Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Clemons.
Hi Deborah, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Infusion Blends began with my desire to give everyone from novice cooks to expert chefs the ability to add flavor and excitement to meals in minutes. I have created a line of amazing gourmet butters that are free of hormones, preservatives and artificial additives. We source the highest quality spices, herbs, fruits and butter in order to deliver on our commitment of producing the freshest, best-tasting butter.
I start with flavors that consumers are familiar with, such as Rosemary, Cajun, Peach and Blueberry, and then pack them with tons of flavorful ingredients that spark the imagination with endless ways to use them with any appetizer, main course or dessert.
In early 2016 my best friend was diagnosed with cancer. In an effort to help, I would prep her meals so she could easily cook for herself. To simplify the recipes, I combined my spice rubs for steaks into butter for her to use on her meats. She began using them on stir fry veggies, in her pasta and as a spread. This inspired me to begin producing my own line of spice-infused artisan butters.
I started selling my butters at local farmer’s markets, teaching myself along the way how to build a successful business, from setting up manufacturing to marketing and product fulfillment. I was doing it all. Within a year, Infusion Blends was being sold in national supermarkets! Creating Infusion Blends has been one of the best journey’s of my life, and I hope you enjoy using our butters as much as I enjoy making them!
Today, five years later, my brand has been featured on QVC over 12 times. A very successful feature on Good morning Ameriic Deals and Steals as well as 15 54 small boutique gourmet markets across the United States. We are looking to expand our company to be a nationally known food Brand in the US and Canada.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Well, it has been a bit bumpy with my starting this business with a sales and marketing background and no experience in food manufacturing. So I’ve had to take classes, get advice and help from experts in the industry and a bit of trial and error to make this dream work.
When the Covid shut down was in effect, my company was becoming a national product as I was introducing a product that was very unique to the world. So in-person demonstrations, meeting with Buyers to sell my product, and my current accounts on indefinite shutdown or slow down brought my plans to a screeching halt.
So here I am, home all day, not able to promote and expand my business. So I took the time to recalibrate my business plans. The quiet time allowed me to slow down, think, plan and act. The plan focused on selling through my web store. So I put energy, money and resources into updating the company’s online store, collaborating with my Chef and home cooks friends to make videos using my product, signing up with an online food distributor and keeping in touch with my suppliers and current accounts. It turned out at the moment that bankruptcy was looming and all my “Covid won’t stop me” efforts paid off.
Through my dairy distributor Dairy Direct, my company was awarded a contract to supply our flavored butters to the Farmers to Family Food Box Program. The Farmers to Family Food Box was a USDA sponsored program that supplied food to Food Banks that supplied food insecure families in the US during the pandemic. Great for Infusion Blends as 20,000 jars of our butters went out to hungry families. This was the largest selling, marketing and branding opportunity we had ever had at that time.
My biggest account QVC came back. We signed up with Fair Market Place, an online distributor, and picked up seven new boutique markets across the US who now stock our butters. This was awesome too. Then word of mouth started to spread and Infusion Blends went from almost disaster to a profitable year. Please be sure even with the successes, the struggle is real and things happen out of my control, but I keep great friends and mentors near me so that I have someone to give advice or just vent to. At the end of the day, I pick myself back up and keep going.
We’ve been impressed with Infusion Blends Flavor Infused Butter, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My background has been in Sales and Marketing. I started out in the retail and wholesale fashion industry for many years as a Lingerie Buyer for Macey’s New York, Store Manager for The Limited Express and National Director of Sales Specialist for Tommy Hilfiger New York. Most recently, my marketing skills were honed as I held the position of Director of Market Development for Clear Channel Radio in Philadelphia.
Infusion Blends came about out of my love and desire to help someone else and the fact I love to cook well seasoned and restaurant-quality foods. I had ventured into several entrepreneurial endeavors from trucking to sales and marketing of solar panels. All of which did not succeed. However, Infusion Blends has been a surprise success which I can channel my culinary skills as a Butter Diva. I’ve also been know as the Butter Lady. I absolutely enjoy creating new and delectable Butter flavors. When I do tasting demonstrations, I love to watch people pass out over how awesome by butters taste.
It’s been and still is a hard road to travel when you decide to go into business for yourself. My top advice… “Know when NOT to give up”. Most people say don’t give up but I we need to go one step further to clearly define that message. Know when NOT to give up has a whole different meaning to me. When doors were closing and things were moving slow or not at all, I had thoughts that this must be a sign from God to let it all go. As my head wanted to give up and my heart was weary, God opened new doors. I had to know if I should walk through that door and take advantage of the opportunity or let it all go.
This is the moment when you are faced with knowing when NOT to give up. Every time I walked through that open door and did it afraid, the opportunity paid off. Now that is my definition of “Know when NOT to give up”!
The uniqueness of my brand is that I have found a niche market where competition is, well almost none. My Butters are specially blended so that you never have to use any additional seasoning. I custom make all the flavors. I get my ideas from favors in foods most people love to eat. We carry Rosemary, Cajun, Honey Garlic, Sweet Sweet Honey, Cheezy Basil, Pecan Pie, Peach, Blueberry and many more. The butters are used to cook with, as a spread or finishing butter. They can be used for grilling, baking, adding to sauces, marinades for meats fish and poultry. We use all-natural ingredients not artificial flavors or additives and the taste is unbelievable. You don’t even have to use salt because everything is in the butter. It’s a one-stop seasoning ingredient.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Find the money first, then start your business, I have been told. That is easier said than done for sure. It’s a Catch 22 when you need to show your business is a viable business to attract investors and acquire loans but at the same time, you need those resources to make your business viable.
Putting the horse before the cart can be a necessary evil, but believing in what I’ve done and the perseverance to make it work and sacrificing certain luxuries has pulled me through. I have also learned not to be so hard on myself when a particular decision I made did not produce the expected outcome, I have learned to roll with the punches, figure out how to fix it and implement solutions.
Contact Info:
- Email: www.infusionblends.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/infusionblends
- Facebook: facebook.com/infusionblends
Image Credits
Feature photo by Teresa Floyd Photography
