Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Dale
Hi Maggie, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I met my business partner Barrett when I was 16 on a bus to the National Student Council Convention in St. Louis. We were both class presidents of our classes (300 miles apart). Fast forward a couple decades, we have lived in NYC together, traveled around the world together and have been friends through it all. Barrett and I have always connected over our zest for life, cocktails and & travel. I remember being with Barrett in Paris (a trip he so generously took me on using his skymiles), and he said to me “THC** drinks are going to be huge.. we gotta start a company Maggie.” Barrett knew I was dreaming of being an entrepreneur and running my own business, and I’m so grateful to him for believing in my ability to start a beverage brand. At the time, I was bartending full time in Los Angeles and taking every chance to grow my craft. In 2023 I was one of the Top 30 bartenders nationwide chosen to compete in USBG World Class (sponsored by Diageo) in Austin, and was named one of Californias Best Bartenders by LA Drinks Guide. I liked the idea of creating a THC drink due to the fact that it’s non-alcoholic, derived from hemp, and a great alternative for those who have quit drinking or who are trying to drink less and are looking for alternatives. As a bartender, I love all kinds of spirits, but I understand the struggles closely of those dealing with addiction and health problems that are related, and I’m so happy that alternatives are more mainstream.
Ok, great we have this idea for a beverage brand, right? now what do we call it? I wanted to create a product that people could relate to, something that brought a sense of nostalgia and pride for where they’re from. The name “Midwest Famous” was hiding in the notes of my phone (I always right down great ideas for names for a bar, or ideas in general) When we decided to call our brand Midwest Famous, it just felt right, because it isn’t just about the beverage; it’s about the experience and the connection it brings to people- and Barrett and I have great love to our ties to the Midwest. After that, it was off to the formulation and branding phase of creating product. We were lucky to work with professionals that really understood my vision, shoutout to our manufacturer, Jackson Gese (Big Watt Beverage Co.) and our Designer Blake Spiegel. I feel really lucky to have had such talented people to work with, I’ve heard horror stories of other entrepreneurs and their experiences. Maybe it’s the Minnesota Nice, I bet it is. As we work working on design and formulation, we also teamed up with an amazing manufacturer to make hemp derived gummies in Wisconsin. Blake really nailed our gummy packaging, it is so beautiful and playful, with cute little hints and winks to places in the midwest. You’ll see that our sour cherry gummies is a play on the “Spoon and Cherry” in Minneapolis, but our version is a spoon and fork with a gummy. His talent amazes me, and that is all him- can’t take any credit for those genius ideas.
After much planning and a million details getting done that no one sees, we officially launched our business in August of 2024. We have hemp derived gummies and beverages for sale on our website, midwestfamous.com, and we are now in the process of finding distribution, statewide and nationwide.
Hanging in Barrett’s apartment is a neon sign that reads, “Tomorrow isn’t Guaranteed”.
So…our wish for you is that you: Be shameless. Be Weird. Stay Wonderful. and go ahead, … feel a little famous!
More THC Info:
**What is a THC drink you may be asking? Delta 9 THC (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is 100% pure THC extracted from hemp. It has a psychoactive effect or “high”.The Delta-9 THC in our products is 100% hemp-derived. Midwest Famous products source all of its cannabis derived ingredients from hemp plants which have been federally legalized since 2018. Delta 9 THC is legal at the federal level. However, each state has specific laws regarding Delta 9 THC either explicitly banning it or regulating it.
Traditional edibles (like gummies or chocolate bars) are typically higher dose and can take anywhere from 45 minutes to two-plus hours to kick in. Why so long? Traditional edibles are typically oil-based, meaning the cannabinoids are absorbed directly into your bloodstream. Cannabis-infused beverages are typically infused with a water-soluble formulation, meaning the cannabinoids are absorbed through your mouth then your tongue then the digestive tract. The immediate absorption in your mouth means you can feel the effects 10 to 15 minutes later. Consumers new to cannabis might feel effects more immediately or intensely.The perk of this is that you’ll quickly know how you feel so you’re in control of your buzz.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like many entrepreneurs, the imposter syndrome is real. I remember may nights waking up thinking “this isn’t going to work,” ” Everyone is going to hate our products” “Why did I start this?”. And then the logical side of my brain feels so proud of what we’ve created, and so excited to share it with the world, and tells my imposter to shut-up and get out of my head.
One of the early hurdles was establishing distribution- a struggle I’m still experiencing. The market for hemp derived THC beverages in Minnesota is booming due to the fact we are one of the only states that allows sale in liquor stores, bars and restaurants, so that means the market is a bit saturated at the moment. We believe more states will open up retail sales soon, but it’s a whole lot of waiting. It’s hard to stand out in a crowded marketplace. I can tell you why our products are incredible, but sometimes the retailer only cares about bottom line and their own pocket. There is famously not a lot of women running these distribution networks, and an even smaller amount of women in the cannabis industry in Minnesota, so I feel proud to be representing all the women out there trying to make it work.
Of course it would be nice if the money fairy came through with buckets of cash, a girl can dream right? I think that’s the biggest struggles for most entrepreneurs..to keep going when cash is low and struggles are deep. I told some of my best friends to keep texting me “keep going, Maggie” and that’s what I’m doing. I’m waking up everyday and checking things off my to-do list, meeting as many people as I can, and continuing the grind. It’s a bumpy road, but I love every second of it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I moved to NYC when I was 18 to pursue a career in Musical Theatre, and like any broke actress, I found community and a paycheck by working in the hospitality industry. Up until a few months ago, I was celebrating almost 20 years in the hospitality industry. I’ve worked as a barista, server, bartender, manager & beverage consultant. During Covid, I left NYC and came back to Minnesota for a while, and then made the move to sunnier skies (Los Angeles). I’m now splitting my time between Minnesota and LA. My business partner Barrett lives in Minneapolis, and my family lives in New Ulm, MN, so it’s been really amazing being home with them and having that support as I build this business.
To understand me as a bartender and a person you have to know that I LOVE an Italian Spritz (Aperol, Campari, Contratto, Cappeletti…I don’t discriminate). I am known to my friends and colleages as “The Spritz Queen”. I love taking fun names and making them into playful cocktail names. Our first THC cocktail we made is called “Spritz, don’t Kill my vibe.” IYKYK. While working in LA and NYC I created many spritz menus with fun names, so there will be more to come with the fun names at Midwest Famous. It was really important to me as bartender to create something flavorful, balanced, “not too sweet” and freaking delish that I would be proud to drink, and I’m a tough critic (haha).
I believe what sets my brand apart from other brands on the market is that we are hospitality driven, and our beverage is formulated by professionals that understand balance and flavor. There are far too many RTD cocktails and mocktails on the market that are sweet and lack flavor. This is my superpower. I know what people like and I understand the consumer, because I’ve been serving them for 20 years and know what they like!
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
WOW. That’s a great question.
Most of my favorite childhood memories are pretty simple, but I think one that stands out is this giant fort my Dad built us when we moved to New Ulm as kids. My parents were Renaissance Festival artists working in Minnesota and Texas, so my Dad was a master of taking junk and turning it into gold. I think to understand me, you have to know that I come from artists, and I am an artist at my core. We had so many amazing memories playing with our friends and cousins in that fort, and we were pretty dang lucky to have such a cool Dad that built it for us.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.midwestfamous.com
- Instagram: midwest.famous
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563364920676
