More Michigan Magic with Mooville. Eric Westendorp of Mooville, uncovers the evolution of their on-farm creamery and the family's journey from dairy farming to producing award-winning ice cream. Eric shares insights on the challenges of family business dynamics, the unique qualities of their 'Creamline' milk, and their commitment to preserving a farm-to-table experience. Tune in to hear how Mooville has become a staple in Michigan's dairy industry, blending tradition with innovation.

Links:

Moo-ville Website: https://www.moo-ville.com/

Moo-ville Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MOOville

Show Notes:

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage

00:21 Welcome to Total Michigan

00:53 Meet Eric Westendorp of Moo-ville

01:15 The Origins of Moo-ville

02:39 What is Moo-ville Today?

06:55 The Ice Cream Journey

14:10 Challenges and Family Dynamics

17:20 Community Engagement and Faith

18:18 Production and Popularity

23:41 Where to Find Moo-ville Products

Mentioned in this episode:

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Really just getting on the same page and having that

2

same focus and same goal of And same

direction for everyone because we

3

all have a little different issues.

4

Whether it be the crops or the cows

or the creamery getting on the same

5

page and knowing where the next big

project is going and not towards

6

the project that you thought it was

going What is just communication.

7

It's a it's a struggle and it's hard

and we're still growing in that area.

8

Cliff Duvernois: Hello everyone and

welcome back to Total Michigan where

9

we interview ordinary michiganders

doing some pretty extraordinary things.

10

I'm your host Cliff DuVernois.

11

So So, Michigan has a lot of cows.

12

And because we have a lot of

cows, we have a lot of milk.

13

And of course, there's, there's people

around here that are just doing amazing

14

things with this very simple product.

15

And I remember how excited I was when

I was able to get today's guest onto

16

the show because they really are known

statewide, especially for their ice cream.

17

So with that being said, ladies and

gentlemen, I am actually sitting in

18

Moo-ville of all places in Nashville,

Michigan and sitting across from me is

19

Eric Westendorp one of the owner operators

of the big family that runs this place.

20

Eric, how are you?

21

Eric Westendorp: great.

22

Thanks for having

23

Cliff Duvernois: Awesome.

24

So why don't you tell

us what is Moo-ville?

25

Eric Westendorp: Ha, what is Mooville?

26

Mooville is a brainchild

of my parents, actually.

27

So my mom and dad, uh, started dairy

28

uh, with six kids under the age of six.

29

And then, excuse me, once we got

to high school, they realized

30

that the farm was a little too

small for everyone to come back.

31

So in order to have an opportunity for

each one of us to come back, they did a

32

couple years of research to do a creamery.

33

And so they went all across the country,

spent a couple years doing that,

34

looking at creameries and asking them

advice on what to do, what not to do.

35

And so in 2005, they built the

Creamery and they all gave us

36

an opportunity to come back.

37

We all have a little bit of

different interests, like

38

I have two sisters as well.

39

So it gave them opportunities not

just to have to do farm work or

40

be in the tractor or anything like

that or be able to help in a store.

41

So, uh, it just opened up a lot

of different avenues and a lot

42

of different interests for all

of us to be able to come back.

43

Cliff Duvernois: Okay, so

let's do that one again.

44

Okay.

45

So this time when I

46

ask you what move ill is, you know, make

sure you talk about, you know, we have

47

ice cream, we have milk, we have what it

is, we will get into the history of it.

48

So believe it or not, a

lot of people will do that.

49

We'll circle back to the history of it.

50

But this will be When I was talking to

you before about, about the, about the

51

B roll footage, like going around and

getting the ice cream, stuff like that.

52

This is your moment to say,

this is, this is who we are.

53

This is what we do.

54

Right.

55

Okay.

56

So we'll just do that one again.

57

Eric, if you would just

tell us what is Moo-ville?

58

Eric Westendorp: Moville

is an on farm creamery, uh,

59

that we started 17 years ago.

60

Uh, my parents did, and so we

process all of our own milk.

61

We make a, a special line

of milk called Creamline.

62

So it's the closest to raw that we

can legally sell, cause it is, uh,

63

pasteurized, but it is not homogenized.

64

So all that fat content is still there.

65

So that is kind of a niche that we do.

66

We're the only one in

the state that does that.

67

But we also make a lot of

different ice cream flavors.

68

We have a retail, uh, uh, store on site.

69

We have a petting zoo.

70

We have the farm on site and all of the

milk that comes through Move O Creamery

71

is coming through our own cows and our

own crops that we have here on site.

72

Cliff Duvernois: So it's literally,

it's, you know, I don't want, I hate

73

to use the phrase womb to tomb, but

literally it's, you produce your own

74

milk, process it here, make your own

ice cream, milk creamery, as you said

75

before, and then you sell it here as

76

Eric Westendorp: Right.

77

We're very vertically integrated.

78

Everything from the crops, to the cows,

to the milking, to the processing, uh,

79

to some of the delivery work is all done

with the Western Door Pan, isn't it?

80

Cliff Duvernois: Oh,

that's incredibly awesome.

81

And so why don't you tell us a

little bit about your backstory?

82

Where are you from?

83

Where did you grow up?

84

Eric Westendorp: we moved

when we were three years old,

85

when I was three year old.

86

Um, my, my twin brother were

three, my oldest brother was six.

87

And then we had a, my parents had a set of

triplets that were three months old when

88

they moved to this Nashville location.

89

Uh, we moved from Martin, which

is just South of Grand Rapids.

90

So we went from one tiny town

to the, to another tiny town.

91

Cliff Duvernois: The why behind this

place, and it's my understanding that

92

your parents were the one that actually

decided to start expanding out and

93

just do something more than milk,

94

right?

95

So talk to us a little bit about,

about what that was that they did.

96

Eric Westendorp: so when I was in

high school, so it was about 15 years

97

ago, my parents wanted to give us

an opportunity to come back to the

98

family business if we so choose.

99

Um, it wouldn't, there was no

force of hand into it at all.

100

It was just an opportunity

that they wanted to do.

101

So they did a lot of research, went around

the country, um, Looked into different

102

creameries what they did well what they

didn't do well, and then they came back

103

and built the creamery Um, and it all

gave us an opportunity to come back if we

104

wanted to and it just um was a kind of a

pretty neat opportunity where Uh now all

105

six of us live within a few miles away.

106

We're all Have a hand in the in the

creamery and the family business so it

107

was just kind of a a neat opportunity

for my parents to be able to Allow

108

us to come back if we wanted to

109

Cliff Duvernois: Now, usually when you

see people who are farmers, right, whether

110

they're dairy farmers or corn farmers

111

whatever, it's usually some

kind of a generational thing.

112

So now, was your, did your mom

and dad grow up on a dairy farm?

113

And that's why they wanted to get into it.

114

Did they, is this something

your grandparents actually

115

started as a dairy farm?

116

What

117

Eric Westendorp: What was,

118

Yeah, that's a great question.

119

My pa my dad, uh, his dad was a great,

was a farm dairy farmer as well.

120

So I'm third generation dairy

farm on my dad's side, and then

121

on my mom's side, uh, her parents

immigrated from the Netherlands.

122

She was actually born in New

Jersey, moved to Michigan.

123

Yes.

124

And so, uh, unfortunately my grandpa.

125

Mulder on my mom's side passed away from

a farming accident when he was young.

126

So my grandma was widowed and uh, But they

did a lot of dairy farming kind of stuff

127

and that generation actually goes back 250

years of dairy farming on my mom's side

128

Cliff Duvernois: a lot

of family members That

129

Eric Westendorp: lot of family

members There's that we have cousins

130

in canada that dairy farm cousins in

in the netherlands that dairy farm.

131

So it's pretty neat to see

132

Cliff Duvernois: As far as like

the story goes with that, so

133

they decided to make this into a

134

Eric Westendorp: creamer.

135

Cliff Duvernois: Tell

us what exactly is that?

136

Eric Westendorp: Um, for us,

it's an on site creamery, so

137

we process all of our own milk.

138

So, the farm's at the top of the hill, it

gets gravity fed down into Mooville, and

139

we are doing all of our own processing.

140

So, we're homogenizing it, we're

pasteurizing it, and we're doing all

141

the bottling ourself here on site.

142

Cliff Duvernois: And when you're

talking about this when you talk about

143

it being a creamer that means you

144

produce milk

145

Eric Westendorp: means you Right.

146

Well, half and half heavy cream.

147

Cliff Duvernois: Yes, okay wonderful

now at some point in time you

148

decided to take that a step further

And get into the ice cream business

149

When did where did that idea come from?

150

Eric Westendorp: So that was

always the original goal.

151

Getting there was a little harder.

152

So we had told everyone in the local

community that we would be open on

153

Memorial Day of 2005, I think it was.

154

And so we started trying to make

our own ice cream and it was

155

terrible, I mean just terrible.

156

Our first batch of ice cream actually

went in the manure pit because we

157

just, we just threw it out and we

actually had to bring in other ice cream

158

from other companies for the first.

159

I don't know, three or four months

before we finally got our recipe down

160

and ice and enough inventory to be

able to carry all of our own ice cream.

161

So even more creamery and our intentions

was to make our own ice cream.

162

We had to carry other people's

ice cream for the first few months

163

just to get the ball rolling.

164

Cliff Duvernois: Then talk

to us a little bit about that

165

ice cream like making process.

166

Eric Westendorp: Yeah, um, so we,

like I said, we make all of it.

167

We have all of our own milk from our own

cows here, so it gets, um, separated.

168

So when we make whole 2 percent skim,

that cream is coming off the top and

169

that is coming off of our own milk.

170

From our own milk and so that cream is

going into the ice cream mix So that gets

171

mixed in with a few other smaller things

and then there's a batch or not a batch

172

machine But a continuous machine And

so all that concoctions come together.

173

And so when you make like a moose

tracks or anything like that

174

There's also an ingredients filler.

175

So there's fudge going in and

Reese's peanut butter cups

176

going in and stuff like that.

177

So Yeah, it's quite the process.

178

Um, that's my twin brother's expertise.

179

And so I'm not great at

knowing the ins and outs.

180

I just like eating it.

181

And everyone has likes the

joke of being the taste tester.

182

But, uh, yeah, it's it's a fun process to

be part because everyone loves ice cream.

183

So it's an easy sell, and it's

enjoyable because we've won some

184

bigger awards from our ice cream, too.

185

And so it's really cool.

186

Yeah, there's, um, a national ice

cream, uh, conference and conference And

187

they, we got awarded, uh, national best

chocolate ice cream in the, in the country

188

Cliff Duvernois: a couple years

189

Eric Westendorp: vanilla a

couple years ago as well.

190

Yeah, last year was chocolate, and

a couple years before that, there's

191

a lot of different categories.

192

You got strawberry and all the

other different flavors, but we won

193

chocolate and vanilla, uh, recently.

194

Cliff Duvernois: Oh, see

now I'm getting hungry.

195

Eric Westendorp: Yeah.

196

Cliff Duvernois: All right.

197

So you started up and you

talked before about how you

198

started off making ice cream And

199

you're for the first six months, Right?

200

You

201

really struggle with getting

getting that recipe down.

202

Now, is it, is it something where you

were learning how to use the equipment?

203

Was it learning how to.

204

Use the right ingredients because,

and I say this because I know

205

that for somebody to make a

small batch of ice cream at home,

206

it's a whole different

207

animal when you're looking at producing

gallons upon gallons, thousands of

208

gallons for, you know, potentially

thousands of people that are going

209

to come walking through the door.

210

Talk to us about that learning curve.

211

Eric Westendorp: Yeah, the learning curve.

212

So it's been a while ago.

213

I was just a sophomore

in high school, too.

214

So I'm kind of racking my brain a little

bit, but I think the mistakes would

215

have came from every area possible from

from the machines from the ingredients

216

from the way we went about it.

217

Um, getting ice cream frozen as quickly

as possible coming out of the machine

218

and going back to the deep freezer,

getting that, uh, having that time

219

being as little as possible, having the

air content going through ice cream.

220

You want that as small as possible

to produce the creaminess to it.

221

Um, the, um, the amount and what's going

in for the ingredients is a big part of

222

it and the quality of ingredients and

where you're sourcing ingredients that

223

aren't made here is very important.

224

Um, Yeah, and the recipe of just like

the sugar and the heavy cream and

225

the whatever, all's coming together,

it just was not coming together

226

quickly enough when we first started.

227

Cliff Duvernois: And then you said

something else too that I would

228

like to explore a little bit.

229

You made a comment about how your milk is

as close to raw as you can legally get.

230

Why go that route versus like

the highly industrialized

231

Eric Westendorp: Mm hmm.

232

Yeah, I think that's something my parents

wanted to do that kind of that farm to

233

table We we love when people are like

this is how it's supposed to taste when

234

Grandpa's coming in like I used to get

the milk out of the ball tank and and

235

it tastes like That now again, and so

that's really cool to see where the and

236

it's called the line is called cream

line So the cream literally rises to

237

the top if you don't shake that thing

really good You're gonna have a lot

238

of cream at the top of that gallon

239

Cliff Duvernois: lot of

cream at the top of the milk

240

Eric Westendorp: so just as close

to the natural state as possible.

241

So The other unique thing with moveville

is that the farm's at the top of the

242

hill So we have a pipeline going from

the farm to moveville So we just open up

243

a valve and all the milk from the farm

comes flowing down and so it's not pumped

244

onto a trunk Truck, it's not pumped off

of a truck and it's not moved around

245

as much and we have Since we bottle

twice a week, cows can get milked on

246

Monday morning and that milk can still

be on a jug and on a truck that day.

247

So our,

248

our

249

Cliff Duvernois: life

250

Eric Westendorp: life is longer

than, than pretty much anywhere

251

else that I can think of.

252

It adds a few days to it because it's not

going to a plant and getting, and waiting

253

there for a little bit or whatever.

254

It's moving as quickly as we can.

255

Cliff Duvernois: And you made a comment

before about how for this whole process

256

here, the milk is gravity fed because

your farm is literally right up the

257

Eric Westendorp: from where this

258

Cliff Duvernois: where this

259

location is where you make the ice

260

Eric Westendorp: Right.

261

Yep.

262

And so that, that was one of the big

things that my mom and dad were looking

263

at to, um, have it as natural as possible.

264

And again, with less pumping, the less

that milk is getting moved around, the

265

less the molecules and the enzymes and

proteins that are getting shaken up.

266

So it's in as close to as natural

state as it could possibly get.

267

That's why we really like the cream

line and that's what makes it unique.

268

We honestly don't, um,

Sell too much of it.

269

A lot of coffee shops use it and then

people that are just are that let

270

the old timers I love that the old

timers enjoy drinking cream line yet

271

Cliff Duvernois: that's

absolutely wonderful.

272

Um, for our going to take a quick

break and thank our sponsors.

273

Once again, this is Total Michigan.

274

I'm your host, Cliff Duvenois.

275

Today, we are talking with Eric B.

276

Westendorp of, uh, Mooville in,

uh, Nashville, Michigan, and

277

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278

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Cliff Duvernois: Hello everyone and

welcome back to Total Michigan where

299

we interview ordinary Michiganders

doing some pretty extraordinary things.

300

I'm your host, Cliff Duvenois.

301

Today we're at Mooville located

in Nashville, Michigan, and I'm

302

sitting with Eric Westendorp.

303

One of the owner operators, one

of the many family members that

304

are working here at the company.

305

And Eric before the break, we were talking

a little bit about the family business,

306

why it is that you do what you do, why you

decided to start creating products like

307

ice cream and everything else like that.

308

The question I got for you is

coming up in a family business.

309

I know that there are challenges.

310

That have to be faced and

especially looking at your website.

311

Your family is a little on the large

312

Eric Westendorp: know,

313

Cliff Duvernois: Which you know, we

would expect that from a farm family,

314

but why don't you talk to us about?

315

what was one or two of those

key challenges coming into?

316

the family business

317

Eric Westendorp: Coming back into the

family business, I went to Michigan

318

State, did a Dariac Tech program.

319

but my parents are very, welcoming

to, for any of us to come back

320

and gave us tons of opportunity.

321

but just finding a role, finding

your niche, communicating well.

322

I think, uh, it is really important.

323

Well known for the people that

know us well that communication

324

is not a strong suit around here.

325

So growing in that text

messages need to be bigger.

326

We didn't have family meetings.

327

We were only having family meeting

like once a year and now it's every

328

other week and then we you dreaded that

once a year family meeting because you

329

knew there were so many Untalked about

issues and so that was a huge growth,

330

thing that got implemented Really just

getting on the same page and having

331

that same focus and same goal of And

same direction for everyone because

332

we all have a little different issues.

333

Whether it be the crops or the cows

or the creamery getting on the same

334

page and knowing where the next big

project is going and not towards

335

the project that you thought it was

going What is just communication.

336

It's a it's a struggle and it's hard

and we're still growing in that area.

337

Cliff Duvernois: And everybody

on the planet seems to have

338

struggles with communication.

339

So let's take a step back here a

second because, you know, I know

340

before the microphones went hot,

you and I were talking a little bit

341

about the family business and, and

how it's structured a little bit.

342

And you said, well, we don't

really have positions here.

343

So I guess my next question to you is,

you got a family dynamic that's going on.

344

You've, you've all grown up together, but

now you're also trying to work together.

345

How do you make sure that you're like,

I guess the positions or the work you're

346

doing, like doesn't overlap with somebody

else and what they're trying to do?

347

Eric Westendorp: So we all have our areas

that we have the most interest in and

348

just fell into place So I like the cows.

349

I like herd health.

350

I like being around the cows.

351

I like the milking process I like

reproduction like all those kind of

352

things my older brother And we do

overlap some because we it's nice

353

to have accountability to just so

you're not running your own show and

354

having Doing whatever you want like

we all have interest in all the areas.

355

And my oldest brother does the crops

and he takes care of all those things,

356

and that's a huge project, and my dad,

does that along with them as well.

357

My twin brother does all the ice

cream making, and then there's

358

triplets that are younger than us.

359

I don't know if I

mentioned that to you yet.

360

We went one, two, three, and so the oldest

brother, he does all the processing.

361

He does, takes care of the delivery

trucks, and all that stuff down here.

362

And then there's two girls,

and then one of them.

363

Does all the store managing and she

manages all the employees and, does

364

a lot of different things between

the four stores that we have too.

365

And then the youngest sister, she lives

just a few miles down the road, but she's,

366

married to a pastor and has nine kids.

367

So she's plenty busy, but

she helps out when she can.

368

And it's kind of fun when she

brings a busload of kids over and

369

then there's a bunch of nieces

and nephews running around.

370

So

371

Cliff Duvernois: running around.

372

Exactly.

373

We're here

374

Eric Westendorp: Exactly.

375

It is true.

376

Like we are very, thankful

for what God has done.

377

This is, any success that we've

had is not pointed towards us, but

378

it is truly pointed towards him.

379

He's, he's the one that sustained us.

380

He's the one that provides for us too.

381

And We're a family business and we try

to, a Christian family business, and we

382

try to show that and we're closed every

Sunday We have been since we opened and

383

so even those first few years that were

Struggles financially and being closed on

384

Sunday on the busiest day of an ice cream

of the week for ice cream of the week It

385

was I think it was a testament towards my

parents towards their faithfulness towards

386

him while he's faithful to us as well

387

Cliff Duvernois: a testament towards

388

towards

389

Eric Westendorp: absolutely.

390

And even if, even if things weren't going

well, I think, we can show faithfulness

391

to him in any, in a lot of different

392

Cliff Duvernois: things weren't

going well, that, I think, uh, we

393

can show faithfulness to him in

any, in a lot of different ways.

394

For my own education and

for the audience as well.

395

Can you talk to us a little bit about how

many people come through here in a year?

396

How many, how many gallons of ice cream

are you making and milk and stuff?

397

Do you got those numbers?

398

Eric Westendorp: right?

399

I'm kind of rattling it around in my mind.

400

I don't know the numbers of how

many customers are going through.

401

I know a few years ago before

COVID we were doing around 10,

402

000, um, self guided visits and

tour guides and stuff like that.

403

But I bet there's close to

a hundred thousand people

404

that come through the doors.

405

Yeah, it, it's, it's a lot

of people because a lot of, a

406

lot of people like ice cream.

407

Who would've thought?

408

and then, 20, we processed about

20,000 gallons of milk every week

409

that gets delivered out and, yeah,

and, and sold throughout our store.

410

So that's pretty neat.

411

And then I'm thinking the number

was like 150,000 gallons of ice

412

cream was made on site here last

year, which is, a pretty far.

413

Throw from the 500 gallons of year one and

now we're in year 19 of, so 500 gallons

414

total to 120, 000 is pretty, pretty wild.

415

And when we started to that,

that was a thing we weren't

416

even looking to sell ice cream.

417

We just wanted to provide

our own store with ice cream.

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And then other local places are

like, can we buy ice cream from you?

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And we're like, yeah.

420

I guess we can, I guess we'll try it.

421

And so that it just grew from there.

422

And now it's one of our biggest

financially, sustaining things for

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us is the, uh, wholesale ice cream.

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Cliff Duvernois: And that's how

everybody seems to know you,

425

you

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Eric Westendorp: the ice cream.

427

I, yeah, the ice cream has grown

a lot and it is really good.

428

And we do, we look for the highest

ingredients and we do not take

429

any, cut any corners on, on

the ice cream process at all.

430

Cliff Duvernois: Perfect.

431

And now I do.

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So let's take a step

back here for a second.

433

So you've got the ice cream down pat.

434

you're using pretty much

as raw as green as you can.

435

You've got that brand.

436

Let's talk about the person

who has never been here before.

437

When they walk through that

door, what can they expect?

438

Eric Westendorp: so when you get

here, hopefully you see warm and

439

welcoming employees saying hi to you

first right off the bat, too We like

440

that, but you're gonna walk in you're

gonna see a little gift shop And then

441

you're gonna see the retail store.

442

So there's gonna be about 32 make

that 36 flavors out that you can pick

443

from at any time and then there's

all the sundaes and different things.

444

We make about 70 plus different

flavors, but they get rotated out

445

and some are, some are seasonally.

446

you're going to see all of our

different milk products from the

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cream line that I mentioned earlier

whole two percent skim moo brew,

448

which is the coffee flavored milk.

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Chocolate milk, which I love that

might be my favorite product that

450

we have here is the chocolate milk.

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I can't stop we carry different

cheeses and butters and

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Cliff Duvernois: Oh, you're into

453

Eric Westendorp: Yeah, we try to keep our

hand in anything dairy and supporting the

454

dairy industry Not just ourselves of we

bring in cheese from Wisconsin to that

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Henning cheese out of out of northern

Wisconsin is a place that we like To bring

456

our cheese in so that's what we always

have on on stock and As you continue

457

going through movable or whatever you're

going to see some of the processing on

458

the back side We'd like to have windows

so you can see the process is going to

459

be made there's a petting zoo so a free

petting zoo with goats and chickens and

460

llamas and There's highland cattle out

there right now even so just to have

461

that experience in a playground Our goal,

really is to have it family friendly.

462

So you can hang out for a few hours

and, and it not cost you a fortune.

463

We, that's why, we started with the free

petting zoo as well, just so families

464

can come hang out, grab a, grab an

ice cream cone and pet a goat for a

465

while and hang out as long as you want.

466

That way you, there's always

something to do in the community.

467

Cliff Duvernois: want.

468

That way there's always

something to do in the community.

469

What about ice cream?

470

what would be some flavors if

somebody were coming in, you've

471

got all these wonderful flavors.

472

Try this.

473

Fan favorite is this.

474

What would you recommend?

475

Eric Westendorp: That's an easy one.

476

Sea Monster is the number one seller.

477

It's over vanilla, which

is just unheard of.

478

Sea Monster is sea salt caramel, cookie

dough, and Oreo all mixed together.

479

And it is, it's, yes.

480

There, we have one retail shop

that we sell to in Saugatuck.

481

And he says, it makes me more money

having Sea Monster in the cabinets

482

because people choose quicker and

I can get through the line quicker.

483

And I was like, that's

484

Cliff Duvernois: imagine every kid out

there going, Oh, I want Sea Monster.

485

Yes, and there's Cookie Monster.

486

What?

487

Blue

488

Eric Westendorp: Yes, you see my

and there's cookie monster as well.

489

So that's like the blue like

blue moon But it's got the cookie

490

dough and Oreo in it as well.

491

So that's a big kid one as well.

492

Cookie Monster and then Chocolinator would

be another one that's everything chocolate

493

you can imagine just thrown together

and that's, and that's Cookie Monster.

494

Honey Lavender is a unique one where it's

got lavender and then real honey going

495

into it and it's kind of mixed together.

496

There's a few other, our butter

pecan, I know it's like a classic

497

old mainstay, but the butter

pecan here is really, really good.

498

It's coming from the base

that we were able to bring in.

499

So that's a good one.

500

yeah, there's a few other

flavors that are unique too.

501

And we've had We've thrown, we like to

throw some unique flavors, about once

502

a year we have new, five new flavors

and we'll throw some random one that's

503

not any good just for giggles I guess.

504

There was one, there was a pickle one

a few years ago and that one like Fox

505

17 News came out and it's like, this

is silly, like it wasn't even good.

506

There's a ranch one that was terrible.

507

We did a pizza one with marinara and

pepperoni in it and that one wasn't

508

good either, but there was just, we like

to come out with five new flavors just

509

for, just for fun and we normally do it

510

Cliff Duvernois: you never

know when one's going to take

511

Eric Westendorp: right.

512

And they're, we normally do it in

January, February, when we're slow,

513

just to kind of have fun and, but

there's always new flavors coming out

514

that, that's done really well too,

515

Cliff Duvernois: Pizza flavored ice

516

Eric Westendorp: Yeah,

I don't recommend it.

517

Cliff Duvernois: if somebody

is listening to this, right?

518

And they, they've heard your story.

519

They like the, the concept of, you know,

you're about as close to raw as possible.

520

Where could they find your products?

521

Eric Westendorp: All over

the west side for sure.

522

Uh, you can also get on

our website moodashville.

523

com.

524

There should be a retail store finder.

525

So if you put in your zip code or

whatever, pops up there, but there's,

526

if you're in the Lansing, Battle Creek,

Grand Rapids area, there's Horrocks.

527

Horrocks is a really well known store and

we move a lot of product through there.

528

So that's, that's a big one.

529

Bigby is actually another one.

530

You don't, you can't buy it from there,

but there's 45 Bigby's that we deliver to

531

between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo area.

532

And then otherwise, it's

a lot of mom and pop shop.

533

We're in for our biggest store We're

not we're in Meijer in Charlotte, which

534

is the local Meijer But other than

that, it's a lot of mom and pop shops

535

that really kept us going from the

beginning That's when you have zero brand

536

recognition you beg and plead for anyone

to take you those first couple years.

537

They were so They've been

faithful to us and we're hopefully

538

faithful towards them too.

539

And so that's been really good.

540

And we're able to move, we

milk 240 cows and we're able to

541

move all the milk, every week.

542

So that has been a goal

from the beginning.

543

And we finally hit that goal last year.

544

So we're finally using all the milk,

that we produce and nothing leaves the

545

farm and everything gets used here.

546

Cliff Duvernois: so you, I want

to explain this a little bit.

547

You were talking before about how

you getting into the mom and pop

548

shops and how that was so, important.

549

Why was that important?

550

Eric Westendorp: Because we're kind of

a mom and pop shop as well as family

551

oriented and and that's it's easier

You when you go towards those bigger

552

stores You got to pass through corporate

and they have these weird Regulations

553

and you got to pass jump through these

hoops and we're simple I maybe we're

554

just simple people and we like simple

things So getting into a mom and pop

555

shop is a is an easier step and it's

local and you talk to the owner and

556

they say yes Or no, and then that's that

557

Cliff Duvernois: and if somebody is

listening to this and they want to

558

maybe come check you out find you online

What's the best way, for them to do that?

559

Eric Westendorp: Facebook's

the best place to go for sure.

560

most of our information

gets posted out on that.

561

Our website's really

good and gets updated.

562

Like I said, moodashville.

563

com.

564

I think we're also on X and Instagram,

but Facebook's definitely the place

565

where, I mean, the information gets

posted everywhere, everywhere, but

566

Facebook is where all the followers

are at for us, for us anyway.

567

Cliff Duvernois: awesome Eric

Thank you so much for taking

568

time to chat with us today.

569

Really do appreciate it.

570

Eric Westendorp: bet.

571

Anytime.

572

Cliff Duvernois: And for our audience, you

can always roll on over to TotalMichigan.

573

com and click on Eric's interview and

get the links that he mentioned above.

574

We will see you next time when we

talk to another Michigander doing

575

some pretty extraordinary things.

576

We'll see you then.