2 Kosciusko County Companies Battling It Out For ‘Coolest Thing’ Championship
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David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
Maple Leaf Farms of Leesburg is facing off against Polywood of Syracuse in the championship round of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s second “Coolest Thing Made in Indiana.”
Public fan voting to crown a champion began Monday morning at www.indianachamber.com/coolestthing. Voting closes Wednesday, Nov. 30 at 10 p.m. ET. The tournament champion will be announced Dec. 14 at the Indiana Chamber’s Best IN Manufacturing Luncheon.
Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Rob Parker said it was hard to fathom having two products made in Kosciusko County make the final two.
“I’d pick them both because both are made right here in Kosciusko County,” he said.
Parker said the highlight of the Indiana Chamber’s annual dinner is the “Coolest Thing” contest.
“They really showcase all the products made in Indiana as part of their celebration,” he said. Last year, they highlighted all the contestants but the winner got to speak about their company and product.
“You better believe I’ll be there,” Parker said.
In the semifinal – which had thousands of voters and concluded Sunday night – Maple Leaf Farms of Leesburg knocked off Hiker Trailers from Columbus and Polywood of Syracuse topped Kidstuff Playsystems from Gary, according to a news release from the Indiana Chamber on Monday.
Maple Leaf Farms makes a roast half duck, while Polywood manufactures the Elevate 12-piece pit sectional.
In a telephone interview, Olivia Tucker, brand marketing manager with Maple Leaf Farms, said the roast half duck they entered has been a flagship item for decades. It’s super easy for people to use and only takes about 15 minutes in the oven. Pre-cooked, it’s high quality, she said, and a lot of restaurants have been using it, especially with the lack of workforce over the past few years and the ease to prepare the roast half duck. It’s good with any sauce anyone wants to put on it.
Of all of Maple Leaf Farms’ products, Tucker said they chose the roast half duck for the contest because they’ve seen an unprecedented demand for the product since Covid. More people are cooking at home, restaurants like the ease of preparing it and it’s quality product.
“We’ve seen a spike in demand for it over the last two years,” she said. “It’s our shining star.”
Tucker said Maple Leaf Farms is encouraging all their friends and family to vote for them in the contest online. They’re also using their social media to encourage people to vote for the roast half duck.
“Our fully cooked roast half duck product has been a flagship product for the company for decades due to its high quality, convenience, and versatility,” said Co-President John Tucker in a provided news release. “Different from chicken and turkey, duck is a red meat, but unlike other red meats it is very lean and low in saturated fat. The main reason chefs and home cooks serve it is because it is downright delicious.”
“Roast half duck is a craft product with true Indiana-grown roots,” said Co-President Scott Tucker in the news release. “From the local farms who grow grain for our duck feed to the farm families who care for our ducks to the team that hand prepares, there are many dedicated individuals who deserve the credit for it being in contention for this prestigious title.”
Learn more about the roast half duck online at https://mapleleaffarms.com/products/roast-half-duck-2
The roast half duck pack is on sale right now on the website at shopmapleleaffarms.com. The sale lasts until this Friday.
Maple Leaf Farms was founded in 1958 by Donald Wentzel, Tucker’s great-grandfather. She said her whole family still owns Maple Leaf and they work with farmers throughout Indiana. Their edge is that they do everything here in Indiana, she said.
Ryan Zimmerman, senior director of human resources with Polywood, said in a telephone interview that their Elevate 12-piece pit sectional is a modular piece. Each section can be individualized and it can be configured in many different ways.
“It’s really endless as far as” possible configurations, he said.
With an iconic design that never goes out of style, according to a news release from Polywood, this American-made sectional takes lounging to the next level. Tailored in outdoor performance fabric, the substantial seat cushions resist fading, stains and moisture — but are always ready to offer cozy-up comfort. Each frame is built from durable, fade-resistant genuine Polywood lumber that can handle every day hangouts with the family, as well as the harsh elements brought on by any season.
The news release states “Genuine Polywood lumber is created here in Indiana using sustainable materials, including landfill- and ocean-bound plastics. This redirection of discarded high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic such as milk jugs, shampoo bottles, and laundry detergent, keeps our planet clean and our shared outdoor spaces beautiful. The Elevate 12-piece pit sectional is the perfect representation of what happens when a zero-waste mindset and American innovation meets home comforts.”
“We think all of our furniture is cool,” Zimmerman said, and the sectional was chosen for the contest because of its flexibility.
This is the first year Maple Leaf and Polywood have entered the “Coolest Thing” contest.
“It is very exciting. We’re a bit impartial but we think we have the coolest thing in Indiana,” Zimmerman said.
To promote the contest, Polywood plans to send out companywide communications and share it on social media. Zimmerman said the Kosciusko Chamber also has been great about getting the word out about the contest, but instead of the contest just being one community versus another, he said he hopes greater Indiana votes on it as well.
Polywood is just wrapping up its 32nd year in business. It was founded in 1990 in the Kosciusko County area by Doug Rassi and Mark Phillabaum.
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce contest, which celebrates the state’s long manufacturing history, featured a 54-company field. There were a wide range of makers and their products entered from 43 Hoosier communities. The Hoosier Hysteria-style contest has quickly become one of the biggest of its kind in the country, the Indiana Chamber release states.
For fairness, an online randomizer generated the initial matchups. Entry in the competition was free. To participate, a company did not need to be headquartered in Indiana, but the product entered must be manufactured in the state.
Learn more about the final two companies and vote online at www.indianachamber.com/coolestthing.
