Coffee Break

Before venturing into the peanut world, Virginia Cocktail Peanuts founder Mary Vaden spent 10 enjoyable years in the radio industry. After leaving to raise a family of four wonderful children, she started her passion project. What began in the family kitchen of her New Jersey state home has now flourished into a fully operational business. We chose this vendor because she shares our same values of homemade products that are sustainable and made locally by people who care.

Like most entrepreneurial stories, the vision for Rustico emerged from the realization that things could - and should - be made better. As an avid journaler and active traveler, Isaac Childs was disappointed that there wasn’t a journal available that could withstand his spirited lifestyle, so he created his own -- he literally learned how to bind books himself. His goal? To bring back American craftsmanship to the way it was supposed to be. Today, Rustico continues the journey by handcrafting all of their quality lifestyle pieces.

We’re obsessed with the ladies at Copper Cow Coffee and the unique, innovative products they offer for caffeine fans. Offering items from instant Vietnamese coffee to Thai iced tea, the women at Copper Cow refuse to sacrifice quality or taste in a world where people often do both. Based in Los Angeles, all of their dairy is from 100% California cows, while their other ingredients are sourced from Vietnam.

Before the taste of Willa’s Shortbread took over the Carolinas and became a staple in B&Bs and hotels across the south, there was just Willa Allen. What made Willa’s cookies and biscuits so irresistible? Sticking to tradition. Handled with southern care and family-guarded recipes, Willa stayed consistent and true to her roots, even when the demand for her handmade treats became so high that the reins were handed over to her son, Clark, and the Rion family. Today, the team stays loyal to Willa’s original recipes, using all-natural ingredients and baking in small batches to ensure quality without ever sacrificing taste.