Meet the Team is a series on The Clear Conscience Blog. We’re a tightknit family with a passion for naturals and love for the state of Minnesota! Check back often to get to know our team a little better.
April is our Food Product Manager. She’s charged with overseeing J.R. Watkins Gourmet and discovering new spices and flavors to introduce to you in your kitchens. In fact, April just finished what might be her busiest year yet, helping oversee the brand’s largest herb and spice expansion set for release this fall. Read on to get to know April.
Hometown: I grew up on a dairy farm in a small town near La Crosse, Wisconsin (just over the river from Winona, Minnesota!)
A Day in the Life: I work with our team to conduct quality checks when the spices are being filled on the line, develop new products and research the category and marketplace to make sure we’re introducing products that our customers want and need.
What I Love About Watkins: It’s such a family-oriented atmosphere. And food in particular is such a heritage category for the brand. I love going to trade shows and events and hearing people share their memories with us. So many folks have a connection to our brand, and hearing personal stories is really special.
Proud Moment on the Job: Our team works so hard. We’re set to introduce new spices this fall, and the team gave it their all from start to finish. Not to give too much away, but we are introducing exciting new flavors —- fennel seed, saffron and my personal favorite, sesame seeds. I can’t wait for these to be on store shelves!
Passion Project: I love gardening. My husband and I have 25 acres, and we love growing our own veggies and food. Our kids, ages 5 and 7, also enjoy working in the garden and it’s great bonding time for the family. I like that they appreciate where their food comes from. We also have a vineyard, and our goal is to supply grapes to the local wineries in Winona.
Favorite product: Definitely our Vanilla Extract. I use it in sweet breads, cookies and even mix a little bit with cinnamon and put it in pancake batter. In the personal care line, I can’t get enough of the Coconut Milk & Honey Scent. The Lotion, the Mist, the Scrub – yum!
