Local cafe Orange Clover outlines retail expansion, eyes Clarksville manufacturing options

Tammy Port introduced Rachel Smallwood, owner and operator of Orange Clover Kitchen and More, who described a retail expansion of her dressing and sauce line and recent regional outreach.

Smallwood said the business has expanded since 2012, is currently carried in about a dozen local retail locations and is pursuing regional Kroger distribution after a favorable reception at a Kroger food show. She described working with a co‑packer in Louisville and said production for the first retail batch of three dressings begins in two weeks. "The price on the bottles, is $9.99 is the retail price," she said; she also stated the gallon commercial jug retails for about $36.

Smallwood said she intends to keep the cafe and catering operations in South Clarksville even as the retail line grows and noted a possible future need for local storage or manufacturing space if demand increases. Council members and staff discussed ways the town could promote local businesses (town Facebook posts, magazine features) and noted municipal interest in highlighting small business success stories. Smallwood did not request immediate financial assistance but asked council to consider support options should manufacturing return to Clarksville.

Provenance: topic introduced SEG 462; presentation and Q&A run through SEG 831.