creative enterprise
A Love for Charcuterie Takes Local Artisanal Operation Big Time
BY WIB MIDDLETON
Successful food enterprises often have fascinating backstories that include a fair measure of risk taking , a side of perfect timing , perseverance , and a dollop of luck . Then there is the confluence of the right conditions marrying up with a big vision . Such is the tale of Montgomery County ’ s prime charcuterie enterprise , MeatCrafters , owned and operated by longtime partners in life and pioneering business mavens , Debra Moser and Mitch Berliner . Both have had a significant impact in the greater metropolitan area from the arts and philanthropy to the creation of thriving farm markets and the expansion of organic and gourmet food distribution regionally .
The MeatCrafters story was born from Mitch ’ s love of food and a dream to create something that lots of people would enjoy : salami ! Partnering with Stanley Feder , founder of Simply Sausage , Mitch and Debra went all in on the artful process of making salamis and other cured meats . The convergence of right conditions for MeatCrafters had its roots in 2008 when Debra and Mitch cofounded Central Farm Markets on an elementary school parking lot in the heart of Bethesda .
Their vision was to “ provide high quality , locally grown , fresh and prepared food , and to support agricultural innovation , green practices , and sustainability .” Now having grown to four successful farm market operations , the most recent in DC ’ s Capitol Riverfront neighborhood , their mission is more than accomplished .
MeatCrafters naturally grew alongside their farm market in Bethesda , with customers serving as taste testers and giving their thumbs up on the best charcuterie recipes for production . In the last couple of years , Debra took over as president , and the company has seen meteoric growth regionally . Just prior to the pandemic a fortuitous decision was made to take the business online as well . As restaurants went dark and wholesale orders dried up , online sales boomed bringing MeatCrafters national recognition with a new loyal clientele for their products .
At the same time , Central Farm Markets , deemed an essential business required to remain open during the pandemic , mastered the pivot . “ We had to turn on a dime to save the 70-plus vendors who counted on us . So in addition
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