Q+A With the Founders
Kelly and Erica are college best friends turned co-founders (with a decade of careers, cross-country moves, and growing families in between). Launching After Noon Foods has been a dream long in the making.
1. Why dried blends instead of bottled?
We wanted to bring people back to homemade—without the fuss. Bottled dressings are packed with seed oils, refined sugar, and preservatives (and don’t taste that great), while homemade dressings are delicious but require time and ingredients you don’t always have.
Our dried blends make it easy: just add oil and vinegar, shake, and voilà—fresh, delicious dressing in seconds.
2. What has been the hardest part of starting a CPG company?
We’ve always loved food and cooking for people, but creating something shelf-stable was a whole new world. It took a lot of trial and error (and more than a few failed test batches!) to find the right ingredients, partners, and processes to bring our blends to life.
3. What's your favorite blend right now?
Kelly: Lately, I’ve been reaching for Umami Mami. I mix it with olive oil and either ACV or rice vinegar (and sometimes a little PB) then drizzling it over veggie-packed rice bowls or fridge-dump salads.
Erica: I love Our House I’ll whisk in a spoonful of tahini and pour it over hearty salads with roasted veggies. It’s creamy, tangy and reminds me of a salad dressing my mom makes from scratch.
4. What inspired the name After Noon Foods?
Afternoons are often the most chaotic part of the day — when it’s easiest to forget to slow down and savor. Everyone talks about a morning routine or an evening wind-down, but we wanted to create something for the hectic in-between. After Noon Foods is about giving you that pause: more enjoying, less doing.
5. What’s always in your fridge or pantry besides After Noon?
Kelly: Brightland vinegar, local eggs, and way too many jars of pickled things
Erica: Fresh lemons, a block of parm, and an open jar of Oat Haus Cookie Dough Granola Butter
6. What’s the most creative way a customer has used the blends so far?
We’ve seen everything from marinades for grilled veggies to creamy dips made with Greek yogurt. Someone even whisked Greek Goddess into sour cream for taco night — instant herby crema.