March 8 is International Women's Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women everywhere. As a women-owned business, we recognize the strength and value of women's voices and achievements. Kowalski's owner Mary Anne Kowalski and CEO Kris Kowalski Christiansen are constantly working to improve the grocery industry and local communities through their civic leadership.
Kowalski's is WBENC Certified
Certification by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) validates that a business is at least 51 percent owned, controlled, operated, and managed by a woman or women. This means one or more women must have unrestricted control of the business, a demonstrated management of day-to-day operations, and a proportionate investment of capital or expertise. To become certified, business owners undergo a thorough vetting process, including a review of business documentation and a site visit.
Because of this thorough process, WBENC Certification is considered the gold standard for women-owned business certification and is accepted by more than 1,000 corporations, in addition to some states, cities, and other entities.
Women-Led Local Partners
Sweet Science Ice Cream
Chef Ashlee Olds makes these creamy, handmade artisan ice creams with locally sourced natural ingredients.
Plucky Pickle Dip
Britt Jungerberg and Sara Doherty's pickle spreads are tangy, crunchy and dippable. Find them in the Deli Grab & Go Case.
Chef Flo-K Afric Sauce
Florence Karp makes authentic, traditional African cooking sauce with fresh tomatoes, red bell peppers and onions.
Isadore Nut Co.
Tasya Kelen and her team blend high-quality nuts, spices and real maple syrup into a line of wholesome snacks. Try them on your next cheese board!
So Good So You
Rita Katona makes probiotic juice shots with organic cold-pressed juice and real, non-GMO ingredients. Each bottle is packed with over 1 billion probiotic CFUs to support digestive and immune health.
Lakehouse Candle Co.
Adriana Ernst & Hannah Sterne make hand-poured 100% soy wax candles with crackling wooden wicks, each inspired by a different Minnesota lake.
Salad Girl Organic Dressings
Pam Powell crafts her salad dressings with the freshest ingredients possible, with no preservatives, cane sugar, soy or corn syrup.
Sauce Anna Lisa
Lisa O'Connell's family pasta sauce recipe is made with fresh, clean ingredients and simmered for over ten hours.
Bistro Meringues
Martha Glass makes thousands of these melt-in-your-mouth treats in her local kitchen. They are gluten free, low in sugar and feature locally raised, organic eggs with no additives or preservatives.
Pizzeria Pezzo
Keri Bougie carries forth her late husband Gary's passion for simple, creative, handcrafted pizza that lives up to the great styles of Italy, New York and Chicago. Find Pezzo's Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza in the Frozen Foods Aisle. Also, stop by Pezzo's Woodbury Pizzeria, located at Kowalski's Woodbury Market!
City Girl Coffee Co.
Alyza Bohbot sources City Girl's sustainable coffee beans exclusively from women-owned and women-managed farms and cooperatives. A portion of every sale goes directly to organizations that support the success of women in their country of origin.
Venus Gourmet Soups
Leslie Vadnais' stellar vegetarian soups, many of which have an exciting global twist, are a staple on our Deli Soup Bar. Venus Soups have intense flavor from real ingredients like tomatoes, lemons, mushrooms, beans, dates, carrots, nuts and spices.
A Gourmet Thyme
Donna Cavanaugh and Bonnie Alton's unique shortbread cookies are perfect for appetizers, cheese pairings and desserts. Find them in the Bakery Department.
T-Rex Frozen Cookie Dough
Tina Rexing's incredible half-pound cookies are legendary! Each package of her frozen dough bakes up four jumbo cookies.
Crooked Water Spirits
Heather Manley crafts nontraditional, award-winning vodkas, gins, bourbons, apple brandy and ready-to-pour cocktails. Find them in our Wine & Spirits shops.
Kathie's Bakery
Kathie Armstrong provides us with the commercial mixes used to make several of the breads on our Artisan Bread Table. She also produces home baking mixes from her own recipes, sold under the Kowalski's label.
Gustola Granola
Angie Gustafson's granolas are made with organic oats, maple syrup and lots of nutty, fruity mix-ins. They are lower in sugar, wheat free and Non-GMO Project verified.
Desserts by Alighieri
Mary Pat Ingwell makes traditional Italian tiramisu by layering a light, airy sponge cake and smooth, creamy cheese with coffee, liqueur and chocolate nuances.
3 Lonetti Sisters
Ann, Steph and Katie's meatball mix is based on their Grandpa Lonetti's recipe. It brings bold flavor to meatballs, breaded chicken, lasagna and more. Find it in the Meat Department.
Patti's Roasted Nuts
Patti Heimbold's oven-roasted nuts are a cult favorite! They are handcrafted in small batches with a savory blend of cashews, almonds, walnuts and pecans. Find Rosemary and Maple Cinnamon flavor in the Snack Aisle.
Redhead Creamery
Alise Sjostrom makes award-winning farmstead cheeses on her family-owned dairy farm in Central Minnesota. This allows her complete control of the milk from feed to cheese. Find her cheeses in the Specialty Cheese Department.
Brody's 579
Registered dietitian Kathy Schwartz (pictured on left) developed a line of gluten-free muffins and mixes that are simple, clean and deliciously good-tasting!
The Skinfood Kitchen
Maiss El Agha's spa-quality bath and body products are made with natural oils and butters, essential oils and botanicals. Find them in the Gift Department.
Three Farm Daughters
Sisters Annie Gorder, Mollie Ficocello and Grace Lunski make their line of dry pastas with premium nutrient-dense wheat that's naturally higher in fiber and protein.
Gina B Designs
Gina Bugee Gottschalk is an award-winning greeting card and stationary designer. Her products feature a broad range of styles from freelance artists across the country. Find her products in the Gift Department.
Mostly Made
Jillian McGary's line of premade enchilada and lasanga fillings allow you to cook delicious family meals with no chopping, dicing or kitchen mess. Find them in the Frozen Foods Aisle.
Alexis Bailly Vineyard
Nan Bailly's family planted Minnesota's very first vineyard in 1973. As owner and head winemaker, Nan continues her family's proud tradition, making award-winning wines in the world's most difficult climate.
Nordic Waffles
Stine Aasland is the "Waffle Queen"! Her handheld breakfast sandwiches are made with a thin, soft waffle wrapped around premium savory and sweet toppings. Find them in the Frozen Foods Aisle.
The Buttered Tin
Alicia Hinze is a James Beard-recognized chef and Cupcake Wars winner. Her scratch-made baked cinnamon rolls, pies and dinner rolls are made with simple, clean ingredients and love!
Sara's Tipsy Pies
Sara Hayden makes her unique hand pies with local beer, wine and spirits that take the flavor of her pies to a whole new level. Find them in the Frozen Foods Aisle.
Sailor Mercy
Dani Dirck's line of elderberry syrups are packed with antioxidants to help support your immune system. She makes them in small batches with no preservatives or thickeners.
Kiki's Salsa
Carolyn Kraft's is a Minnesota State Fair blue ribbon winner! Its complex layers of flavor go from mildly sweet to palatable heat.
CGD (Crazy Good Dressing)
Developed in the kitchen of acclaimed cookbook author Susan Ritts, CGD combines olive oil and seasoning into one sodium- and sugar-free bottle.
Simek's
Simek's premium frozen meatballs and lasagnas make mealtime easy. Lindsey Hickey leads the company forward in their mission to bring great food to your table while also partnering with local food banks and remaining plastic neutral.
Becki's Kitchen
Becki Spina's Mediterranean-style olive salsas are a unique blend of zesty Sicilian-style green olives, flavorful olives and loads of healthy, vegetables and Italian herbs in a delicious Mediterranean olive oil marinade.
Baba's
CEO Rana Kamal and her brother, Khalid Ansari, are co-founders of Baba's. These Palestinian-American siblings recreate their father's family recipes with a modern twist, including his creamy, authentic Jerusalem-style hummus.
Throughout the month of March, we'll also be highlighting women-owned wineries and female head winemakers throughout our Wine & Spirits shops. Stop by any of our seven Kowalski's Wine & Spirits locations to toast these trailblazing women of wine!
Selection and availability of products vary by market.