Whether one likes their biscuits smothered in gravy or piping hot with a slab of salted butter, they are the quintessential comfort food. Carrie Morey, of Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, knows a thing or two about making homemade biscuits. With determination and her mom Callie’s recipe in tow, she started an online business at a time when buying food on the internet was a new concept. Now, with the help of Thermo King, she is able to transport her comfort food safely to customers near and far.
Business was rolling, then the pandemic hit. It caused her to pivot and look for new opportunities since her eateries were forced to close. Carrie teamed up with another female business owner in Georgia who makes homemade pies. Together they offered their customers a sweet bundle of handmade pies and biscuits. “Had we not had the van keeping the biscuits frozen, we wouldn’t have been able to make this collaboration successful. It’s given us a lot more opportunities,” Carrie says.
cold chain supply
Carrie’s business also has not been immune to a cold chain supply shortage. Their flour distributor was not able to supply it so she ended up going directly to a flour company. But there was a catch - a heavy one. Every few weeks the flour is delivered, but not unloaded. Imagine 1,900 bags of flour packed into 40-pound bales, and then forming a chain of 12 people from the loading dock to get the bags into the store.
That’s the solution, and Carrie jumps right in to help, joking that it provides her workout for the day. Food safety is something Carrie thinks about constantly. “It’s part of every single thing we do from making the product to packing the product to shipping the product.” And Thermo King of Charleston makes sure her unit is running at top performance.
backbone of success
Small business such as Callie's Hot Little Biscuit play a vital role in our market and are the backbone of our success"
When asked about Thermo King service at her local dealer, Carrie states, “Whenever we have a problem, we go straight to the dealer. It’s so easy and the turnaround time is fast.”
According to Trevor Floyd, general manager at Thermo King of Charleston, customers are their top priority. “Our goal is to get the customer in and out as quick as possible and to ensure that the repairs are done right the first time,” Trevor states. He continues with an appreciation for Carrie’s business, “Small business such as Callie's Hot Little Biscuit play a vital role in our market and are the backbone of our success.”
refrigeration unit on truck
Today, Carrie is a far cry from working at home in her pajamas and juggling three young children while trying to get her handmade biscuit business off the ground. She states, “I feel blessed to have my original mission which was to find a balance between having a career and to be present with my children.” She also keeps busy creating recipes and filming a 10-part public television series set to air in 2021.
Carrie offers some advice to others considering getting into final mile/home delivery and that is to get a refrigeration unit on their truck or van sooner rather than later. She says it has not only made her product safer, but it, “enabled business growth and peace of mind.”
