Retail. It’s not for everyone.
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(Sponsored) There’s an old saying that retail is simple: “You buy something and sell it for more.” However, you know it doesn’t work that way, and so do I. It’s a rough-and-tough game, a team sport, and it’s not for everybody.
That’s not to say that it can’t work well because it certainly can. If it’s right for you and you do it right, retail can be a highly rewarding venture. It goes almost without saying that you must choose the right products for your shelves, the right suppliers for your team and it must be right for you or you’re doomed.
At Country Home Creations (CHC) I understand what you’re up against. Over 40 years ago I started out in retail at my kitchen table. I was assisted by my son, carefully hand-measuring, hand-mixing, and gift-packaging ingredients for a favorite vegetable dip mix to sell at his elementary school bazaar. I soon found myself selling at craft shows, bazaars and all sorts of places. I was learning to deal with the public, how to deal with business problems and working long into the night to keep up with the demand.
Before I knew it I had created other goodies, opened my first retail store, then another and another. It wasn’t long before I couldn’t pack everything I had into a 24-hour day. By this time other retailers were buying my “gift-mix” creations for their customers. There simply wasn’t enough time to create, package, sell retail and also be a supplier for other retailers. I had to make some tough choices.
Since my real satisfaction came from “creating” products, I eventually came to the decision that being a supplier was right for me.
Now, more than four decades later, I have created more than 150 delectable mixes with universal appeal. My products are sold by thousands of retailers around the world. Judging by the number of products shipped to them, a few million consumers are enjoying my products. It’s clear to me I made the right choice.
My team has grown considerably and continues to grow far beyond any ideas that were floating around my kitchen table years ago. It consists of several dedicated longtime employees, scores of specialty ingredient suppliers, computers and technology, receiving departments, shipping departments, legal eagles, advertising gurus, 800 numbers, websites, social media, sales staff, and more. My family plays key roles in our existence today. My daughter, Stephanie, uses her engineering skills to make operations efficient, and her husband, Justin, manages the sales team. My husband, David, keeps things from falling apart and gets us ready for the road. Most importantly, the original “Country Home(stead)” remains intact.
We still measure and use only the finest premium ingredients in our products. We aren’t afraid to show you what they’re made of; you won’t see us hiding anything in a box or behind an opaque bag. We promise to keep our mixes simple to prepare and irresistible to the palate. We also promise we still remember what it’s like at the retail level. We haven’t forgotten that you need a GREAT product and a good price-point margin and that repeat sales can make the difference between success and failure. That stands true for both of us.
One of the best things though, is that in the early morning you will still find me at the same old kitchen table creating something new.
So, if retail is where you’re at, why not take a moment to contact us at Country Home Creations? You can write, phone, fax, or email us, and we will send you a complete catalog. You can also sign up on our website to be a wholesale customer and learn what we’re all about: chcdips.com. You can decide for yourself why so many retailers have chosen to carry the CHC line. Good luck and much success!
Shirley Kautman-Jones
Founder & President, Country Home Creations, Inc.
To learn more about Country Home Creations, visit www.countryhomecreations.com
© Country Home Creations 2025
