner of this Nicollet gem. “We have nine flavors of it — like German beer or Minnesota style made with wild rice, blueberries, honey and maple syrup — but our biggest seller is still the original recipe my grandpa Gerhardt made.” Can Schmidt name a favorite? Heck, no. “I like ‘em all,” he grinned. Flavor options are a hallmark of Schmidt’s, where their snack sticks include variations like habanero, maple, Buffalo blue cheese and cheddar, and the jerky boasts profiles such as teriyaki and jalapeno. But don’t worry; if your taste buds are tamer, they stock “original” and “mild,” too. Schmidt’s has a dozen or more varieties of fresh or frozen marinated chicken breasts, and cuts of beef ranging from filet mignon to the “cannibal” burger are available at their fresh meat counter. Although these days it takes a terrific team of 50 employees to CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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keep the operation rolling, Schmidt’s dad, Gary, and his uncle Bruce still step in regularly to lend their expert help. So does Schmidt’s wife, Lynnita, and their teenage sons, Carson and Tyler. “Our busiest season is November and December, when we handle wild game processing and holiday orders,” said Schmidt. There isn’t a piece of the business that Schmidt, an owner of the shop since 2005, 319 Pine St., Nicollet doesn’t know by heart — or hands-on training. After all, schmidtsmeatmarket.com he worked there after school and summers since age 14. Hours: “Someone asked me where 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. I learned meat-cutting and I Monday-Friday said, ‘Through osmosis at the dinner table,’” said Schmidt. 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In reality, his grandpa Saturday taught him to slaughter and butcher. “We still custom-process livestock for area farmers, and we process around 180,000 pounds of wild game each year,” said Schmidt, who today concentrates on the business and marketing aspects of Schmidt’s. Schmidt guarantees all the goodness of his grandpa Gerhardt’s German heritage remains in the products they produce and sell. A distinctive German flair shines through, with smoked meat options including Landjaegers, wieners and breakfast smokies; head cheese and braunschweiger are reliably in stock, too. “Meat markets like ours are definitely part of the fabric of our local economy,” said Schmidt. Eat up!
IF YOU GO
Schmidt’s Meat Market’s signature product is its summer sausage, which is available in nine flavors, including owner Ryan Schmidt’s family recipe, as well as German beer or Minnesota style made with wild rice, blueberries, honey and maple syrup. (Suzanne Rook/southernminn.com)
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September 28/29, 2021
MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
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PAID CONTENT By BRIDGET KRANZ
A
The winery’s schedule includes food trucks and performers to compliment its guests experience. (Photo courtesy of Vintage Escapes Winery)
‘Escape’ from everyday, discover exciting Minnesota wines at
Vintage Escapes Winery
shley and Dan Reller created Vintage Escapes as a place to come together, share a moment and discover the range of Minnesota wines. Ten miles west of Faribault, the vineyard is situated on 32 acres off Dodd Road. The couple has decorated the property with vintage-inspired decor, from a classic truck —complete with wine barrels in the bed -to interior finishes created by Dan and his father. They bought the property in 2015, prepared the land and planted their first crop two years later. Vintage Escapes, opened in 2019, is a family-operated business run by Ashley and Dan, a military veteran. The pair loved touring wineries, tasting different wines and learning more about the winemaking process. When their son, River, was born in 2014, it was the spark they needed to finally turn their passion into their life’s work. Opening the winery was a leap of faith. Not only was Vintage Escapes a business the couple started from scratch, wine-making itself is fairly new in Minnesota. It began to gain popularity in the 1970s, and since then the University of Minnesota has been working to develop several cold hardy grapes. “There are more and more grapes coming out that not only survive in Minnesota, but make good wine,” said Ashley, who leads the winemaking while Dan manages the tasting room and the business.” Some of the most successful Minnesota grapes are Frontenac, Itasca and Marquette — the three varieties grown at Vintage Escapes. Something for everybody, made on site Vintage EsCONTINUED ON PAGE 10
WINE BY BOTTLE, GLASS OR FLIGHT OPEN YEAR ROUND
Join us for good times and delicious wines!
Vintage Escapes Winery 8950 Dodd Road | Kilkenny, MN 507-334-1936 | Follow us
VETERAN OWNED; FAMILY OPERATED
• Vintage-inspired tasting room • Outdoor patio • Stunning views of lake, vineyard and countryside • Live music & events • Shareable plates, flatbreads, desserts and more • Shop our wines online • Private events available
OPEN FRIDAYS THROUGH SUNDAYS & SOMETIMES THURSDAYS. VISIT OUR WEBSITE OR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR MOST CURRENT HOURS.
WWW.VINTAGEESCAPESWINERY.COM
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panding our outdoor area to include a permanent pavilion which will be as big as our indoor capes offers something for everybody, thanks to the development of Minnesota wine over the tasting room once it’s complete.” The winery hosts food trucks, live music and past few decades. events on weekends. Upcoming crafting classes “We pride ourselves on being able to serve something for everyone,” said Ashley. “No mat- include ter what type of wine drinker you are — even if fallyou’re not a wine drinker yet — we’ll find some- themed sucthing you’ll like.” Ashley, who leads the winemaking while Dan culent 8950 Dodd Road, Kilkenny plantmanages the vineyard, is particularly proud ers and of their Marquette red. Dark fruit flavors and holiday Contact the tasting room smoky spice make this especially enticing during business hours at porch heading into fall. It’s also been recognized by pots. the International Cold Climate Wine Com507-334-1936. For more One of petition with two gold medals and a “Best in Ashley information and a schedule Show.” of upcoming events, visit and Grapes for the 2021 Marquette, to be harDan’s vintageescapeswinery.com. vested this fall, will be the first Vintage Esgoals capes wine made only with fruit grown on the was to create a place where people could share property. The property has about 10 acres of special moments and “escape” daily life. viable vine growing land. Ashley and Dan cur “It’s the most heartwarming thing, to see rently cultivate three, with plans to expand as people come out and be able to enjoy themthe business grows. With the volume of wine selves, take in the countryside and escape their they make, Vintage Escapes will always need daily worries,” said Ashley. “That’s what drives additional grapes for many of their varietals. us, to see that our wines and our space can Ashley and Dan try to buy as locally as posmake people happy.” sible. Winemaking is done entirely onsite. Vintage Escapes is located 10 miles west of “Our tasting room is vintage-inspired, very Faribault at 8950 Dodd Road, Kilkenny. The warm and welcoming inside. We also have a large patio with gorgeous lake and countryside tasting room is open Fridays 3 to 9 p.m., Saturdays noon to 9 p.m. and Sundays noon to 5 views — especially in the fall, when the leaves start to change colors,” said Ashley. “We’re ex- p.m. for the season. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
IF YOU GO
Ashley and Dan Reller’s love of vino inspired them to open Vintage Escapes Winery, but it was the birth of their son, River, that gave them them the impetus. (Photo courtesy of Vintage Escapes Winery)
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APT Machining: running strong after 30 years By PAT BECK
U ATP Quality Control Technician Cole Miller inspects a product that must meet precise measurements. (Pat Beck/southernminn.com)
sing steel, aluminum and/ or plastic, APT Machining can manufacture precision products for most any type of application. The Kasota-based company manufactures products for all types of industries, including transportation, agriculture, construction, power generation (generators), consumer goods, medical components, and oil and gas manufacturing, across the United States and Mexico. That diversification has been good for business. “Throughout the years we’ve always stayed busy because we are so diversified,” owner Brian Mayo said. “We’ve got a larger customer base which keeps us busy even when one cus-
tomer is slow, we stay busy with others. Like if agricultural is slow then the construction side may be busy. If if construction is slow, the power generation may be busy. Right now it seems like everybody is busy.” Medical manufacturing is up now because of COVID-19, Mayo said. “There is money to be spent there. People are buying.” APT’s work can be found most anywhere. “We do a lot of parts for dump trucks, construction vehicles, farm equipment or a bolt or a hub,” Mayo said. The process begins with APT getting a drawing or print of the part. Then the information is entered into a computer. APT has nearly 30 CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machines and another 10 random
MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
September 28/29, 2021 manual or miscellaneous machines. “It’s all computerized machines where you make a program and put a block of metal in there, and it machines it out,” Mayo said. “It’s basically the metal component that goes into a larger assembly,” he said. “The customer will send us a print with their specs on it, and then we make one or 100 of them. They may want 1,000 of them, but they want one prototype to make sure everything works.” APT also does repair work for local construction companies or farmers when needed. “They’ll bring in whatever is broken, and we’ll either make a new one or fix it,” Mayo said. The company’s 40 employees perform a variety of jobs, such as machine programmers who set up the machines, operators who run them, saw operators, welders and quality control, which does the inspections. Many of the employees have gone through the machine tool program at South Central College. APT currently has a half dozen jobs open, including machinists and machine operators. Despite the difficulty filling some positions and increased cost of materials, business has been going well,
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JUST THE FACTS
320 E Industrial St., Kasota aptmachining.com Apply: aptmachining.com/ careers Mayo said. APT has grown over the years. In the last 10 years, sales have increased a minimum of 10% per year from just over $1 million to over $4 million annually. Mayo’s father, Mike, started the business in 1990 as APT Machining and Fabricating in Mankato. Then in 2005 the business expanded to a new 20,000-square foot building in Kasota. Brian Mayo purchased the Computer Numerical Control (CNC) part of of the business in 2008 and the other half in 2013 when his dad retired. It remains a family business with Brian’s wife, Maegan, doing the accounting and sons, Arick, 26, and Riley, 21, working in the shop. Arick does programming and Computer Aided Design (drafting) and Riley does ATP Machine Operator Matt Johnson works on deburring baseplates and drilling holes for an overhead machine maintenance and robotics industrial door. (Pat Beck/southernminn.com) automation.
APT Machining Inc. Family owned and operated, serving precision cnc machining and repair machining needs for the last 30 years. 320 E Industrial St. Kasota, Mn 56050
Tel: 507-931-5425
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The Austin High School band room includes a full suite of Wenger Corp. products, including platforms and risers. (Photo courtesy of Wenger Corp.)
Wenger brings music to the lives of people everywhere By TOM NELSON
F
A Wenger employee works on a set of risers, possibly destined for a high school choir room. (Photo courtesy of Wenger Corp.)
rom its humble beginnings from the basement in a house in Owatonna, the Wenger Corp. has grown into an industry leader, producing innovative products for music education, the performing arts and athletics over the past 75 years. The Wenger Corp., which celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2021, began in 1946, when local high school band director Harry Wenger saw a need to provide quality equipment and innovations to help music educators and students. One of his first products created out of his basement workshop was a sousaphone chair, which helped support the weight of the heavy instrument. His invention soon gained the attention of other band directors when Harry and his wife, Ruth, traveled to state music conventions. The orders soon started coming in and his product line grew to include choral risers and staging systems. The company then began selling its products through catalogs and direct mail, and by 1964 the Wenger catalog had grown to over 40 products and had celebrated its first $1 million year. Of course, the growth meant that the com-
pany’s operation moved from the basement of Harry Wenger’s house to a rented facility in downtown Owatonna before creating a manufacturing facility in 1967 along I-35, where the Wenger Corp. is headquartered today. The current facility has just over 400,000 square feet of manufacturing 555 Park Dr,. Owatonna space wengercorp.com along with the Apply at wengercorp.com/ corpo- careers.php ration’s offices. “This building is primarily in three sections and it’s based on our growth as a company,” Wenger Corp. Vice President of Operations Jim Kingsley said. “The first section, the front part of the building, was built in 1967. We have another addition that was built in 1995, and later another addition that was built in 1998
JUST THE FACTS
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Thank You Team Members, Retirees, and Owatonna Community!
Celebrating Years
THE PRODUCTS THAT DEFINE
PERFORMANCE
800.4WENGER | wengercorp.com
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Engine being prepped for install in the assembly building at Jarraff Industries in St. Peter. (Photo courtesy of James Schill, Lime Valley Advertising Inc.)
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Jarraff Industries all model product lineup. (Photo courtesy of James Schill, Lime Valley Advertising Inc.)
Jarraff Industries doubles size, sales in St. Peter By PAT BECK
usiness is booming at St. Peter’s Jarraff Industries, which manufactures specialized right-of-way (RoW) maintenance, land clearing and tree care equipment that is used throughout the world. The most significant expansion started in 2017. That year, Jarraff started an initiative to double the size and capacity of the plant along with sales by 2020. Jarraff is currently on the industrial park on the north end of town. There are eight buildings on its campus. The biggest, the assembly building, has doubled in size. Other buildings on campus include those for fabrication, shipping and receiving, parts and service department and a research and development engineering building. “During the expansion, we acquired property next door to ours and relocated processes on campus to where it made sense,” Director of Operations Meghan Strait said. Currently Jarraff manufactures and sell several hundred products per year which ship worldwide. Doubling in size allowed for the capacity to go from make to order, to make to stock, meaning the product is available. “When our customers place an order, they want the product available right away,” Strait said. “In 2017, lead time made earliest delivery dates months out. Our customers want and expect product sooner. This was a leading driver in us wanting to increase capacity and reduce lead time.” Although there was a slowdown in the business last year as a result of COVID-19, Jarraff is back up to speed and more in
2021. “It is an unprecedented time for manufacturing,” Strait said. “In 2020 we had to get creative so we didn’t over build and have too much inventory, which every manufacturer was doing. Now in 2021 it is the opposite: everybody wants product, everyone needs components. With component and resource availability, trying to fill orders with no lead time is difficult with the current state of manufacturing.” Staffing has had to increase to meet the
JUST THE FACTS
1730 N Gault St, St Peter jarraff.com 507-934-8688 Apply: jarraff.com/company/ open-positionsa added demand. The number of employees has grown from just under 50 in 2017, to over 60 and Jarraff is still hiring. Openings include welders and fabricators, painters, assemblers, material handlers, engineers, office associates, and parts and service specialists. New products and enhancements are always in the pipeline but won’t be showcased until they are ready for launch, Strait said. “We’ve got three distinct product lines of specialized equipment,” Strait said. The Jarraff all-terrain tree trimmer was the company’s first product. “It is our bread and butter,” Strait said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
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Hobby turned business, Mineral Springs now an Owatonna staple By TOM NELSON
ABOVE PHOTO: Mineral Springs Brewery in Owatonna celebrates its second anniversary in November. (Tom Nelson photo)
In addition to its taproom, Mineral Springs outdoor patio has proven popular with customers. (Tom Nelson photo)
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he first operating brewery in Owatonna since the beginning of Prohibition over 100 years ago, Mineral Springs Brewery will celebrate its second anniversary of operation in November. Located in a converted industrial building at 111 N. Walnut Ave. in downtown Owatonna, Mineral Springs Brewery is a concept put together by five long-time city residents who wanted to help bring the craft brewery movement to the community. “A lot of communities have breweries and we really wanted this type of experience for Owatonna,” said Bill Cronin, who is one of the brewery’s owners along with partners Rod Baker, Mark Knutson, Tim Pelton and Mark Sebring. “We felt this type of thing was an important asset to bring to Owatonna and it has proven to have been very well received … the brewery does seem to be a place that people enjoy and appreciate.”
The name Mineral Springs Brewery was first originated by a group of Owatonna home brewing enthusiasts almost 10 years ago. The current owners bought the name and also brought along Pelton, who was part of that original Mineral Springs group. “It was just a fun hobby for them,” Cronin said. “There was no tap room or beer sales — it was strictly home brewing.” The conversation to create the current version of Mineral Springs Brewery began in early 2018 and it took about 18 months for the pieces to be put in place for the grand opening of the Walnut Avenue location in November 2019. Since that time, Mineral Springs Brewery has become a popular destination for area beer lovers looking to try a variety of unique beers in a comfortable and stylish setting. A sizable indoor taproom that features large garage doors that open on to Mineral Springs’ trademark patio,
September 28/29, 2021 which is the perfect setting for sipping beers during the spring, summer and fall. “We chose this location because we really wanted patio space and being this close to the bike trail was a big benefit,” Cronin said. “We also wanted the garage door look and a food truck pad, and this location really afforded that opportunity.” Mineral Springs Brewery has 14 taps available and it offers a variety of beer types that rotate throughout the year. Cronin noted that Mineral Springs has already created 37 different types of beer since its opening in 2019. The beers are created by the Mineral Springs team led by head brewer Mark Sebring. Of note, the brewery employs a staff of 11 along with the five owners. Typically, Mineral Springs Brewery always try to have five or six types of beer that customers enjoy and are accustomed to such as India Pale Ales (IPAs) or cream ales. In addition, the brewery also offers a variety of seasonal or speciality beers throughout the year including unique holiday brews around St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas and Oktoberfest. “Something we do here that is unique, is that every beer we have is named after something local,” Cronin said. “Many of them are locally famous names or landmarks, which is something we have lot of fun with.” One of the current favorites is Thunderbolt IPA, which is named after 1920s Owatonna football legend Herb Joesting. Another taproom favorite is Luverne’s Concertina Pilsner, which is named in honor of Hall of Fame concertina star Luverne Wanous. “He was just down here last weekend,” Cronin said of Wanous, who enjoys a beer on occasion at Mineral Springs. “He loves stopping by and we love having him
MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
PAGE 17 Food trucks are parked at the brewery during the spring, summer and fall on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and feature a variety of cuisines from local vendors. In season, Mineral Spring also has live music on its patio on Thursday and Saturday evenings. In the winter months, look for six igloos to pop up on For more information, visit the Mineral Springs patio. mineralspringsbrewery.com These unique or call 507-413-6281. 111 N. Walnut Ave., Owatonna clear plastic structures 507-413-6281 provide an enclosed and Hours: heated setting Wednesday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. for groups of Thursday 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. up to eight Friday 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. customers. “The igloos Saturday 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. are super Closed on Monday and popular,” Cronin said. Tuesday “We did it last year because COVID was limiting our inside capacity but we learned the igloos were a pretty popular concept, so we are sticking with it.”
IF YOU GO
Rod Baker, one of Mineral Springs Brewery’s owners, pours a glass of the brewery’s Lemond Lime Gose, a wheat beer with a touch of lime. Brewery owners enjoy using local landmarks and names when naming their beers. Lemond is a southeastern Steele County township. (Tom Nelson photo)
stop by.” The brewery runs a five-barrel system, which allows it to provide beer for the taproom and take home sales in growlers (glass bottles) and crowlers (cans). The brewery is open Wednesday through Sunday, and is also available for private events and community functions.
111 N Walnut Ave; Owatonna, MN 55060 (507) 413-6281
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September 28/29, 2021
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Store owner Suzanne Klumb has 25 different kits available in her shop with something for everyone, from beginners to experienced jewelry makers. Customers can work on their own, take a class or schedule one-on-one time with Klumb. (Photo courtesy of Glass Garden Beads)
Create in Faribault! Make your own unique jewelry with locally designed beading kits By BRIDGET KRANZ
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ime, scissors and a smile – pick up a beading kit from Glass Garden Beads and those are the only three additional items required. Put it all together, and you end up with a finished piece of jewelry, handmade by you. Located downtown Faribault, Glass Garden Beads has created jewelry kits for over two decades. Owner Suzanne Klumb throughout the years is marketing her own designs as well as IP owned designs from six other designers to create a variety of bead kit patterns. Each kit includes supplies and easy-to-read instructions. Most are for bracelets or necklaces done in a style called “bead weaving.” Beads are woven back and forth with a needle and thread, creating intricate bands and shapes of color. The kits at Glass Garden Beads range from beginner to experienced, with something for everyone. Klumb cur-
rently has 25 different kits available, with Glass Garden Beads is a library of over 80 at 318 Central Ave. N., rotating Ste. 105, Faribault. Reach designs. Each kit is it at 507-645-0301 or assembled glassgardenbeads@gmail. at the shop com. For more information, in the city’s visit glassgardenbeads.com. historic Bachrach Building. Kits are sold at the store or online encompassing wholesale to other retailers. Many kits have achieved national recognition in the bead hobby industry. In addition to traditional kits, Klumb works with several local artists on what she calls “project inspira-
IF YOU GO
tions.” Artists can bring in a finished piece of jewelry, and if she’s interested, Klumb will buy the IP rights and develop a kit or project to make for distribution. All samples are on display in the store. Customers can come in and – if they like what they see – learn how to create something similar with supplies and help from Klumb. “I’m especially looking for bead woven projects,” said Klumb. “That way, if a customer comes in and sees that example on display, I can work with them and the supplies we have on hand and show them how to create something similar.”
New at Glass Garden – batik kits! Klumb is a textile artist by trade. One of her passions is batik, a method of dyeing fabric. Using hot wax to block out certain areas of the fabric, the un-waxed surfaces are dyed, and layered to create intricate pat-
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Glass Garden Beads has kits and supplies to make all types of jewelry — whatever your heart desires. (Photo courtesy of Glass Garden Beads)
terns. This year, the pandemic inspired Klumb to rekindle her passion for textile. “I’ve always wanted to do a line of batik design kits,” she said. “I finally had the time and courage to do it.” She now sells batik kits called “Slow Stitch.” that can be used to make table runners, tablecloths, wall hangings even jewelry. She has combined her love of dyeing fabric and her love of weaving with beads. These too are on display for sale in the shop and have started to be distributed nationally online. Kits are great for beginners because they take the guesswork out of buying the right materials. Step-by-step instructions are provided, from set-up to finishing. More experienced bead-weavers can also use the kits as a starting point.
Glass Garden Beads also offers complementary, casual learning opportunities, along with structured classes and one-on-one instruction. “When you take a traditional class, which I definitely encourage people to do for more focused instruction, you have a teacher sitting right there with you,” said Klumb. “In our classes and private instruction, it’s 100% focused, dedicated time.” Klumb is currently putting together in-person classes for the fall for those who are comfortable. In the meantime, online kit sales have helped keep the brick-and-mortar location open during the pandemic. The store is becoming a gathering place again — from local hobbyists bringing in their projects to other artists and students working with Klumb as a learning step in their exploration of beads and textiles. Come in and make something in Faribault!
(Photo courtesy of Glass Garden Beads)
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Football Lockers©Wenger Corporation, 555 Park Drive, Owatonna, MN 55060, www.wengercorp.com, GearBoss Customized Wood Lockers, Custom Wood Lockers, Custom Lockers, 10/2015, University of Minnesota, Athletes Village Football Lockers, Football Complex, Minneapolis, MN, Photographer: Mitch Kezar, laminate door surface, LED back lit nameplate, tuck back pocket doors with city scape hole pattern, pull handles, digital lock, short garment bar, four custom hooks, Padded hinged seat, Model: Jordan (red shirt), Horizontal Image. (Photo courtesy of Wenger Corp.) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12
… all of which have followed the growth of the company.” Jerry Wenger, the son of Harry and Ruth Wenger and one of several family members to work in the business, helped continue the growth of the corporation and by the company’s 40th anniversary, Jerry Wenger led them to their strongest year ever with the introductions of popular new product lines such as Sound module practice rooms, music posture chairs and music stands in music education, as well as Tourmaster portable choral risers and the Showmobile mobile performance center in the performing arts category. “Being in the community, the (Wenger) family developed everything over the years and grew this business here,” Kingsley said. “There is a great workforce in this region and the one thing that we have done well is our building out process … building high-quality products and being able to do them well.” Kingsley noted that the Owatonna plant has played a huge role in the company’s ability to remain an industry leader and also expand into new markets. “This is a fairly vertically integrated facility … where we start with a lot of raw materials, like sheet steel and plywood, and manufacture most everything in house,” Kingsley said. “This plant is really like a lot of mini-manufacturing plants inside a plant because you have so many different product lines here. “It is pretty cool just the amount of product that comes out of here and that we are able to do it in one spot. The other
part that I have always been impressed with, for all that goes on in here, this is one of the cleanest manufacturing facilities I have ever been through.” Kingsley added, “It just goes to show the pride the team members take in the business and where they work. That doesn’t happen on its own, it really shows the team members’ commitment to the business.”
Continued growth When Jerry Wenger retired 25 years ago, the corporation turned to a management style led by a strong board of directors, which includes three of Harry Wenger’s grandchildren along with other corporate experts who provide a top-quality consulting resource for the company’s current management team. The growth of Wenger Corp. continued with the addition of acoustical shells, wall and ceiling panels, new stage designs and other elements used by performing arts centers everywhere. The company soon became a top resource in the industry for sound expertise. As much of the company’s business focused on the ‘front of the house’ aspect of the music industry, the Wenger Corp. became even a greater resource for the music industry by acquiring the J.R. Clancy Co. in Syracuse, N.Y., in 2011. The addition of the J.R. Clancy line of backstage stage rigging, hoist and motion control systems created a comprehensive solution for music education and performing arts centers worldwide. “With J.R. Clancy’s product expertise and our product expertise combined we
can offer a performing arts center full of equipment from back stage to front of house,” said Stacy Hanson, Wenger Corp. director of marketing communication. “This includes acoustics, stage rigging, stage engineering systems and fixed audience seating as well as the stands and chairs that are on the stage. We do it all.” The company’s current capabilities allows the Wenger Corp. to offer services and products that take their customer’s projects from an initial concept to a completed facility or resource. Their work has enhanced the music education programs at numerous elementary schools, high schools and colleges along with performance venues worldwide. A recent example of its work was the installation of a suite of Wenger music products at the newly renovated Austin (Minnesota) High School band, orchestra and choir annex. The $14.5 million project was a collaboration of the Austin Public Schools, the MacPhail Center for Music and the Hormel Foundation. Wenger products that helped make the renovation of the annex a success were chairs to promote proper posture, conductor’s equipment and ensemble tools, instrument storage cabinets, a percussion workstation, music library, cello racks, garment racks and StageTek staging and custom seated risers. One of the highlights for students and teachers were the virtual acoustic systems that were installed in the band, choir and orchestra rooms along with Wenger’s virtual acoustic technology in studios for individual and small group practice sessions. “Virtual acoustics technology is one of the exciting things we are working on now,” Hanson said. “ One of our expertises is acoustics and understanding the acoustics of a space and providing products that improve those acoustics. We have technology where we can actually change the acoustics of a rehearsal room or a performing arts center by integrating technology into that space. “In situations where schools have a limited amount of space, our technology can make that one space usable for so many different things, whether you have a band in there one day, or a speaker the next, you change the acoustics to fit that environment.”
Industry leader The virtual acoustics technology also helped schools during the pandemic since it allowed them to split students into smaller groups and help maintain proper social distancing. “The VA (virtual acoustic) rehearsal technology was very effective during COVID because you could split the group into smaller groups and record their session, and they could play with the larger
September 28/29, 2021 group even if they were not in the same room,” Hanson said. “The technology allowed them, even when they had reduced class sizes, to still be able to practice and perform together, but to do it virtually.” Virtual acoustics is just one way that Wenger has remained an industry leader. “We are always looking to stay in front of the technology and utilize technology to best manufacture, serve our customers and gain capacity,” Kingsley said. In 2004, the corporation built on its legacy of musical equipment storage and created its GearBoss brand of products to help meet the equipment storage needs of school athletic departments and sports organizations. From there, the company added standard and custom wood lockers to its product lineup. These lockers have met the growing needs of athletics and include features such as storage options for things like helmets, bats or shoulder pads, team logos, LED lighting, USB ports for charging devices and built-in sanitation and ventilation measures. Flexible storage and transport carts provide solutions for teams’ needs on the practice field or stadium. GearBoss has helped provide facility solutions for projects locally at Minnesota State University Mankato along with the University of Minnesota. This includes the Gophers’ locker rooms for football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s hockey, soccer, baseball, softball and volleyball. “Like the lockers at the U (University of Minnesota), these are custom lockers,” Kingsley said. “In those situations, our customers are really looking for a certain look or design inside the facility. We like to start with them upfront and try to work with them in developing that design and work with them all the way through the process. It really helps us make sure we are providing the best value for the customer.” Wenger’s connection with athletics is just another example of how the company continues too evolve to meet the needs of its customers. The company currently employs over 500 employees at its plants in Owatonna and Syracuse, and it offers nearly 600 Wenger, J.R. Clancy and GearBoss products in over 50 countries around the world. “Our reputation and products have taken us into a wide variety of markets such as performing arts, rental and production and broadcast and entertainment,” said Wenger CEO and President Chris Simpson. “Wenger is a classic American success story. For 75 years this has been a place where good people put hard work behind good ideas. It’s a place where quality counts and products are built to last. Most importantly, it’s a place that helps bring music to the lives of people everywhere.”
September 28/29, 2021
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amesburytruth.com Careers: bit.ly/3zJXpPP
Rooted in southern Minn, AmesburyTruth makes window, door hardware for the world By TOM NELSON AmesburyTruth has two facilities in Owatonna for a total of more than 280,00 square feet of manufacturing space. (Photo courtesy of AmesburyTruth)
A
mesburyTruth, a company with major manufacturing facilities in Owatonna, is playing a significant role in helping the region maintain its position as a top producer for windows and
doors. A North American leader in the production of hardware and components for the window and door industry, AmesburyTruth has two facilities near I-35 in Owa-
tonna. With over 280,000 square feet of manufacturing space, they provide a wide range of products to many of the nation’s leaders in window and door manufacturing including Andersen, Pella, Marvin and Jeld-Wen. A subsidiary of Tyman plc, which is headquartered out of London, AmesburyTruth creates the majority of hardware and components found on manufactured windows and doors for residential use throughout much
of the world. In addition to AmesburyTruth in North America, Tyman’s other divisions include ERA (United Kingdom and Ireland) and SchlegelGiesse (International). AmesburyTruth’s North America operations includes plants in Minnesota, South Dakota, North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas, Ohio, Canada and Mexico. Thanks CONTINUED ON PAGE 27
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MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
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September 28/29, 2021
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IF YOU GO
111 N. Main Street, Le Sueur, Minn. 56058 507-665-0023 froggyscottoncandybar.com Facebook: @ froggyscottoncandybar Instagram: froggyscottoncandybar E-mail: froggyscottoncandybar@ gmail.com
Robin Seger spins up a serving of her tasty cotton candy, which comes in more than 300 flavors, at her shop, Froggy’s Cotton Candy Bar in Le Sueur. (Tom Nelson photo)
Froggy’s Cotton Candy Bar puts a flavorful spin on the traditional treat BY TOM NELSON
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ometimes when you want something done, it’d best to take matters into your own hands. Such was the beginning of the awardwinning Froggy’s Cotton Candy Bar in downtown Le Sueur. The concept for the sweet shop located in the distinctive green building at 111 N. Main Street in Le Sueur started as a desire to help build the audience at the community’s weekly summer farmers market in 2020. “The idea for the shop got started at the farmers market in Le Sueur,” said Froggy’s Cotton Candy Bar owner Robin Seger, who also serves as a vice president for the farmers market. “We wanted to bring out something sweet at the farmers market for the kids during COVID-19. We weren’t able to find anyone to come out and I figured ‘what the heck, it couldn’t be that hard to do this myself.’ I did some research into making cotton candy, bought my first machine and it just snowballed after that.”
Prior to the her debut at the farmers market, Seger had been a stay-at-home mom raising her four children and also doing direct sales with products such as Tupperware, which was her initial connection with the Le Sueur farmers market. “I was a stay-at-home mom and had never done cotton candy before, but it was just something we wanted to bring to the farmers market, so I just decided to take the leap,” Seger said. “I thought I would just do it for fun at first, and then it just started going big. People wanted our cotton candy and it just did the snowball effect. We opened up in July last year and were then booked until the end of November last year with private events and small festivals.” From those beginnings at the farmers market, Seger’s business quickly grew. “People started asking us where they could get our cotton candy when the market was over,” Seger said. “I didn’t want people to start coming over to my home, so we started looking in town for a location. Everything just fell into place for us, we found this building (111 N. Main
Froggy’s mascot keeps a close eye on the cotton-candy making. (Tom Nelson photo)
St.) and started renovating it in October (2020) with the goal of opening on Jan.
1 (2021). It actually got pushed ahead to CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
September 28/29, 2021
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Remember that cotton candy you had as a kid…
OVER 100 FLA FLAVORS! Grab your family and road trip to the sweetest destination around & choose from over 100 dangerously delicious flavors! 111 North Main Street Le Sueur Minnesota, 56058 507-665-0023
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Seger said. In addition to the multiple flavors of cotton candy, Froggy’s Cotton Candy Bar offers a variety of tasty treats at its location in Le Sueur including funnel cakes, eight different flavors of fresh-squeezed lemonade, mini donuts, hand scooped ice, snow cones, popcorn, pretzels, caramel apples, hot cocoa bombs and chocolate dipped pretzel sticks along with coffee and other beverages. Still, cotton candy is the store’s top attraction. “Here in the shop, we spin it (cotton candy) right in front of them and they can watch us make it,” Seger said. “That is one of the things that sets us apart from everyone else, is that you get to actually watch us make it and that intrigues people — especially with the kids, they love watching us make the cotton candy.” Froggy’s continues to sell cotton candy at the weekly farmers’ market in Le Sueur Robin Seger uses candy to flavor her cotton candy. That gives her lots of options to and has been making the rounds at fairs choose from. (Tom Nelson photo) and festivals around the region. County CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22 candy.” fairs worked by her team this summer The list of flavors since produced by included Brown, Sibley, Scott and McLeod Dec. 19 (2020) because people were still Froggy’s has just under 300. The current along with Northfield’s Defeat of Jesse looking for our cotton candy.” menu has 106 flavors. James Days and New Prague’s Dozinky Seger noted that business has already The shop will soon be bringing out its festival. The remainder of the season will doubled and Froggy’s is already getting fall flavors and rotating out its summer bring stops at area pumpkin patches and booked into 2022 for events. The reaflavors. fall festivals. son for the success points directly to its “Our brains don’t shut off, we are “It has been really fun to go out and unique flavors and quality of her shop’s thinking about new flavor ideas 24/7,” see the smiles on kids faces when they try cotton candy. Seger said. “We have a lot of flavors and our cotton candy,” Seger said. “I would “Ours is not your traditional cotwe are not done creating new ones.” say our business has grown to where it is ton candy,” Seger said. “It melts in your Seger indicated the top five cotton 50/50 between the store and the festivals. mouth and it has a variety of flavors.” candy flavors are bubble gum, banana, Our business in the store has really grown At that first foray into cotton candy birthday cake, blue raspberry and root thanks to word of mouth and also when making at the Le Sueur farmers market, beet float. Some of the shop’s more unique people hear about us on social media, in Seger and her team offered one basic flacreations include huckleberry “psych” and the newspaper or the news. vor. cucumber watermelon mint. “We are starting to become a destina “We went out that first time with the “When you hear cucumber watermelon tion hot spot as a sweet shop and we traditional sugar puffs,” Seger said. “My mint, it doesn’t sound like a good flavor would like to keep that going and grow husband (Keith Seger) came home that for cotton candy, but when people tried it, bigger.” night and found out we could do hard candy. We played around with the process the cucumber watermelon mint was one of The shop has attracted visitors from top sellers for that month and we sold out neighboring states, including customers and were just blown away by the flavors. of it.” from locales beyond the upper Midwest. “The flavors we created were so much The shop also produced a peach mango “We’ve had people come to the shop better. Hands down, when you eat it you with raspberry chipotle in celebration of from as far away as Arizona and Califorget that smack of flavor. We then created nia, who come here because they have 10 new flavors and went to the market the Cinco de Mayo. “It has been fun trying to create crazy heard about our cotton candy.” Seger next week and had lines for our cotton flavors and seeing people’s reactions,” added. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14
“It is an automated tree trimmer, meaning you sit in a cab and trim the trees, unlike the more traditional manual way of bucket truck and tree climbing. Our product has fiberglass booms that extend 75 feet with a saw that rotates 180 degrees so they provide the precision cuts that they need. We provide the industry’s most efficient way of trimming while in the safety of a climatecontrolled cab.” “Our products are intended to be safer, more efficient and more profitable.” The second product developed was the 4-wheel drive Linebacker brush cutter, a heavy-duty machine designed
for land clearing, RoW maintenance and other vegetation management applications. “The Linebacker mulches and grinds as it clears,” Strait said. “The cutter head can extend up to 11 feet and has the ability to take down anything up to 8 inches in diameter.” The third product developed was the Mini-Jarraff urban tree trimmer, Strait says, “is intended for trimming operations in residential and other tighter quarters.” “It is fully remote controlled, so the operators can stand a safe distance from to operate it. The Mini has the ability to extend and retract its legs so you can go through a standard fence opening, giving them access to
The shop currently has a staff of five, and that number will grow during the summer festival season. Froggy’s popularity has allowed Seger to purchase more cotton candy making equipment to be able to increase its presence at fairs, festivals and events in the area. Seger’s family also plays a big role in helping at the store and festivals. She and her husband Keith have two daughters (Kenzie and Aurora) and two sons (Gannon and Trystan). A recent transplant to southern Minnesota, Seger grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and moved to Le Sueur after her husband took a new job locally in the heating and air conditioning business. Of note, their oldest daughter (Kenzie) still lives in Arizona while Aurora works at Froggy’s. The family has embraced the move to Minnesota along with its lifestyle, scenery and winter. She also loves the support from the community. “I love the town, it has been great,” Seger said. “The community has been very supportive of us … and that is what made me decide to take that leap of moving into a store front, just because the community really supported us. “I love that I can give back to our community by giving them something that is unique. I love it here. To me, this is home.” The store was recently recognized by Luxlife Magazine as the Best Gourmet Sweet Shop in the Midwest for 2021, and given a Best Cafe award for 2021 by Restaurant Guru. Seger is currently working to try and bring her trademark cotton candy to select Hy-Vee stores, but says her biggest goal at present is to move the store to a bigger location. “Our goal is bigger store and have a nice big area, attract more people and give customers something to do when they come in. We want to make it a place you have to go see,” Seger said. “We would definitely like to stay in Le Sueur if we can Pind the right building or property to build on, just because this is where it all started. We want to become that sweet shop that everyone talks about as a must go to.”
residential areas where a standard Jarraff wouldn’t be able to go.” Jarraff customers are national, regional and local contractors as well as with utilities and municipalities. Clients Asplundh and Wright Tree are national contractors that would be seen in southern Minnesota.Projects include maintenance of vegetation around transmission and distribution lines. “A good example would be on highway 169 between here and Mankato,” Strait said. “They need to make sure that there is adequate clearance at all times to prevent damage to the line or damage that would result in a fire.”
September 28/29, 2021
MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
www.tynikmolding.com
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September 28/29, 2021
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JUST THE FACTS
1232 Willow St., Faribault 507-334-8000 Tynikmolding.com sales@tynikmolding.com
3D printing has made it easier than ever to bring your designs to life, and TyNik Molding can help ensure your model is easily moldable. They’ve even begun using leading-edge 3D printing technology to create the molds themselves. (Photo courtesy of TyNik)
Dream it, design it, make it with TyNik Molding BY BRIDGET KRANZ
I
f you dream it, TyNik Molding can make it. Owner Kevin Coon has four decades of experience in plastic injection molding and prototype development. He can help take a project from a sketch to a three-dimensional rendering, from a rendering to a mold, and from a mold to a finished product. Need help on just one leg of the journey? No problem. TyNik Molding can assist with that as well. Kevin started the business with his wife Brenda in 1985 under the name Innovative Mold Specialists. He had graduated from the Tool and Die program at Faribault Area Vocational Technical Institute a few years earlier and spent the first part of his career making and repairing molds at the former Northland Plastics in Faribault. Before that, Kevin had owned an auto repair shop since the age of 15 and had always loved working with and fixing machines. When Kevin and Brenda opened their own business, Kevin worked on tooling and sales, while Brenda ran the office and oversaw ordering. The company grew quickly and developed a large medical clientele. One highlight for Kevin was creating plastic parts for Medtronic pacemakers. Minneapolis investors purchased the
medical molding division in 2008, and Brenda and Kevin continued on as TyNik Molding -- named for their two sons, Tyler and Nik. Made in Faribault … Kevin and Brenda have helped several local clients over the years improve their businesses through quality, custommade plastic parts. They provide service that’s just down the street, keeping dollars in the local economy. One of Kevin’s favorite parts of the job is helping customers find new ways of incorporating plastic parts to improve their product — or working with companies to produce locally what they may currently be purchasing from out-of-state. While they have a diverse range of corporate clients, you don’t have to be an established business to work with TyNik Molding. Come in with a sketch for a product idea, and Kevin can help make it reality. One of the company’s specialties is prototype development, as well, helping clients work the kinks out of a design before going to market. “A woman came to us recently with a product idea that she’d had for over two decades. Everyone had told her that the job wasn’t big enough for them,” said Kevin. “She found us through a Google search and called me. Within days, I had
With the advent of 3D printing, it’s easier than ever to bring your own design to life — but many people jump to take advantage of this new technology, without fully understanding the molding process needed to then manufacture that product on a large scale. Kevin helps customers turn a sketch into a 3D model that will not only work from a fit and function standpoint but will also be easily moldable. “I have a lot of fun with converting sketches into 3D models. I love to help people, and it’s great to see their idea come to life,” he said. “There are more and more programs out there to design 3D models. Everyone is doing it, but not understanding the process. When it comes time to mold their parts, they find out the part isn’t moldable and have to start from scratch. I lend decades of design and molding experience to the creation of the 3D model — making it less costly in the long-run.” … used around the world (and beyond)! While TyNik Molding often works locally, they also export Faribault-made plastic products around the world — and to outer
TyNik Molding is a family business. Kevin Coon and his wife, Brenda, started the company in 1985. Their sons, Tyler, center, and Nik, right, inspired the business’ name. Both now work at the shop. (Photo courtesy of TyNik)
a three-dimensional model for her to look at. A month later, we had a mold and plastic parts and she’s now selling her product.”
space. One of the highlights of Kevin’s career has been making components for the Space Shuttle program. TyNik Molding also creates plastic parts for the character cos-
September 28/29, 2021
MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA tumes at Disney parks around the world. If you’ve been to one of these amusement parks and met with Daisy Duck or Minnie Mouse — the eyelashes on their costumes were molded and manufactured by TyNik Molding. “The possibilities of what we can work together to create are endless,” said Kevin. “We’re able to do work for every conceivable industry in the country and around the world.” Like Kevin says, the possibilities truly
PAGE 27 are endless. In addition to industrial applications, plastic injection molding can be used to make toys, sports equipment, furniture, electrical components like outlet covers. Design a better way to manage cords, a slicker canoe paddle, colorful new roller skate wheels. Kevin and Brenda are there to help turn your product ideas into realities, whether you’re starting out with a 3D model or prototype or are ready to begin manufacturing.
Save money, detect design flaw, and assess a variety of issues early on in the design phase with a plastic prototype from TyNik. (Photo courtesy of TyNik)
“The city of Owatonna is a town that has seen a lot of companies come in because it has a good talent pool,” Callier said. “Our focus here is to become an employer of choice. We want to be at the top of people’s minds when they are looking for a place to work. “Some of the things we are doing to develop include focusing on what processes we have in our factory and how people-friendly are they … safety is a main concern along with producing a highquality product grounded in operational excellence. “ Callier noted, “With all that being said, Owatonna is going to be a mainstay of the AmesburyTruth companies. This facility is one that is going to be developed out, modernized and certainly will be a factory, which from a strategic location, will become even more important with the major manufacturing of windows that is being done in this region.
“I have heard it said before that this area of Minnesota and the Midwest is like the Silicone Valley of the window manufacturing industry, and we serve a great number of those manufacturers out of this facility so we need to have processes to support the growth they (our customers) are going to see.” Product innovation and custom-engineered solutions to customer needs have been a hallmark of AmesburyTruth and have helped meet the demands of an industry that creates the windows and doors which bring light and accessibility to our homes. “Windows and doors are not going to go away,” said Tom Radtke, AmesburyTruth Production Manager. “For us, our continued success is going to come down to operational effectiveness, sustainability and staying ahead of changes in coatings and materials.”
AmesburyTruth creates the majority of hardware and other components found on manufactured windows and doors for residential use throughout much of the world. (Photo courtesy of AmesburyTruth) CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
to its location in the upper Midwest, the Owatonna facility plays a critical role in the company’s success. “We are basically a full stop shop here in Owatonna,” said Rusty Callier, AmesburyTruth Director of Operations. “We bring in the raw material and we do the intermediate steps to process it here … through die-casting, punch pressing and then we add what would be our competitive advantage, which are some of our internal processes that really differentiate us from our competition all the way through assembly and distribution.” Callier added, “We also have a fullprocess engineering group as well as a product engineering group, so we work very hand-in-hand with our customers to fabricate what they need.” Before it became known as AmesburyTruth after a business merger in
2013, Truth Hardware began in 1914 as a blacksmith shop. Founded by Arthur Cowden , it created an assortment of chisels and punch tools in nearby Ellendale. The company later moved to facilities in Mankato before a merger with Reub Kaplan’s Owatonna Tool Company moved the company to Owatonna in the 1950s. In 1955, Truth Hardware began manufacturing hardware and components for doors and windows, since becoming the industry’s leading hardware manufacturer. The array of products now produced for the industry includes hinges, door handles, window locks and keepers, rollers, window cranks/operators, extrusions and weather stripping. Along with being close to the company’s roots at Arthur Cowden’s blacksmith shop, Owatonna has proven to be an asset for the company’s success, thanks to its location and the area’s work force.
AmesburyTruth plays a significant role in helping the region maintain its position as a top producer for windows and doors. (Photo courtesy of AmesburyTruth)
MADE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
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September 28/29, 2021
PAID CONTENT
f�1baultFoods SINCE 1895
Join Our Team Faribault Foods has been a key local business for 126 years. (Photo courtesy of Faribault Foods)
Faribault Foods
means delicious food and a great place to work BY JANE MOORE
W
hether you’re in need of a nutritious can of beans or a reliable employer, Faribault Foods has you covered. Since 1895, Faribault Foods has been a key Faribault-based business — and with hundreds of employees in 2021, that remains true today. “Faribault Foods produces delicious food and offers a great place to work,” said Jill Kupfer, senior director of marketing. “We welcome applicants to consider joining the Faribault Foods team.” Indeed, Faribault Foods recently backed up its longtime commitment to the greater Faribault community with a huge statement: a $150 million, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility completed on Faribault’s north side in 2017 that offers a modern working environment for all employees and provides significant annual tax revenue to the area. “We combined three former facilities into one that encompasses can manufacturing, canning, labeling, storage and distribution,” said Kupfer. Despite its local flavor, Faribault Foods makes a national impact. Nationally renowned for its high-quality canned foods, Faribault Foods yields branded, private label and contract-manufactured products. Headlining the list are beans (variety, baked and refried), followed by pasta and sauce, soup, chili and other specialty items. Minnesotans are likely most familiar with the Mrs. Grimes beans and Butter Kernel veggies — just two of the nine different brands that fall under the Faribault Foods umbrella. The company also manufactures storebrand products for grocers nationwide. Faribault Foods’ longevity can be attrib-
uted in part to its ideal location; Minnesota ranks fourth nationally in dry bean production, and when paired with North Dakota (as part of the Northarvest group), the two states represent the nation’s largest grower group. The bulk of Northarvest’s crops is in pinto, blacks, navy, kidney and great northern beans. Additionally, Faribault Foods ensures consistent product quality with its attention to detail and a carefully cultivated relationship with those at the grassroots level. “We work closely with bean processors and growers to provide support early on,” said Juliana Martinez-Ibarra, category leader for commodities. “Participating in growers’ meetings and fostering open communication about markets, and the changing consumer demands, helps us both maintain high quality standards and meet customers’ needs.”
JUST THE FACTS
3401 Park Ave. NW, Faribault faribaultfoods.com Apply at faribaultfoods.com/ careers With increasing requests for organic products, Faribault Foods buys directly from Minnesota suppliers. By contracting with Minnesota growers, Faribault Foods provides them the assurance needed to proceed in converting acreages to organic production, knowing a market and buyer await their produce. Said Kupfer, “Faribault Foods has been a proud pillar of Faribault for over 125 years, and will continue to serve all its constituents going forward.”
Walk-in Interviews Every Friday 10am-2pm $1,000 Hiring Bonus, plus up to $1,200 additional bonuses/year No Experience Needed Start Your Career Today Together We Can!
