I’m excited to introduce you to not one, but TWO Smarty Moms this Saturday before Christmas! Smarties, meet Jenn Chapman and Michelle Miller. I have followed these ladies since they opened up the first cupcake shop in Charlotte, Polka Dot Bakeshop, five years ago. Their recipes have been passed down for generations and their cupcakes rival that of Magnolia’s Bake Shop in NYC, who is responsible for the cupcake craze that has spanned the country. I may have stalked them back in the day – I’m OBSESSED with cupcakes, nilla/nilla only and Polka Dot’s are the best in town!
Jenn & Michelle recently hung up their sweet treats bakers hats and are focusing all of their energy on their new biz venture, Millchap, a sweet potato company. Their specialty is crackers and granola – all natural, non GMO and DELISH! My favorite cracker flavor is the cracked pepper cracker, it is to die for! Jenn & Michelle are super active in the NC Agriculture industry and you can find their crackers and granola in grocers all over town including EarthFare and Whole Foods. Impressed yet?!
I have had the pleasure of getting to know Jenn over the past two years as we were Camp Moms together at Camp Harrison. We had our own camp experience and after that first week, we became fast friends. I adore Jenn and love her creativity, her passion and her drive. I have a feeling we’re going to be saying “we knew her when…” – this company is on the up-and-up for sure! Michelle is a doll too, they are absolute besties and are following their dreams together, such a fun journey to watch unfold.
Smarties, let get cozy with Jenn Chapman and Michelle Miller, and while you’re entertaining over the holidays, pick up some Millchap treats, you will be forever hooked!
Here’s Jenn!
Jennifer Chapman’s Smarty Mom Stats:
Mom of: Annie (12) and Mary (10), a manly standard poodle named Bud (2) and on some days, my husband Randy
Years married: Almost 17 years (I had to stop and count!)
Years in Charlotte: 9 1/2
Hood: Don’t have one right now! We sold our house in Hembstead last summer and are renting a townhouse until we deicde what to do next
Hometown: Born and raised in North Little Rock Arkansas (Go Hogs!) but consider Charlotte our home now
Occupation: Co-owner, Millchap Sweet Potato Company
Tell us how Millchap was born.
Michelle’s family and my family both moved to Charlotte (within 2 weeks of each other) when our oldest children were toddlers. A mutual friend (my childhood friend was her Memphis friend) introduced us and our families became fast friends. When we opened Polka Dot Bake Shop in 2007 (nobody had opened a cupcake bakery in Charlotte at that time), we knew we wanted to have a packaged product that would reach further than just Charlotte. After going to see the Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC in 2008, we quickly realized that we had to have something unique. There are so many amazing chocolate chip cookies, olive oils, barbeque sauces, chocolates, etc…..it would be hard to set your product apart in those categories. When we realized that North Carolina produced 40% of the sweet potato crop in the United States, we decided that we should use this super-food growing in our back yard.
How did you come up with ditching cupcakes and settling on crackers and granola?
When we opened Polka Dot in 2007, Michelle had her son 6 weeks later. For 5 years, we balanced a retail bakery, motherhood and a wholesale business. As both businesses grew, we felt like we weren’t giving either one of the businesses enough attention. We knew we had to find new parents for Polka Dot. I am guessing it’s what a mother feels like when she sends a child to college. We had started this neighborhood bakery and loved it dearly…..our employees, our customers, our products…..but we were lucky enough to find a family to buy it that loves and appreciates it like we do.
Tell us where can we buy Millie’s crackers and granola locally?
Both crackers and granola are available at Whole Foods Market and Polka Dot Bake Shop. Granola is also available at Queen City Pantry (at Atherton Mills Market) and the crackers are also available at EarthFare.
You are a huge proponent for the local farming movement. Tell us the importance of buying local.
There are so many amazing local options for us. As we have become more involved with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, we have met so many local food providers. It’s fresh, its wholesome and it feels good to know exactly where things came from and who made them.
Moving on to the mom stuff…
How has your business rubbed off on the girls?
I hope they see the flexibility that I have with my business…..being there when they need me but also showing them what their mom can do when she sets a goal. They liked being the girls that had the “cupcake mom” and had to get used to not being linked to Polka Dot. But they are enjoying Millie and our Millchap products……we keep the kitchen pantry stocked with them! When we handed out samples at the Let Me Run 5k last week, my oldest daughter thought it was pretty cool to hang out with Millie and some retired NFL players. She’s counting the days until she can get in the food shows with me.
What is your favorite thing to do with your family for the holidays?
Lots of baking. My family always baked lots of treats, then put together a nice platter of goodies when we would go visit someone. My girls and I like to make hot fudge sauce and deliver them to friends during the holidays.
What is the last meal you cooked?
Crock pot pineapple teriyaki chicken with spinach quinoa.
If you wrote a parenting manual, the title would be?
“Happy, Healthy Kids” – that’s all I want. Before becoming a parent, I think a lot of us that are Type A expect to have over-achieving kids that can do everything. As I have seen so many older kids get burned out during high school, I have changed my tune. I just want my kids to be happy and healthy – everything else will fall into place.
Behavioral trait you hope your girls don’t inherit from you.
Wanting things “my way” at home. I have to step back sometimes and realize that “their way” works, too. I have to let go of “my way” thinking so that they can be better decision makers on their own.
The phrase you’ve said to your girls more than any other at home is…
I say to them……”Have you…..(insert something I have already asked them to do once or twice)? They say to me…..”Mooooooommmmmmm (usually drawn out to 3-4 syllables). I want to get a manual clicker and count how many times I hear it…..I am guessing about 200 per day? But I wouldn’t trade it because I know one day the house will be quiet and I will miss it.
Favorite kids movie?
The Sound of Music – I do a mean rendition of “So Long, Farewell” complete with dancing. My family rolls their eyes when I do it.
Favorite kids iphone app?
Candy Crush…I try to squeeze a few games in while I am waiting in the carpool line (my quiet time). Currently stuck on level 105.
Funniest thing your girls have ever said to you?
Mary loves animals, especially dogs. When I asked her if she wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up, she replied, “No…..there’s no way I’m giving up eating meat.” (Hmmmm….a vegetarian veterinarian?)
Guilty pleasure?
General Hospital (can you believe that Robin is back from the dead?!?!) and a piece of chocolate when nobody’s looking!
Now let’s get to know Michelle Miller!
Michelle Miller’s Smarty Mom Stats:
Mom of: Elle (10), Meyer (boy – 5 years and 11 mos.-very important to add the months)
Years married: 17
Years in Charlotte: 9
Hood: Barclay Downs
Hometown: It was Germantown, TN. Now I consider Charlotte my hometown.
Occupation: Co-owner Millchap Sweet Potato Company
Tell us how Millchap was born.
Two “births” occurred before Millchap was born, the birth of Polka Dot Bake Shop and the birth of my son, Meyer. These two siblings paved the way for Millchap Sweet Potato Company.
Polka Dot Bake Shop was born first. Part of the business plan for Polka Dot was to use the kitchen to craft a packaged product to sell in the specialty food channel.
At a N.C. Specialty Food Association meeting we learned that 40% of the U.S. crop of sweet potatoes are grown right here in N.C.! This fun fact put us on a quest to make a savory baked snack using this local ingredient. I gave birth to Meyer about 2 months after Polka Dot opened and would use his frequent naptimes to experiment with recipe development. After experimenting with over 200 recipes, we hit upon a savory sweet potato and olive oil cracker.
We debuted the 3 savory flavors of sweet potato crackers at the 2009 N.Y.C. Fancy Food Show under the Polka Dot brand. Polka Dot was sold in November 2012 and we changed our brand name to Millchap Sweet Potato Company- a combination of my last name and Jennifer’s last name.
How did you come up with ditching cupcakes and settling on crackers and granola?
Jennifer and I have always been on the same page, we both woke up one day and realized that we could not run both businesses well and raise our kids-something had to give.
After winning the Gold sofi award for outstanding cracker at the summer 2012 Fancy Food Show the cracker business demanded more and more of our time.
Polka Dot was well established with 5 years under its belt and procedures and key staff were in place. We knew Polka Dot had room to grow but we did not have the time to nurture it, so we decided to put it up for sale.
Tell us where can we buy Millie’s crackers and granola locally?
Whole Foods, Earth Fare, Polka Dot Bake Shop, Queen City Pantry at Atherton Mill and Market
You are a huge proponent for the local farming movement. Tell us the importance of buying local.
When choosing the food we eat and products we buy, local is fresher, local is better, and local benefits you, local farmers and producers, as well as the local economy.
Also, the Mecklenburg County Cooperative Extension is our go-to place to learn about local food producers and suppliers. If you want to learn about the local food scene in Mecklenburg County, go to a meeting and get involved!
Moving on to the mom stuff…how has your business rubbed off on the kids?
Elle loves to bake and would keep our house filled with cookies if I let her. My family occasionally travels with me to trade shows across the country, the kids think mommy is in “school” all day while they sight see. They think being an entrepreneur is pretty cool.
What is your favorite thing to do with your family for the holidays?
Eat! The location might change from year to year, but the food is always amazing. Diets are out the door and indulgent foods are on the table.
What is the last meal you cooked?
Spinach and mandarin orange salad with poppy seed dressing and a loaded baked potato bar.
If you wrote a parenting manual, the title would be…
“From Quite to Chaos” How two only children deal with raising two kids. Greg and I are both only children and have no idea how to it feels to have a brother or sister. We don’t get this whole “love/hate” thing…..
Behavioral trait you hope your girl and boy don’t inherit from you.
Impatience
The phrase you’ve said to your kids more than any other at home is…
My girl: “Pick up…(insert object)!” My boy “Stop….(insert verb)”
Favorite kids movie?
Cars
Favorite kids iphone app?
Funniest thing your kids have ever said to you?
On the way from Elizabeth Pediatrics to Charlotte Ear Nose and Throat……
“The crayon flew across the room and landed in my ear, mommy. I swear!! I didn’t stick that RED crayon in my ear!”
Guilty pleasure?
Driving to and from kids activities blaring Brittany Spears greatest hits and singing at the top of my lungs.
Thanks, ladies!
1 comment
I had the pleasure of getting to know these 2 at Womens Wellness Weekend at Camp Harrison – they are definitely smarty moms! And the rosemary and olive oil crackers are fantastic!