Follow Your Passion: She transitioned from a corporate sales career to launching a food brand from her home kitchen.
Update: 2025-08-31
Description
Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Tiffani Neal.
Founder of Barlow’s Foods. Here's a detailed summary of the key themes and takeaways from this episode:
🥞 Guest Spotlight: Tiffany Neal, Founder of Barlow’s Foods 🚀 From Corporate Sales to Pancake Mix
- Tiffany transitioned from a corporate sales career to launching a food brand from her home kitchen.
- The idea sparked when friends raved about her homemade pancakes, prompting her to explore turning it into a business.
🧁 The Birth of Barlow’s
- Named after her grandfather, whose photo inspired the brand name.
- Started by testing pancake mix recipes and packaging them in ice cream pint containers for friends and family.
- Positive feedback (except from one friend!) encouraged her to refine the product and move forward.
🛒 Product Line & Expansion 🥞 Barlow’s 3-in-1 Mix
- One mix, three uses: pancakes, waffles, and biscuits.
- Vegan-friendly base—no dairy or animal byproducts.
- Just add milk, egg, and butter (or alternatives) to prepare.
🍯 Syrup Line
- Started with a homemade peach cobbler syrup that won the Flavor of Georgia 2023 Product of the Year.
- Now includes seven syrups, such as:
- Peach Cobbler (flagship)
- Strawberry Bourbon
- Blueberry Lemon
- Sweet Potato
- Gingerbread
- Maple (imported from Canada)
- Seasonal flavors rotate throughout the year.
🏪 Retail Growth & Strategy 🛍️ From Trunk Sales to Store Shelves
- Began selling out of her car and at local farmer’s markets.
- Entered contests to gain exposure—winning Flavor of Georgia led to a deal with Fresh Market.
- Now in 45+ Food Lion stores across Georgia and expanding.
📦 Packaging & Branding
- Designed to be bold and nostalgic, with a red label and illustrated pancake stack.
- Packaging is intentionally clear to help customers easily identify the product.
🧠 Business Insights & Advice 🛠️ Operations & Manufacturing
- Recently expanded to a larger production facility.
- Works with UGA and food scientists to ensure quality and compliance.
- Handles everything from production to in-store demos and staff training.
👥 Team Building
- Focuses on hiring people who are passionate about startups and flexible with evolving processes.
- Emphasizes the importance of documentation and clear expectations.
📈 Keys to Success
- “Do the work.” Tiffany credits her success to hard work, focus, and persistence.
- Believes in setting goals and taking consistent action to achieve them.
🌍 Vision for the Future
- Tiffany aims to make Barlow’s a global pantry staple and a legacy brand that evokes nostalgia and family tradition.
#BEST
#STRAW
#SHMS
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