For a person with food allergies or a specialized diet, walking into a restaurant or bakery can feel like a toss-up. Will they have safe and desirable menu options to choose from? With The Sassy Vegan, the answer is a resounding, 𝒀𝒆𝒔!

Rachel Smith grew up experimenting in the kitchen. And she knows how tricky it can be to craft a gluten-sensitive treat that looks and tastes amazing. When she lost her job in the food industry during the Pandemic, Rachel went straight home and started baking. She sent meals and treats to neighbors and friends who began asking if they could place orders.

Rachel began selling her surplus goodies at local farmers markets and loved seeing people’s faces light up when they saw her gluten-sensitive and vegan options. With enthusiastic demand on the rise, she moved The Sassy Vegan into a local commercial kitchen and started mixing.

With attention to handcrafting her products in small-batches, Rachel is looking to grow with integrity. She’s added a few part-time employees to help her sell at multiple farmers markets. And several local storefronts in Auburn, Columbia City, and Fort Wayne feature her treats in their displays.

Down the road, Rachel would love to open a storefront of her own where she would offer her signature customizable baked goods as well as hot meals. With a heart for kids in the foster system, she also hopes to provide at-risk teens valuable training in life skills and entrepreneurship.

Rachel will use her grant to pay for marketing to increase awareness of The Sassy Vegan so more people can find a treat that’s indulgent and just right in every way.