Mom's Wholesale Foods
The Progress Fund was great for that. They put us in touch with all of the people we needed to do a small business plan. We had a meeting and it went very well. Very receptive. Approachability was phenomenal.
People
It’s unusual for a small business to be rolling in too much dough. That was the problem, though, for Philip and Leslie Pratt, owners of Mom’s Wholesale Foods, which rolls pizza dough around cheese and pepperoni, sausage, broccoli, spinach or egg. Schools, charitable organizations, and now grocery stores couldn’t get enough of their pizza rolls, and the work of spreading and cutting the dough was overwhelming. The Pratts decided to buy a sheeting line to automate the dough handling. Seeking financing, says Philip, “I went to our long-term bank. They flat-out turned me down, and I was insulted.”
Progress
An economic development pro told the Pratts about The Progress Fund, which linked them to Gannon University’s Small Business Development Center for planning help. The Progress Fund then agreed to lend the $90,000 needed to buy the sheeting line.
Impact
Mom’s Wholesale Foods grew out of Leslie’s mother’s pizzeria, and now the Pratts’ son works for the business. The sheeting line has tripled production, while driving several new hires and securing a business in an economically distressed area. With Mom’s rolls now available in grocery stores, the folks who enjoyed them in the cafeteria, or sold them for the team can put them on the kitchen table. The dough is rolling fast, and fans of the Pratts need never outgrow Mom’s.
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