Local Martha Stewart Mixes Hungry Wolf Gourmet

She's the Martha Stewart of Macomb Township with every spice you can imagine in her cupboards. She's also the Hungry Wolf–the Hungry Wolf Gourmet that is.

Stephanie Laubach never expected to be running a small business in the gourmet food industry, but you wouldn't know it by her seemingly effortless success rate. She's a natural–a true Martha!

Laubach, her husband and two children, ages 7 and 10, have lived in Macomb Township since 2002.

"I have a master's degree in clinical psychology and never dreamed I'd be developing cooking seasonings for a living," Laubach said. "My job was eliminated when I was pregnant with my first child so I went on maternity leave and never went back. After being a stay at home mom for a few years and becoming pregnant again, I knew it was time to focus my stress energy on something, and cooking always relieves my stress, so I cooked." 

Laubach said she always found it easy in the kitchen to prepare meals and was always passing on her wisdom to her girlfriends.

"My girlfriends and I would get together often and I would always try to cook something new," she said. "You know, a new dip for an appetizer. My first product was Totally Garlic Dip Mix, which all my friends loved. I would make up the ingredients and give away packets so they could make their own dip."

After about a dozen recipes of seasonings for dips, Laubach decided to try selling her product, but not before researching the food industry business.

"I wanted to make sure I followed the rules so I wouldn't be liable if someone claimed to get sick," she said. "So I rent space in an approved kitchen to mix all my products. This ensures my products are produced in a clean, sterile environment. Once the products are sealed and packaged I will bring them home to fill orders."

Established in 2003, Hungry Wolf Gourmet was first seen at local craft fairs with Laubach offering samples and encouraging people to try her products and suggesting them as great gifts. Comparable to companies such as Tastefully Simple, Laubach's offers more than 50 products with new recipes being created all the time.

"We have over two dozen dips, 12 soups, a dozen or so easy meal solutions, lots of blended seasonings and I am always thinking of what is missing," she said. "Someone will ask for something and it will inspire me to come up with a new recipe."

One of Laubach's biggest sellers is the Chicken Salad seasoning, which was inspired by a friend.

"She wanted to know if I had a packet for Chicken Salad, she was tired of paying for it at the deli and wanted to cook up her own," Laubach said. "She just didn't feel confident trying to come up with a recipe so I gave it a try. I had an Asian Chicken recipe I would cook so I took that to start and developed a dry seasoning recipe which you just add chicken, mayo and sour cream to. It's easy for someone to run with and very popular."

However popular her recipes, Laubach is not into marketing and really doesn't promote her business as well as she probably could.

"I know I could be doing more, and we are redoing the website right now," she said. "I have a new Facebook page and I'm aiming to get my products in some local stores, too. Right now you can purchase the products at the boutique Catching Fireflies in Rochester or their other location in Berkley."

While fall is the biggest time of year for Hungry Wolf Gourmet, Laubach receives orders every week and is constantly making more inventory.

"From September through the holidays my house is crazy since we are doing craft shows, art shows, and the online orders are coming in," she said. "Everyone loves to entertain at that time of year so the dips are popular and so is gift giving."

Laubach loves creating the new recipes and said she enjoys that aspect of her job the most.

"If I could just stay in the kitchen and have someone else do all the other work, I'd love it," Laubach said. "But when you're in business you must know and be good at all aspects of business."

Hungry Wolf Gourmet products can be ordered by sending Laubach a message through her Facebook page or contacting her direct 586-286-1762.