Meet Stacey Marcellus of Cappello’s in RiNo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Marcellus.

Stacey, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My part in the Cappello’s story started when I left the states, as well as my previous career, to adventure into the unknown. I moved to Argentina to give myself a new life experience, to connect more with nature and to learn Spanish through total immersion. During my year-plus time in Argentina, farming was where I put most of my energy. I knew that when I returned to the states, I wanted to do something with food because feeding people directly from the earth had become a larger passion for me than ever before. Upon my return, I reconnected with my friend, Ben, who coincidentally had been involved with a farm-to-table restaurant. We bonded over our shared desire to do something new and meaningful with our lives. We knew we wanted to share food with the world in a way that could touch people near and far. We saw an opportunity to bring nutritionally relevant foods to the market in formats that were familiar. We landed on the brand name, Cappello’s, which is my mother’s maiden name and is tattooed on the inside of my arm, much to her chagrin.

After sketching up some ideas for our first iteration of packaging, we decided to throw caution to the wind and turn this vision into reality. We launched a line of almond-flour pasta that we took to farmer’s markets and would sell to any chef who would give us the time of day. Soon after, we professionalized our retail packaging and started to knock on the doors of local retailers. Millions of pasta stands later, we have national distribution in both natural and conventional retailers. We have a passionate team who believe wholeheartedly in the science behind the positive impact eating a grain-free diet can have on your overall health. We have three lines of frozen products; Pasta, Pizza & Cookie Dough.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Businesses are like life but magnified, there will always be obstacles and challenges that arise and your relationship with those challenges defines you. Some of those challenges have been personal, like my relationship to having an ever-evolving role, how to show up for the team and bring the most value to the brand. When to let go of old ways of working that may no longer be relevant. Since we were the first movers in grain-free and one of the first brands to recreate the frozen set, we’ve always had the challenge of educating both buyers and consumers. What is grain-free? And the fact that the frozen isle houses healthy foods that don’t use preservatives, not just TV dinners. Also, our fresh pasta is in the freezer… And that fresh pasta is always more delicious than dry! Then there is the tension between profitability and growing fast. The struggles have been numerous but certainly don’t outweigh the achievements of the team.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Cappello’s – what should we know?
At Cappello’s, we are passionate about setting a new standard for frozen foods that shift the prepackaged paradigm in a sustainable direction focused on simple, real foods. With every product, we want to create food that balances gourmet quality with superior nutrition and conveniently quick cook times. As we expand our portfolio, we will always be the North Star for people starting on a new food journey like Paleo or Keto to help them navigate that space. That said, we want to make delicious nutrition available to all. We are big believers in the science of a grain-free diet as it helps to reduce inflammation, increase energy and cognitive function and reduce symptoms of auto-immune diseases. We are obsessed with using only simple ingredients-like almonds that are nutrient-dense and full of healthy fats, protein, and fiber!

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Cappello’s is nothing without our CREW and our passionate customers. Along the way, we’ve learned so much from our team who is comprised of folks from various walks of life. Their valuable experience and perspectives have shaped who we are and what we stand for as a brand. We’ve had the support of so many people along the way, from advisors like Dan Geocaris, founder of Little Lady Foods and Phil Anson, founder of Evol. One of our mentors is Brian Camastral, former Global President of the Mars Corporation. Brian helped us to better understand what focus means in practice and is dedicated to coaching people who have life-enhancing businesses.

Pricing:

• Frozen Topped Pizzas – $9.99
• Frozen Pastas – $9.99
• Fresh/Frozen Cookie Dough – $12.99
• Frozen Naked Pizza Crust – $6.99

Contact Info:

• Website: cappellos.com
• Email: talk@cappellos.com
• Instagram: @cappellos
• Facebook: @cappellosglutenfree

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