Company: Simply Incredible Foods, LLC

Products: Simply Incredible Foods has developed a patented extraction procedure that non-chemically removes a majority of the tartness from a frozen cranberry. As a result, the berry tastes sweet, even with no sugar added.

Location: Port Edwards, Wisconsin.

Employees: 17

Founded: Simply Incredible Foods was established in 2011.

Leadership: Christine Sohns serves as Simply Incredible Foods’ chief executive officer. Prior to starting this new venture, Sohns was the chief financial officer for Alpine Foods. She was also once the chief operating officer for Walsh Co. Simply Incredible Foods’ key science contributor is Dr. Jonathan Smith. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from Penn State University and both a master’s and doctorate degree in horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. From 1993 to 2000 he was the vice president of research and development for Northland Cranberries.

Operations/Market: Simply Incredible Foods markets its cranberries under the brand name Cransations. They are sold primarily to manufacturers in bulk, but with the financial support of its investors, the company has launched a retail line of Cransations, including flavored Cransations, which will be found soon in the freezer aisle of nearly all grocery stores in Wisconsin. The company, which is building a patent portfolio of new fruit processing technology, has also developed a unique type of cranberry juice that produces a juice that is much more flavorful than normal cranberry juice. Its premium juices are being used in wine and juice bottling facilities in the U.S. and Canada.

Wisconsin Business Environment Benefits: If a better way to produce cranberry products was ever going to be discovered, it would most likely happen in Wisconsin, where nearly 70 percent of the world’s cranberry supply is grown.

Sohns emphasizes the importance of investment funding. “When I started the company, we were immediately approached by several east coast companies who wanted to buy out the company and move it out of state,” she explains. “As a founder and resident of Wisconsin, I was very happy to immediately find local Wisconsin investors with the financial incentive to keep this technology and growth within the state and under our control.”

Helping Simply Incredible Foods attract investment capital is WEDC’s Qualified New Business Venture (QNBV) Program, which allows eligible investors to claim a 25 percent tax credit on the amount they invest in a QNBV-certified company.

Business Successes:

“We’re ready to roll with our game-changing product,” states Sohns. “We’re already shipping to customers nationally and worldwide, but as our new products continue to roll out into the marketplace, we know we will have the financial backing of our local investors to propel the business to success.”

Building upon the company’s success, Simply Incredible Foods added a second location to its operations in 2014. The company purchased a former power plant building in Menasha and plans to convert the property into its new headquarters.

(October 2014)