Business & Tech

A Business To Be HopeFULL About

Minnetonka sisters create 'meal pops' for people who have trouble eating.

Many of us relish in a huge holiday feast. The aroma of the meal we are about to eat makes our bellies growl and mouths water.

But for some people, especially those with medical conditions such as cancer, eating is a struggle. The smells and textures of food make them feel sick, and forcing food down turns what should be a pleasant experience into a painful chore.

Enter the HopeFULL Company.

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Sisters Stephanie Williams and Jessica Welsch, of Minnetonka, launched HopeFULL one year ago on Thanksgiving weekend. Instead of focusing on the profits, the sisters feel it is their mission to make their products available to those who need them.

“I think, ultimately, this business will provide a source of income for our families, but in the meantime, it's very fulfilling to see a need and to meet that need with a product that we created out of love,” said Williams, a former corporate market research manager and now a stay-at-home mom.

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Williams and Welsch watched their mom’s best friend, who was diagnosed with lymphoma, battle with eating. She asked the sisters, who had small children at the time, to make her some baby food. After researching foods that would be helpful for her, along with foods to avoid—they were mindful of mouth sores and other common side effects from chemotherapy—they created a handful of recipes.

“We blended them up and froze them because we thought it would be fun to have the option to eat it like a Popsicle,” Williams said.

The family friend has since passed away, but the sisters’ products helped make her last days more bearable.

“She said, ‘you have to make this a business,’ and her oncology team was thrilled about it, too, so they encouraged us to try to find a way to bring it to market,” Williams said.

The HopeFULL Company sells a gift pack developed for children and adults having trouble eating due to cancer and chemotherapy treatments. The kit contains 20 nutrient-dense frozen "meal pop" recipes and the items for making them. HopeFULL's founders say it's popular with parents of finicky eaters and those who just want a healthy snack on hand.

The product is shipped nationally, still boxed and mailed by either Williams or Welsch. It is sold locally at co-ops, wellness centers and stores in Minnetonka and Chanhassen.

Patty Ewalt, the general merchandise buyer for Lakewinds, said the reason HopeFULL products were brought to the stores’ shelves was to give the opportunity of whole foods to people who aren't well. Another purpose? It gets kids to eat fruits and vegetables.

“The way they’ve been received from parents, as well as elderly people who have had illness, has just been fabulous,” Ewalt said.

The HopeFULL Company was recently one of eight finalists in the Best New Product or Service of the Year category in the eighth annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. The Stevie Awards honor women executives, entrepreneurs and the companies they run, worldwide.

The HopeFULL Company isn't yet profitable, but the sisters are happy for their whirlwind year. Another key to success? Love your product, they said.

“Make sure you’re passionate about it, because it’s your passion that is going to take you through hard times,” said Williams.

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HopeFULL Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup whole milk 

1 cup canned pumpkin

3 T sweetened condensed milk

3 T natural creamy peanut butter

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until completely smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary. Pour into HopeFULL tray (or ice-pop mold), add wooden spoon-sticks and freeze for three hours. Pop out of the HopeFULL tray and store in a freezer bag until you are ready to eat them. Enjoy one or two frozen pops for a fun and healthy twist on traditional pumpkin pie.

Feel free to substitute the whole milk for almond milk, soy milk or even egg nog.


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