We had the good fortune of connecting with Angela Burdge and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angela, what inspires you?
“What appears to us as the impossible may be simply the untried” – Hossein Nasr. I always find inspiration in others and admire individuals who think outside the box, are creative, and are not afraid of failure. But, of course, having a little Pollyanna in me helps as well.

Adelee’s Ice Box Dips was inspired to make healthy products. Knowing that we could produce our spicy pinto beans dip better and healthier as a family-owned business offered us an opportunity to inspire ourselves and others.

About eight years ago, my daughter Emilee was going through the personal transformation of having our fourth grandchild. During this time, she realized what ingredients were going into our food and researched how bad it was. Before we realized what was going on with the food industry, we made an unhealthy version of our family’s spicy bean dip for years. So, when we decided to make this a healthier version, our daughter-in-law Andrea encouraged us to find a market to sell our family’s bean dip, so we decided to pursue the dream. Onward, we went, and so my daughter and I began to search for the best freshest products to make our spicy bean dip.

We found that we wanted to use fresher, better ingredients in our products, not just because of the demand for healthier options but because we could taste and feel how much better it was for us. With this, Adelee’s healthy food choices inspired our business to make a delicious and nutritious product that reinvented a classic old-fashioned dip with health-conscious ingredients. What gives our bean dips a unique flavor is our production techniques. No lards or added oils for flavor; instead, we create the flavor profile by infusing jalapeno, green chilies, spices, and other key ingredients into the beans, which produces a delicious dip. Our dips can be eaten as a snack or taken home and used as an ingredient to create a delightful Tex-Mex meal.

It’s been a journey and has had many challenges, but ultimately our inspiration has come from sharing with others and providing people with healthier choices. Many years ago, we changed our attitudes towards food and hoped to inspire others. All in all, we are encouraged to help make people happy, healthy, and naturally feel good. That is the penguin way.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Keeping things focused is the key for us, which is not easy. Small companies like ours look for opportunities to grow, and the tendency is to take every opportunity available. For instance, we wanted to sell in every farmer’s market when we started the business. Even though we sold products, it wasn’t the best way to push the company forward. We had to stay focused on our goals in our business plan. It was easy to get sidetracked, but we finally understood how all the puzzle pieces would fit together. Keeping focused and not going in a thousand different directions was challenging. Also, one thing we have learned is to seek out a business that supports our brand’s core value.
Adelee’s brand desire is to meet the fundamental needs of the food shopper. Our penguin logo depicts a healthier choice for the everyday shopper, and we want our brand to inspire keeping things on the simpler side of life.

We’re not really in the dip business, but in the food business, we want the world to know that our penguin depicts a healthy choice, easy meal solutions, and be encouraged to seek out good for you foods. Indeed we believe the food world is getting very confusing, and we all need to keep it simple.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It will be a fabulous week touring the Texas Hill Country.
Day one: We will be visiting the quaint towns of Hill Country. Possible Fredericksburg and all its outstanding German cuisine. Or maybe Wimberley. Both towns offer enjoyable shops to stroll through and many eateries. There is a new restaurant on the Blanco River; let’s try it out.

Day two: A day on Town Lake in Austin will be a perfect way to relax and adventure. We can walk the river or rent a canoe or go paddleboarding. A day at the river is always fun and relaxing.

Day three: A visit to one of the many historical attractions in the area will be the Alamo. It’s just a short drive south of San Antonio, and you’re back to the late 1800s. And then we can dine on the River Walk. Remember the Alamo!

Day four: Possible will be a down day. We will visit one of the many wineries or brewers in the Hill Country area. Ahh, a day to relax.

Day five: our last day will be a leisure drive through the Hill Country down devils backbone to Blanco for some lick-smacking BBQ at the Old 300.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Our family is incredible at how they have supported this endeavor and supported each other. Trish Wesevich, the prior owner of Capital Kitchens, always supported our business. She cheered us on, always had an open ear, and was such a great mentor and helpful in directing us to other resources in the CPG business.

Website: Adeleesallnatural.com

Instagram: adeleesiceboxdips

Facebook: Adelee Ice Box Dips

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