Rocky Brands Customer Service Wins Lunch from ACEnet Caravan

Rocky Brands Customer Service Wins Lunch from ACEnet Caravan

NELSONVILLE — Rocky Brands’ customer service department was treated to a lunch catered by the Appalachian Center for Economic Network’s Caravan. The spread featured local products from ACEnet clients ranging from appetizing treats to dessert cookies and pastries.

This quarter’s winner is the first time the Caravan has gone outside of the city of Athens, said Interim ACEnet CEO Larry Fisher.

The day’s lunch featured cider from Shew’s Orchards, salad greens from Green Edge Gardens, salad dressing from Vino de Milo as well as a persimmon maple vinaigrette from Integration Acres, which happens to be November’s product of the month. Also included in the spread were goat cheeses from Creekside Farm, crackers from Crumbs Bakery and Shagbark Seed & Mill, and salsas by JB’s Best. Rounding out the spread were focaccia bites from Jackie O’s and cookie and pastry samples from Nelsonville’s own FullBrooks Cafe.

“This is a nice spread, this one turned out really well,” Fisher said. “We always try to mix things up and get different people in, like Integration Acres and Jackie O’s. We try to bring some new folks and new faces to experience.”

ACEnet provides services to small business and entrepreneurs in more than 30 counties in Ohio. This year, the organization is celebrating its 30th anniversary and has partnered with The Athens Messenger to highlight its work.

The purpose of the Caravan, Fisher said, is to introduce local food products to local businesses. Winners are drawn quarterly from those who enter through a contest held by the local business incubator and The Messenger.

Challie Abraham, a dealer sales agent with Rocky Brands, was the winner who helped bring the ACEnet Caravan to the company’s wholesale customer service department.

Although she said she enjoyed all the products the ACEnet Caravan brought, she was partial to Shew’s apple cider, she said.