Want to Market Your Secret Sauce?

By Amber Chao

A wave of aroma from Merrillo’s Fine Toffee Confections freshly-popped hot toffee popcorn drifted from the back kitchen to the entrance of FTC Kitchen, next to the San Juan Capistrano post office in the Sycamore Plaza.

FTC (which stands for Food Trade Consultants) Kitchen is a concept that helps startup entrepreneurs and small businesses with marketing, branding, product analysis, testing and anything else they need to know about the food industry.

On this day, Mary Carter, FTC Kitchen owner, stared intently at her laptop screen – answering questions and seeking new ways to promote products. After a decade of consulting and educating people on the food industry, Carter sensed the need and demand for an actual kitchen in South Orange County where startups can cook and package their products; thus the recent opening of the FTC Kitchen in spring.

Besides offices, the 3,000-square-foot facility includes a commercial kitchen with cooking equipment and appliances. Many have come to her through the word of mouth, that Carter can turn their culinary dreams and talents into practicality.

"[Mary's] my angel," said Jodi Binns, founder of San Clemente-based Merrillo's, a three-generation family business in the production of toffee and chocolate-covered popcorn.

The glazed golden popcorn packaged in stylish black bags is a secret recipe that Binns and her daughter, Carina, invented, and the family loved. On a typical Friday, Jodi and Carina, and Jodi’s mother Shirley Merrill, would spend hours popping, stirring, and packing their favorite sweet treats.

"When I was about to give up, I met Mary," said Binns. In 2012, when she started the business at home, she struggled with storing all the supplies, equipment and with finding a place to cook. Cooking at home wasn’t practical.

"I had to close all the doors when I made it, but the smell would stay and I couldn't sleep at night," Jodi Binns said.

FTC ended up not only being a logistical solution, Carter is also helping grow her business. Just a couple of weeks ago, Carter helped sell the toffee popcorn to a well-known upscale supermarket in New York.

Cans and bottles of sauces and soups – kale chips, salted chili and hot sauce to scones – are spread out orderly on the shelves outside Carter's office. She recalls a recent client who needed to chop 600 pounds of apples. The effort, to culminate in jars of apple butter, took 15 hours straight peeling and coring them.

Carter targets the upstart, the small entrepreneur, so far, more than 2,900 in her career.

“We make sure that they start small and save money,” Carter said.

Through FTC’s “Salad Club,” the public has a chance to take some of the kitchen’s creations. Three times a week, locals can pick up a large salad to go. Reservations are required. See here for more info.