Meet Cassie & Chelsey Maschhoff | Co-Founders and Sisters of Lottie’s Meats & Provisions

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cassie & Chelsey Maschhoff and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cassie & Chelsey, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
We grew up in agriculture on a family pork farm in the midwest (we are the sixth generation). After spending time away from the farm and building our respective careers in the culinary and tech world, we noticed that premium pork products were missing from menus, retail shelves, and the conversation. And, we also knew the power of pork, done right. If anyone was going to reintroduce pork in a new and meaningful way, why not us?! And so, Lottie’s – a family name – was born.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Lottie’s Meats is a sister-founded pork sausage brand bringing chef-crafted, all natural pork products back to consumers in a new & meaningful way.

Unlike most sausage brands, we use only whole muscle cuts – pork loin and pork shoulder – and unique recipes with premium herbs and spices. We’re going above and beyond what you typically see in the sausage category by bringing forth a product that is clean, creative and convenient.

As two newcomers (as well as two women) in this industry, we are proud that we are able to bring our family legacy forward in a new light and introduce products to our community that taste good, do good, and make you feel good. When we were bringing the product to market, we got a lot of pushback from traditional manufacturers and suppliers to add artificial ingredients & preservatives, choose lower quality (cheaper) cuts, etc., or…we would never make it. We were too often turned down or “broken up with” by a few different co-manufacturers.

But, we knew what we were creating and offering to our community was different and we kept pushing!

We wanted to source from our network of family farms in the midwest where we grew up so we have an active relationship with all of our suppliers and farmers, full traceability, and quality control over which cuts of pork we use to create a nutrient-dense, flavor-forward, trusted product. We also knew we wanted it to be less processed and all natural – a new way of thinking about and consuming & enjoying sausage. So, even though it isn’t the way we were told by the other players in the space to make sausage, we knew it was our way.

And fortunately, it resonates with our growing community of customers and that makes all of the complexity worth it! Lottie’s sausages are packed with protein, flavor & fun and we love sharing recipes & conversations and building community around the brand.

We’ve learned so much along the way and we are still learning but one of our biggest (or maybe just latest) takeaways is to define success for yourself and stay true to it. Use it as your north star. It will guide you through all of the conflicting feedback & decisions you need to make while keeping you focused on delivering something of tremendous value to your customers.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Denver is so beautiful in the fall. We both love hiking and getting outside, so we would probably start the day off getting some Bonfire burritos and heading to the foothills for a little hike (Hazel – dog – and Augie – baby/manager – in tow)!

Afterwards, we’d 100% treat ourselves to a beer at a local brewery. Lately, we have been loving Call to Arms on Tennyson. There are so many amazing shops and places to explore on that street so we would pop into our friend’s shop at Berkeley Supply and Small Batch Liquors before going to wherever our favorite pizza truck, Outside Pizza, is for an afternoon snack.

With the amount of amazing bakeries in Denver, we would try to stop by some of our favorites throughout the weekend, including: Coffee at Lulu Rose with a pastry, then heading to the Source for Reunion Bread’s amazing Pastel de Nata, and would have to end with GetRight’s pizza of the day (or any sandwich they do…).

We would then have to do a quick jog or walk around any of Denver’s amazing parks and lakes to make room for dinner…

We have been able to snag a reservation at Alma Fonda Fina TWICE (maybe that is our biggest accomplishment/what we are the most proud of?!). The menu is fresh and so creative and memorable!

Sunday would be a farmers market day! And then, we would head to Traveling Mercies, in the Stanley Marketplace, for the best little bites and sips before taking our friends (or demanding family members) to the airport.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Wow. So many people come to mind and it is hard to nail it down.

We have had the great fortune to work with so many women in culinary and agriculture – traditionally male-dominated industries – who have supported us and empowered us as we embarked on this journey. We also grew up surrounded by strong women like our mother, grandmother and aunts who worked in agriculture, often behind the scenes, and paved the way for us. They inspired us to take a leap and “play in the big leagues.” And we continue to meet other women throughout the ecosystem – from vendors to fellow female founders to loyal customers – who lend us a network, advice and all types of support. We’ve been overwhelmed with the support and encouragement and we are so grateful we have this community.

Website: https://www.lottiesmeats.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lottiesmeats/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lottie-s-meats

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/p/Lotties-Meats-61554146962865/

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@lottiesmeatss

Image Credits
https://www.themeadowstudios.com/
Set Creative Studios
High Shutter Productions