Flathau's Fine Foods 2024: Indulging in the Best! 

DeliveryRank chats with Jeff Flathau, the co-founder of Flathau's Fine Foods, a family-run, woman-owned cookie manufacturer based in Petal, MS. With over 25 years of experience, Jeff and his wife Heather have expanded their product line to include six new flavors of award- winning candied shortbreads, cheese straws, and Robicheaux's Pecan Turtles. The Flathau family, including their three children, has been integral to the business's success, with their passion for quality ensuring that 80% of their products have earned accolades. 

Jeff, can you tell us about the journey of Flathau's Fine Foods, from its humble beginnings to becoming a woman-owned cookie manufacturer based in Petal, MS, known for its award-winning products like candied shortbreads, cheese straws, and Robicheaux's Pecan Turtles? 

I began my journey in the restaurant business and later transitioned into catering. In catering, we primarily handled weddings, and part of our service included providing cheese straws and cookies for the receptions. One day, someone had the bright idea: "Why not sell these cheese straws and cookies?" So, we decided to take them to the Atlanta Gift Mart, one of the largest in the world. We packaged the cookies in small paper bags with a simple label and went to the market. While we may have barely broken even, we continued for several years, not really making much money-likely even losing some-while still running the catering business. At that time, I told my wife about a crescent cookie my grandmother used to make from the Flathau side of the family. I had my mother try to recreate it, and though they were delicious, they were too soft to hold up for the market. My wife, ever determined, started experimenting with the recipe and eventually developed the shortbread cookies we sell today. 

I remember coming home one day to find her in our open carport with a hammer, pounding something. It turned out to be a bag of peppermint candies that she was crushing inside a Ziploc bag. Her idea was to incorporate the crushed candy into the cookies, and that's how our original recipe was born-starting with peppermint and raspberry flavors. 

We eventually moved away from the simple paper bags and transitioned to cartons, but the real breakthrough came from a holiday gift idea. A paint company we worked with used paint cans to 

package their gifts, wrapping labels around the cans. My wife, in collaboration with the company's marketing director, Kathy Emmons, adapted that concept for our cookies. With their permission, we started selling our cookies in pint- and gallon-sized paint cans, and that became our claim to fame. For a few years, those cookies in paint cans were a hot item at markets. 

From there, we took our products to the Fancy Food Show in New York, a significant event hosted by the Specialty Food Association. We entered two of our items into their competition and ended up winning silver awards for both, which was a big deal for us. Our butterscotch and raspberry cookies were runners-up for the gold. 

Since then, the business has evolved and grown into what it is today. We now have another brand, Matty's Sweet Shop, alongside Flathau's Fine Foods, offering various sizes and flavors. Our cheese straw business really took off when we adjusted the mold and recipe a few years ago, and we've built quite a following. 

Today, we still run the catering business on the same property, though in a separate building from our manufacturing operations. My wife, though no longer actively involved in the day-to- day, still retains 51% ownership. She eventually stepped away and took a job in a different field, which has been good for both our marriage and the business. 

The company is still woman-owned, and while I manage most of the manufacturing side, the workforce is predominantly female-about 75% women to 25% men. At any given time, we have around 25 to 30 employees, and I'm proud of what we've built, from our humble beginnings in catering to the successful operation we run today. 

How has the family dynamic played a role in the development and success of Flathau's Fine Foods, especially with Tyler, Hannah, & Heath growing up on shortbreads and cheese straws?

We got our children involved in athletics early on to help keep their waistlines in check, as well as to teach discipline. They played sports, and along the way, helped us here and there with the business. Now, my son Tyler sits behind me, helping to manage the company. He plays an active role in the day-to-day operations. 

Our daughter, on the other hand, doesn't work directly with us. She does attend trade shows with us occasionally, but she's focused on her own business. She owns a Pure Barre franchise -a fitness studio that uses a ballet bar for exercise. It's a challenging workout; we attended one of her classes, and it's no joke! It really keeps you in shape. 

Our youngest, Heath, is still in college at the University of North Carolina at Asheville and plays soccer for the Mounobs. As for the family dynamic, my wife and I worked together for a while, but it became challenging, so we decided to take different paths professionally. She's still involved in the business on a higher level, helping with decisions and providing input on artwork and design elements, but she's taken a step back from day-to-day operations. Though her role has shifted, she remains connected, offering her insights where needed. 

Could you share more about "That's the Way the Cookie Crumbles," your YouTube channel where you host interviews with leaders from the Pine Belt area while cooking dishes?

During COVID, when things slowed down, we suddenly had some extra time on our hands, so we decided to embark on a new project. It was actually my son, Tyler, who came up with the idea and the name. We began by interviewing various people who were either starting food-related businesses or already involved in the food industry. Some of these interviews included recipes, while others were more focused on the business side of things. Over time, this evolved into something more. Now, we focus on helping new businesses gain exposure. We visit their locations, interview them, film while they're cooking or producing, and then share their stories on social media. It's been rewarding. We recently completed an interview with the Commissioner of Agriculture, although we're still in the process of editing that one - we're decent at filming, but editing is another story!

We also just finished working with a new restaurant and coffee shop in the Petal area, owned by a really great guy who's doing well. This project helps us get our own name out there, but more importantly, it allows us to support new businesses and give them a boost. It's become a valuable marketing tool, but it's also a lot of fun and feels good to be contributing to others' success.

Flathau's Fine Foods has been actively involved in supporting local first responders, charity events, and others through fundraisers. How do you plan to continue this tradition of giving back, especially with the new online Profit Share fundraisers? 

During COVID, we started another initiative, which has since become a regular part of what we do. It began with us preparing large quantities of red beans, rice, and sausage to feed various groups. We focused on first responders, the VFW, and the Veterans Home, which is about 30 miles from our facility. We've offered it to other clubs and groups as well, and it's something we've continued ever since. Every year, we make sure to feed the police, firefighters, and first responders in both Hattiesburg and Petal. Additionally, we always do something for veterans, making it a point to visit the Veterans Home in Collins, MS, at least once a year, and we participate in local veterans' events too. 

We also donate a significant amount of cookies to various charities. Whenever we're asked, we give generously, usually donating cookie cartons - sometimes two cartons per person, depending on the request. It's something we're really happy to do. Recently, we launched a new holiday tin this year designed by a local artist, Kym Garraway, who is not just a graphic designer but truly an artist. The tin looks beautiful and includes cheese straws, our shortbreads, and Key Lime shortbread. 

This year, we're donating 10% of the sales from the tin to a charity chosen by Kym, though I have to admit I can't recall which one exactly at the moment - I believe it's a children's charity. But it's something we're really excited about, and we plan to make it an annual tradition. Each year, we'll collaborate with Kym, creating a new holiday tin with unique artwork. We're also considering a 12 Days of Christmas" theme, with each year featuring one of the twelve days on the tin, continuing this for the next 12 years. It's a project we're looking forward to seeing grow. 

Can you elaborate on the connection between Flathau's Fine Catering and Flathau's Fine Foods, and how the success of one has influenced the other? 

As I mentioned earlier, I started out in catering, and I have to say, I wouldn't have ventured into cookie manufacturing if it hadn't been for that. Some days, I even wonder if I should have stayed out of it! The cookie manufacturing business comes with so many regulations, audits, and complexities that are part of the industry in general. But yes, it was catering that ultimately led us into the cookie business, and without it, we never would have made the leap. It's been a good thing overall, but it's also been incredibly challenging. 

In the first eight or nine years, we were really just treading water. We didn't lose much, but we weren't making much either-it was a bit of a non-starter. We kept the business going, but we weren't putting in a lot of focused effort because, honestly, there didn't seem to be a lot of payoff at the time. 

But we held onto it. Eventually, we realized we needed to make a change, and that's where my wife came in. I have to give her full credit - she came up with some of the key products that really helped the business take off. Without her contributions, we wouldn't have achieved what we have today. 

What sets Flathau's Fine Foods apart from other gourmet food manufacturers, and what are your future plans for expanding your product line or reaching new markets? 

We're a smaller company compared to many of our competitors, yet we manage to sell nationwide, and even in Canada and Mexico. We have distributors in Canada as well. One thing that really sets us apart is that we're still a family-owned business. We're not part of a large conglomerate or corporation that's been bought out, so all of our decisions are made locally. I think that personal touch and independence make a difference in how we operate. 

Looking ahead, we have a lot of exciting plans. We produce a wide variety of products and do quite a bit of co-packing for other companies, especially smaller businesses. Many of them have been dropped by larger manufacturers because they don't do the volume that big companies want, and we've been able to step in and help those businesses keep going. In addition to our own products, we create tons of different flavors, including some gluten-free options, and we've even begun exploring healthier cookies that not only taste good but also offer nutritional benefits. 

We're also expanding in terms of production. Space is becoming an issue, so we're looking at ways to grow. Recently, we introduced cookie jars with smaller round cookies as a new product line, which is exciting. We also introduced our Nutcracker tin, a special seasonal item for the holidays, and that's been well-received. 

In terms of innovation, we experimented with 14 different flavors this year, testing them right after the Christmas season when we have more time to play around with new recipes. Most of them have turned out great and are ready to either be sold by us or used by other companies we partner with. 

As for the future, we're aiming to focus more on the Southeast region, despite selling nationwide. This allows us to optimize shipping lanes and offer better pricing for our customers. Additionally, we're concentrating on increasing our retail sales through our website and exploring platforms like TikTok to reach younger customers. It's a new direction for us, but it's an exciting one that aligns with how people are buying and engaging with brands today. 

If you would like to find out more about Flathau's Fine Foods, please visit https://flathausfinefoods.com/