Olivia Superfree (formerly Wheatless in Seattle)

When Kaili was pregnant with her youngest daughter, she was sick from month three to the day of birth. And then it got worse. "After giving birth in May, I just fell apart," she remembers. "I knew I had a wheat problem, but thought I could cut down and not eat as much. I didn't know that wheat could cause so many problems." Eventually she couldn't walk.

She was running the cafeteria at the Department of Transportation in Shoreline. The week after Christmas 2001, she bought several different types of flours and began to experiment. "My first batch of carrot cake was fabulous!" She already had an ad placed for the cafeteria, so she included that she had a few gluten-free items. "It was amazing. People had to find us, which wasn't that easy. Then they had to sign in to get to the cafeteria. These are moments I remember—people tip toeing in, looking for signs."

As interest increased, she did another ad. "I didn't even ask where the magazine went, I just bought the ad. I had no idea the gluten problem was worldwide. People visiting from Argentina came in. There were no gluten-free bakeries or restaurants anywhere—California, Florida. I'd had the light bulb moment myself and knew I had to quit eating gluten, but didn't realize how many people had the same problem." She opened a gluten-free restaurant in Edmonds in October of 2003 and kept it until 2005. "The first month, we made $10,000 and it went up after that. We had 30 seats. It was the first 100% gluten-free restaurant in the world." After she closed the restaurant, she wasn't sure she wanted to continue making her products. But people just kept asking for more. "One of my customers knew the owner of our former location in Greenwood. He closed his business so I could open up there."

She opened in April 2006 with 14 seats as more of a coffee shop, going down to six seats in early 2011 because her wholesale business had grown so much; the wrapping and labeling had taken over the space. She did no retail on Wednesdays and Saturdays. "Those were pre-order days," she explains. "People could call in their order for anything they wanted with 48 hour notice and pick it up those days. But we did special order cakes every day." One of her programs is the take and bake: people can pick up pastry dough (for pies or a laminated butter dough for Beef Wellington), cookies and cupcakes and take them home to bake later. It's also a great program for restaurants.

Part of her growth has been through PCC—all nine of their stores carry her products. Each store differs, but as a whole, they carry all her products which include pizza dough, pastries, cookies, muffins and more. Sno-Isle Co-op in Everett also carries product as will Nature's Market, certain Whole Foods, and Janell's Glute-Free Market. A number of restaurants on the west side as well as restaurants and markets in Eastern Washington carry her products.

Kaili is proud of her product. "We only use natural ingredients. All our products went rice-free last August. There's no real difference in our products and ‘regular' products when it comes to salt, sugar and oil content. I started with my old recipes and converted them. It has more to do with the ratio of flours and a few extra ingredients." She even makes "American Girl" gluten-free cakes that look just like their regular cakes.

Like all small business owners, Kaili looks for various ways to increase her business. She will ship anywhere (products have a four-day shelf life and it takes two days to ship, so be ready to eat or freeze!), sells gift cards, has the take and bake program and consults with people in their homes or restaurants. "People don't have time to figure this out and I'm the test kitchen; I've already done it. I can revamp recipes and get them started."

With no wheat or rice flour, many items soy and dairy free and 75% of products vegan, those with or without celiac disease might say ‘but what about flavor?' Kaili is ready with her answer: "I want people to know I'm making things that are just delicious as well as being good for them. The first thing I want people to do is taste the product. The look on their faces is my reward."

She celebrated the 10^th anniversary of Wheatless in Seattle in January 2012. Since then, the name of the company has changed, they've moved to Everett, and they've removed dairy, egg, and soy in their recipes, going completey vegan. Her food will please you, whether you're an intolerant sort of not.

Connie Adams/January 2012/revised October 2013