Simek's - How a Family Recipe Became a B Corp Powerhouse

As someone who's passionate about brands that lead with purpose and quality, my conversation with Lindsey Hickey, CEO and owner of Simek's, was a true highlight.   Simek's isn't just about frozen meals; it's about nourishing people with food made from real ingredients, giving back to local communities, and doing business with integrity. In this episode, Lindsey shares her journey from joining the family business at just 26 years old to leading the company through a complete transformation from running retail stores to building a nationally distributed CPG brand.   We talk about product simplification, clean ingredient innovation, what it takes to get B Corp certified, and how she balances leadership and motherhood with authenticity and purpose. Here are a few key takeaways from the episode: * Why simplifying the product line was critical to scaling, and which SKUs made the cut * How Simek's removed artificial ingredients and doubled down on real, clean, small-batch meals * Lessons learned from the brand's CPG transition, trade spend strategy, and digital evolution * Why DTC didn't make sense for frozen and how they partnered with retail to grow smarter * Their mission-driven approach to impact: from donating 13M+ meals to removing 180K+ lbs of ocean-bound plastic Join me, Ramon Vela, in listening to the full episode to hear how Lindsey is leading with heart, purpose, and a commitment to doing things the right way. For more on Simek's, visit: https://simeks.com/ If you enjoyed this episode, please leave The Story of a Brand Show a rating and review.  Plus, don't forget to follow us on Apple and Spotify.  Your support helps us bring you more content like this! * Today's Sponsors: Compass Rose Ventures - Advisor for CPG Brands: https://compassroseventures.com/contact/ Compass Rose Ventures can help your CPG brand increase customer lifetime value, expand into the US market, create an omnipresent omnichannel footprint, optimize customer journeys, build brand communities, and more. Visit the link above to learn more.    Color More Lines: https://www.colormorelines.com/get-started Color More Lines is a team of ex-Amazonians and e-commerce operators who help brands grow faster on Amazon and Walmart. With a performance-based pricing model and flexible contracts, they've generated triple-digit year-over-year growth for established sellers doing over $5 million per year.   Use code "STORY OF A BRAND" and receive a complimentary market opportunity assessment of your e-commerce brand and marketplace positioning.