I started making my cinnamon sugar roasted pecans at home, for family and friends in 2016.  I would give them away as gifts and began receiving requests to purchase.  I thought maybe I could be on to something with these pecans!!

I began selling them in the retail store at a local pumpkin/Christmas tree farm, using their commercial kitchen, and sales were good.  That’s when I decided my pecans could be more than just a family favorite.  Paperwork was submitted to the State of Indiana in 2019 and Simply Jill’s was born.  The farm was seasonal, so I took my product to local farmers markets. Sales at the farmers’ markets were limited and I quickly realized that was not quite what I had envisioned for my business.

I began pounding the pavement to get my product into stores/markets/retail businesses…any place that would give me a chance.  Sales were good, but I knew there were more opportunities.  A couple of years later, a friend recommended a local custom gift basket company and sales took off!  It was exactly the exposure and opportunity I was looking for.

I had visions of having my own commercial kitchen, so I could have more control over the time and space for making pecans.  In 2021, pecan sales hit 2,000 pounds and 2,500 pounds just a year later.  I knew the time had arrived.  After long discussions with my husband, we decided to invest in Simply Jill’s and build a commercial kitchen on our property, taking the business from something I did to make a little money on the side, to a full business model!!! 

Our commercial kitchen officially opened in June 2023.

After 23 years of working as a food broker, supporting GFS, I retired in December 2023 to focus on Simply Jill’s.  In early 2024, I began making fudge and was able to build on my business.

Today, pecan sales exceed 2,500 pounds per year and fudge sales have grown to over 2,000 pounds per year.  You will find Simply Jill’s pecans and fudge at Leo’s Market and Eateries, Indiana Gifts, A Taste of Indiana and a variety of Indiana shops/markets focusing on Indiana products.  If you visit the Indiana State Fair, you may find me sampling pecans and fudge in front of the Indiana Grown store supported by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, created to promote products that are grown or made by Hoosiers.