As a food scientist, plant protein expert, and product developer, Maggie Sadowsky wanted to return to the roots of simple, local, and high-quality foods. Beans were a natural place to start since they were a mainstay of her diet. Beyond being great for our health, they can provide nitrogen to the soil and positively impact our planet and health. After discovering that many canned beans are imported, she made it her mission to create a brand that promoted sustainability and supported U.S. farmers. With that, Maggie started 8 Track Foods, which launched in February 2020.
8 Track Foods is a premium Organic canned bean company with locally sourced products. Since then, she has worked with the ILSBDC@WBDC, and her company has grown tremendously. With a strong footprint in the Midwest, 8 Track Foods is on shelves in over 1,500 grocery stores such as Meijer and Whole Foods Market.
To help grow her business, Maggie participated in the WBDC Top Shelf program in 2020, led by Cynthia Johnson with the ILSBDC@WBDC. The program forced her to think about the different aspects of business and prepared her to approach more retailers. A win for her company was the preparation skills she developed through Top Shelf and one-on-one advising to work with large retailers. “The greatest resource was the confidence to write a pitch and present it to the class. It was helpful to have a team, get feedback, and be collaborative on what was missing and not be so singularly focused,” Maggie explained. Maggie also said that she appreciates that the WBDC has been a continual resource over the last 3 years, making the WBDC unique. “The WBDC helped me think of my business as I grow from small to large and feel more confident to share our story to larger grocery stores,” Maggie said. “Seeing my product in stores has been a dream come true.”
