For Carol Davis, the secret has always been in her sauces.
But recently, the food entrepreneur from Laingsburg has ventured into serving deli-styled sandwiches for the lunch crowd through the Lansing City Market.
Ma Ma C's offers daily combo specials that range from specialty hot dogs to tacos to pita sandwiches. Open since March, Davis also provides yogurt and fruit cups, bottled water, and gourmet popcorn for the diner looking for a lunch or snack on the lighter side.
"We're completely homemade, and everything we have is primarily made with Michigan products," says Davis. "We try to keep our prices around $6 for lunch. That's a good deal."
Davis says her son and co-owner John Buono persuaded her to start the deli based on the success of her popular line of Ma Ma C's sauces and other core products. Since 2008, Davis has been concocting and canning flavorful gourmet finishing sauces, glazes, marinaras, guacamole and pickled vegetables like asparagus. Davis says she's perfected her line of 12 core products made with tomatoes, onions, celery, green and red sweet peppers, salt, vinegar, sugar and spices that can be paired with meats, pastas, chips, and added to recipes and sauces.
Deli customers can sample sauces and core products on particular lunch selections, as well as purchase them through the City Market site. Sauces and core products are also found at area stores including
Merindorf Meats, up north around Houghton Lake and Harrison, at the Flint City Market, and at occasional craft shows.
"The location here is a good start to see if we want to do a deli," Davis says. "I just like meeting new people and having a good time making food."
Ma Ma C's is located near the south door of the
Lansing City Market in a 16-by-12 foot vendor space. Davis runs the deli with her son, and hopes to move to a brick-and-mortar location depending on customer response.
Source: Carol Davis, Owner, Ma Ma C's
Writer: Ann Kammerer, News Editor
Got a story idea for Innovation News? Email Ann Kammerer here.
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