Home delivery venture supports local farmers and communities Hand pies earn applause
When their businesses slowed during the pandemic, Sacramento-area friends Duane Wilson, a software engineer, and Jeremy White, a caterer, put their heads together and came up with a tasty, new business plan: baking, selling and delivering hand pies. White would be the recipe developer and baker, while Wilson would handle online programming for customer orders and delivery. A year later, the duo that created Delta Hand Pies looks back on their concept of folding a flaky crust around a sweet or savory filling of locally grown fruits or vegetables—and building an online community of hungry hand pie fans. Tell us about the inspiration behind Delta Hand Pies. Wilson: During the stay-at-home order, I started cooking my mom’s recipes, including hand pies, which are popular in South Carolina where I grew up. My friends would see photos of my hand pies on Facebook and, pretty soon, they were asking me to make hand pies for them, too. I started wondering how I could turn this into an e-commerce business. White: I’ve been doing catering and delivery for years, and the new business was a good way to use my staff and commercial kitchen during the pandemic. What goes into your hand pies? Wilson: We make both savory and sweet hand pies that showcase ingredients from the Sacramento, Yolo and El Dorado county regions. We use pears and tomatoes from the Sacramento River Delta, Pink Lady apples from the foothills and vegetables grown in the valley. Where do you get your fresh produce?White: We buy from family farms and growers at the farmers market. I live in the delta and I’ve known many of these farmers for years. They provide us with good produce, so we like to pay it back by promoting them. We’re proud to put their names on our products. You donate a portion of every purchase to local charities. Why? White: Duane and I met doing fundraisers in our community, so continuing to support community organizations became part of our business plan. Early on, we made pear hand pies to support the organization behind the Courtland Pear Fair, an important event in our farming community that was canceled last year due to the pandemic. Wilson: Giving back is a core principle of our business. Each month, we donate a portion of our sales to local food banks, which do a tremendous job of optimizing donations to feed people in need. What makes hand pies so intriguing? White: There are so many versions of hand pies made by different cultures. You can taste flavors from around the world in one little pie. Wilson: Think of a pasty, empanada or a calzone. Even when the flavors are exotic, a pie still feels familiar and comforting.
Caterer Jeremy White, left on opposite page, and software engineer Duane Wilson have taken their talents in a new direction during the pandemic by selling sweet and savory hand pies made with local ingredients.
Jolaine Collins cbmagazine@californiabountiful.com
MORE ONLINE Read more about Delta Hand Pies, including customer favorites, at californiabountiful.com.
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