LIFT UP LOCAL 007
By Holly McDermitt and Sarah Stratton, as told to Keri Brown
Michigan Made Treat Founders
Holly McDermitt and Sarah Stratton have been friends nearly all their lives. It all began when Sarah got scolded by her parents for running across the street to meet Holly, who she spotted walking with her family in their neighborhood in Mt. Morris, MI. They were just 3 years old. They continued their stint as partners-in-crime through their school years, graduating together, and remaining friends into adulthood.
Holly is a 4th generation baker. Her family owned & operated a local bakery in Beecher, MI beginning back in 1945. A tornado struck Beecher in 1954, and the bakery moved to Mt. Morris, where it remained until 1995. It was here that Holly learned the art of baking, learning family recipes for donuts, cakes and breads - like their infamous Nutty donut. Even after the family bakery closed, people would still ask about the Nutty donuts, and where they could find them. Holly attributes this to a special secret ingredient that gives the donuts their unique and irresistible flavor, and Holly & Sarah still use it in their recipes to this day.
With Holly & Sarah at each other’s side throughout childhood, Sarah also frequently enjoyed treats from the family bakery and developed a passion for baking. She recalls how Holly’s mom would pick them up after dance class, treating the best friends to long johns. In fact, it was actually Sarah who initiated the idea of starting Michigan Made Treats.
It all happened a bit unexpectedly, and quickly. Sarah had been thinking about trying her hand at a new endeavor, and began looking into buying a bakery. She then brought Holly on board and together they founded Michigan Made Treats.
“We are like goldfish, we grow to our space,” Sarah said. The new bakery owners needed to expand when they realized their home kitchens were becoming overcome with equipment. That’s when Holly found the incubator kitchen at Allen Neighborhood Center in 2021, where they were able to use the commercial kitchen to really get their business off the ground. From there it has blossomed, with new opportunities around every corner.
Their donuts are made from scratch, using as many locally-sourced ingredients as possible. They get honey from a local beekeeper in Vermillion, MI and fruit from local farmers at the Allen Street Farmer’s Market. Growing up in a small tight-knit community, supporting local businesses kept their town alive. That’s why they believe lifting up small business and supporting each other is essential.
Holly & Sarah are excited for their new partnership with Capital City Market because of the shared mission of supporting locally operated small businesses. They are also looking forward to growing their customer base in the Lansing area, and putting Michigan Made Treats in the homes of even more people. You can find freshly made donuts from Michigan Made Treats 7 days a week at Capital City Market.