MUSKEGON, Mich. — Desire's Kick'n Slaw Dressing is a locally-produced product created by a former Muskegon student that's now being served to students across Muskegon County.
Desire Barnes graduated from Muskegon High School in 2022, and was a part of the CTC Hospitality and Food Management program. She's also the creator of Desire's Kick'n Slaw Dressing.
Even though she graduated, current students are continuing her work, and she returns to see it come to fruition.
"Our CTC wanted to manufacture it, but didn't have the resources to do it. So it's been such an adventure the last four years to create this process of planning," said Tyler Tyndall, a current CTC student.
To produce the dressing, students had to find solutions to questions such as how the dressing can become shelf-stable, and how the greens can be grown year-round.
"I took students this year to create and bottle 80 gallons in a commercial run that now is available to all the schools in Muskegon County," said Elissa Penczar, chef instructor at the CTC.
Penczar said it took eight weeks for Barnes to develop her recipe and for it to also align with school guidelines for nutrition. She said 2,000 kids across Muskegon County have taste-tested the dressing, with overwhelmingly positive reviews.
This year, they've begun to commercialize the dressing, partnering with Michigan State University's Food Product Innovation Center, along with growing their produce in Muskegon.
"By using local products, we're supporting our local farmers, we're supporting the people right here in our community who grow these things," Penczar said.
Laura Vitale, the assistant director of dining for Muskegon Public Schools, said it's important for students to not only be creating locally grown and healthy meals, but to see as students' ideas come to life.
"I think that it is important for the kids to see what they're capable of," Vitale said. "This was a student just like them still in high school, that thought this up, that created it, that took it that step further to have it produced, and now it's being shared back with them again."
Penczar said Desire's Kick'n Slaw Dressing should be available soon for sale and distribution. After three years, she also hopes to see 10-15 more products created by Muskegon students ready for distribution.
"We are trying to start up our new manufacturing, so that maybe two years down the road, my recipes can be created," Tyndall said.
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