Michigan Products Journal

Light of Day Organics, LLC has been named Business of the Year for Region 2 by the Small Business & Technology Development Center’s (SBTDC*).  This northern Michigan company is located in Leelanau County and was founded by Angela Macke, a Registered Nurse and Horticulturalist.  They promote a belief in honest tea by utilizing and supporting local, domestic and foreign farmers through Fair Trade practices through which they grow and buy only 100% certified Organic and Fair Trade tea leaves & spices. Light of Day Organics grows, harvests and dries their flowers, fruit, roots, bark and berries on their 25 acres of farmland.  They hand-blend the teas and tisanes in small batches in their certified facility to complete the process, which results in a fabulous cup of tea!  Their products are packaged in domestically manufactured containers, including polished silver tins and recyclable, compostable bags, and they use local resources for all of their business support.

Light of Day boasts legitimate certification of all ingredients in the following areas: 100% Organic (Stellar certification services), Biodynamic (Demeter Association) & Fair Trade (Transfair).  Recent accomplishments include being members of Coop America - verified as a conscientious, reliable ‘green’ business, being named “Environmentalist of the Year for Business” in 2007-2008 by the Northern Michigan Environmental Action Council (NMEAC) as well as a “Green Pioneer” in Michigan from the Traverse City Business News & Crain’s Detroit Business.  Macke was featured in “People to Watch” for 2009 in the Traverse City Business News and her organic farm was featured in Fresh Cup Magazine, a coffee and tea trade publication.

Angela cites her major accomplishment as understanding and creating a balance between her own personal philosophy and beliefs derived from commonly held business school values. The traditional mind set of trying to determine one's target market, choosing the advertising that fits that perceived niche and throwing out guess work marketing efforts to that perceived audience was tried unsuccessfully at first. Instead she insisted on using a combination of personal networking, appearances at local farmer’s markets, teaching college tea classes, holding tea cuppings at area restaurants, her wholesale business and “good old-fashioned prayer and intuition,” Macke states.

Macke’s philosophy spills over into all business operations. With the support of the SBTDC, the company now uses a 100% permission based marketing campaign where like-minded consumers enjoy her company's tea and tell others about it. Now through an inviting website and customer driven email campaign, new customers can easily find her (many times asking questions that Angela answers to educate others on the virtues of her tea).  This philosophy is also spread through the company's wholesale audience.  Light of Day also enjoys supporting local non-profits that educate & promote the respect and reverence of all life.

Angela is looking forward to the future by actively growing her business and plans site expansion in 2009.  These plans include a sustainable commercial kitchen using exclusively renewable energy, a traditional Japanese style tea tasting room, farm tours and interactive education for renewable energy sources and healthy living.  Light of Day Organics is a stellar example of a wholesome family business that supports and boosts the local economy and features Michigan & U.S. agriculture.