MMELO

MMELO is a Columbus-based, woman and minority owned small business dedicated to all natural, artisanal sweet treats and pastries. Michelle Allen was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, and was a business owner in Spain before moving back to her hometown. Back in Columbus, Michelle connected with ECDI and The Food Fort – an incubator for food industry start-ups and businesses that features a full commercial kitchen, as well as offering licensing and certification classes for the food industry.

With the goal of getting the capital needed to start a pop-up shop to sell her organic, artisanal confections, Michelle began her relationship with ECDI. She received an initial $25,000 from ECDI to open a holiday retail pop-up shop at Easton Towne Center in 2015. Her pop-up shop, MMELO, was located between the Louis Vuitton and Michael Kors stores, and was a success.

Allen noted that MMELO would not have accelerated as quickly as it has without ECDI and The Food Fort.  

“I wouldn’t be in the position I am right now to take a permanent space had I not formed this relationship. It wouldn’t have happened. The advice and access to a great commercial kitchen at a time of critical need, it was a no-brainer to come to The Food Fort. I would have figured out how to get MMELO started but the fact that I am where I am at now, only five months into my business, is directly related to my relationship with ECDI and The Food Fort.”

In 2020 during the pandemic, MMELO navigated finding its sweet spot during pandemic. “This forced pause is giving us the rare opportunity to really look at our business and make some productive choices about what comes next.”

After three and a half years of operation, and a 67% growth in business in 2019, MMELO closed its Downtown cafe and confection shop near the North Market and consolidated all areas of their business away from ECDI’s Food Fort and to a central production space.

Visit MMELO’s website