Nana Joes Granola founder Michelle Pusateri
Last week we gathered to champion the here and now of locally made, toast with local libations, and among other celebrations, crown the 2024 Manufacturer of the Year. Out of 500 eligible manufacturers, Nana Joes Granola was nominated and selected by dedicated experts, our volunteer advisors. Nana Joes founder, Michelle Pusateri, always makes time to share advice, resources, and moral support to her peers. Nana Joes exemplifies an expression that we use a lot here at SFMade: A rising tide lifts all boats. We appreciate her generosity to her staff, her green business practices, her commitment to innovation and quality, and to the city of San Francisco.
Those in attendance were so moved by Michelle’s acceptance speech that we’ve had many requests for a copy. Below is just an excerpt of her powerful words. Her complete speech can be found here.
“We sit here today to celebrate manufacturing in our city,
But that should be every day,
In every way,
No matter what.
We should ask entrepreneurs:
Does your current business plan have a road to profitability?
How is your company culture?
What are your impact statements?
How is your employee retention rate?
How do you source your ingredients?”
A boisterous congratulations is due to all the 2024 nominees. These businesses exemplify manufacturing equity, economic strength, and community vitality.
