"HUMBLE PIES" A history of Humble Pies Humble Pies, Inc. is the genius of childhood neighbors and best friends Linda Jackson and Taylor Johnson. Though almost inseparable through high school, the two parted ways after graduation-Linda heading abroad to study the art of pasty making in some of the most elite patisseries in Paris, and Taylor pursuing his love of food (especially bacon) by landing jobs in some of the finest restaurants in their hometown of Charlotte, N.C. A chance encounter back in 2005 reunited the two and got them talking of their mutual love of food and what they'd been learning. Soon they were spending their free time crafting quirky but sophisticated (not to mention delicious) pies-passing them out to friends and family, and building a grassroots fan base around town. When the operation outgrew the Jackson family kitchen, Linda and Taylor applied for a small business loan. With it, they bought a small pie factory in Charlotte and became the proud owners of a 60,000 square-foot facility where they now produce high-quality pies. A couple years ago, as demand for the pies grew to a national market (thanks to the company's Instagram account), the co-owners hired a new Controller, a CPA with her Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) designation from their CPA firm to help them continue to grow and stay profitable. Now they just landed their largest grocery store yet. In 2013, the company had $6.1 million in sales revenue and is on track to do $9.3 million this year. Humble Pies uses natural and organic ingredients, and combines Linda's Parisian techniques with Taylor's unexpected takes on classical southern desserts like Bacon Chocolate Chess, Avocado Key Lime and Chai Apple Pie. It offers three main product lines: Singles, as the name suggests, are a single serving, ready to eat on a plate. 9-inch pies are pre-sliced and sold to distributors for food service applications or grocery in- store bakery cases. 10-inch pies are packed in strong, clear plastic domes to be sold in refrigerated cases and with custom labels. The pies are available as a variety pack, a duo-pack (two different flavors) or a full pie. Linda and Taylor love getting feedback from their fans and are always testing new recipes based on suggestions or grocer suppliers' needs. They often receive requests from food chains for different types and sizes of pies, and must decide which ones to accept and which ones to pass on. Pie production Naturally, Linda and Taylor can't reveal their recipes, but they have provided some details on how the pies are made. Most pies go through a general four-step process: mixing, filling, baking and packaging. Humble Pies makes five different crusts mixed in large batches, and fillings are produced in smaller