Food, glorious food
Fresh from graduating with a degree in economics from St. Olaf, Tina Rexing launched her career at Northwest Airlines in Eagan, then worked in finance at Thomsen Reuters, also in Eagan, and eventually landed at Target, focusing on store engineering and operations. But roughly a decade ago, Rexing left the corporate world behind to start T-Rex Cookie Co., known for its super-size cookies, right here in Eagan.
Thanks to social media, “I ended up on the Today Show eight months after I sold my first cookie,” Rexing says. The TV program had asked viewers to name the best cookie in each state, and Rexing’s loyal followers on social media nominated T-Rex. Despite being featured for just two minutes, that publicity landed T-Rex its biggest account to date — being sold at U.S. Bank Stadium during Minnesota Vikings games.
This year Rexing’s sales are climbing, jumping 30% during the first quarter and 11% the second. In fact, she says that 2026 begins the decade “we go big,” thanks largely to wholesale cookie sales. That’s not to mention her growing fan base across the country. (Yes, the company ships its delicious creations.)
But T-Rex isn’t the only food manufacturing company in Eagan:
- Family-owned Catallia Mexican Foods creates tortillas, burritos, and tortilla chips for retailers and restaurants, including an international quick-service restaurant.
- CKC Good Food provides nutritional meals for school districts, camps, and more.
- Family-owned Gregory’s Foods provides “made-from-scratch-quality” baked goods and products for a wide variety of clients.
- Rich Products and Rise Baking Company both produce products for in-store bakeries and foodservice clients.
- And Sushi Avenue, with 400 locations across 30 states, offers “fresh, restaurant-quality sushi, rice bowls, and hot entrees” to grocers, colleges, and other venues.
So what makes Minnesota and specifically Eagan such a good place for food manufacturers?
First off, “there’s a legacy agribusiness in Minnesota,” says Mark O’Leary, president and CEO, Enterprise Minnesota. That’s true of Eagan too. Between 1840 and 1930, so many onions were grown and shipped from here that it was dubbed the Onion Capital of the U.S.
“In addition, manufacturing in general provides 11 percent of Minnesota’s workforce and that’s because it’s a center of innovation,” O’Leary says. “We’ve got great college-university and technical school networks and a strong, educated workforce that’s expert in things like consumer packaged goods (CPG), engineering, market research, and analysis. All of these elements contribute to that foundation.”
Indeed, Rexing says that if it weren’t for her varied work experience and background in data analytics, “I don’t think T-Rex Cookie would be where it is right now. I attribute a lot of the success of the company to my corporate background.”
In addition, she’s quick to point out that there’ve been bumps along the way, and that while she started as a one-person shop — albeit with lots of helpful volunteers — she’s not solely responsible for her company’s success:
Her tiny team — five full-time and eight part-time employees — focuses unapologetically on making special occasion treats with premium ingredients. Her commercial kitchen is where she conducts R&D, experimenting with new flavors, while Gregory’s Foods transforms her 80-pound dough recipes into 800-pound dough recipes. And recently, a group of small investors pitched in to help her accomplish two things: to purchase a custom-sized cookie wrapper from Wisconsin-based Syntegon (cookies no longer have to be hand-packaged) and to hire her son. Luke, who’s worked alongside his mom since middle school, joined the T-Rex team officially a year ago after graduating with a marketing degree, and is busy building their corporate gifting business. “He’s a really big-business-minded person for his age,” Rexing says.
Food manufacturers don’t enjoy an easy road to success.
There are raw material costs, labor shortages, fluctuating regulations, and changing consumer demands. According to O’Leary, food manufacturers may consider how automation can assist them, how they can continue to access talent, how AI tools may assist with capacity and flexibility, and how to deal with inflationary pressures, tariffs, and oil costs.
He also mentions food source traceability — in other words, tracking food ingredients throughout the supply chain to ensure consumer trust. “Depending on your point of view,” he says, “the federal government is decreasing regulation to the benefit or detriment of business. Going forward, traceability will be incredibly important to brand equity and a brand’s position in the market.”
Despite those challenges, food manufacturers continue to set up shop. “I’m seeing a lot of entrepreneurship in food and beverage, as well as the CPG side of food,” O’Leary says. “The companies doing well know exactly who their customer is and what they value. And they meet that need.”
Asked for her advice for new food entrepreneurs, Rexing says, “I’d remind them that the margins in the food world are very, very tight.” She typically asks: How much does it cost to really make the product? How about the packaging? Was labor added in?
She also recommends spreading the word. “When I mentor small businesses, I always say, ‘You better be on socials, and you better be ready to put yourself out there.’” After all, you never know when the Today Show might reach out.
Did You Know?
- Minnesota’s food manufacturing and agriculture accounts for $21.4B in state GDP.*
- Minnesota employs 49,000 people in food manufacturing. *
*According to Minnesota Employment and Economic Development, 2025.
From the editor
Harvest time for most of us might mean plucking a few last tomatoes or visiting Eagan Market Fest. But Minnesota farmers will be harvesting corn, soybeans, and hay well into October. These people are vital for food manufacturers — many of whom operate in Eagan. In this issue, we meet a few.
Mark your Calendar
Sept. 17
Learn about what’s shaping Dakota County during a forum, sponsored by the Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce. Register at dcrchamber.com/events.
Sept 25–26
The Eagan Film Festival, sponsored by Emagine Eagan, features both shorts and features. Visit cityofeagan.com/film-fest for tickets.
Briefly
Business
- The future of the 41-acre former Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota site in Eagan remains uncertain after Opus and Capital Partners withdrew their redevelopment application in June.
- Kansas City, Mo.-based NorthPoint Development has purchased two Eagan warehouses (2945 and 2985 Commers Dr.) for $27 million.
- Solventum reported that it received a $100 million refund from the federal government due to tariffs deemed illegal by the U.S. Supreme Court in February.
Government
- Eagan Art House, designed by JLG Architects, earned an Award of Excellence from the Minnesota Recreation & Parks Association, recognition from Finance & Commerce, and a 2026 Sustainable City Award from the League of Minnesota Cities.
- The Eagan City Council has approved Opperman Drive as a City street, reaching an agreement with Ryan Companies and Gopher Resource.
Like to Hang Out a Food-biz Shingle?
Love making food for your family? Check. Love making food for others? Check. Then perhaps you should consider becoming a cottage food producer.
Since 2015, Minnesota has allowed people to make and sell certain foods from their home kitchens without a license — as long as they follow certain strict rules. According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, roughly 75 such small businesses operate in Eagan. We reached out to three for their advice on building their brands.
Jennifer Casper: Fiddlesticks Bakery makes gluten-free items exclusively.
“Focusing on a hard-to-find product and perfecting it was a great way to start. I asked all my gluten-free friends what item they miss most, and cinnamon rolls were on every list. Gluten-free cinnamon rolls was the first recipe I mastered, and I opened with only cinnamon rolls on the menu. Soon people started to know Fiddlesticks as the gluten-free cinnamon-roll place. I’ve since added many other options, but I’m still known mainly for the best gluten-free cinnamon rolls around.”
Andrew Kasun: Leo’s Pops offers gluten-free, dairy-free, frozen juice pops with crunchy centers.
“We’ve found that having a memorable product, consistent branding, and a strong community presence goes a long way. Crunch Core wasn’t developed as a marketing idea, but it became a point of differentiation, and things like Eagan Market Fest and even a thank-you giveaway at my son Leo’s school have created engagement. My advice would be to be genuine, be consistent, listen to customers, and let the brand grow from what people naturally connect with.”
Heather Holm: Holmade Kitchen makes 10+ flavors of homemade fudge.
“I’ve kept my logo and table setup straightforward: I use a fun, personal, and unique name connected to my last name, an easy-to-read font, and a little sparkle to help the name pop. Beyond that, I share plenty of fudge photos on social media, keep folks updated on craft fairs Holmade Kitchen will attend, and rely on friends and family to help spread the word. Of course, offering free samples never hurts!”
Get Your Insulation Rebate
If improving your building’s insulation has been on your to-do list, now’s the time to act.
“Doing so lowers your heating and cooling costs, keeps your employees comfortable year round, and reduces your energy use,” says Kelsey Barajas, sustainability specialist for the City of Eagan.
Barajas points out that building energy use is a significant source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which help cause climate change, and that lowering GHG 55% by 2035 is a goal of Eagan’s Climate Action Plan.
Plus, businesses that install new insulation between Aug. 1 and Nov. 30 can receive a bonus rebate via Minnesota Energy Resources. Funding is limited, so businesses are encouraged to apply early. For more information, call 866-872-0052, option 2; email
More energy incentives: Visit each company’s website for more information.
Dakota Electric: Access custom rebates for heat pumps, building controls, and energy storage, or prescriptive rebates (applications due Nov. 30) for common upgrades like lighting and HVAC.
CenterPoint Energy: Find rebates for energy-efficient equipment, heating systems, water heating, lighting, and other energy-saving improvements.
Xcel Energy: Receive business rebates and use energy-efficiency programs, including incentives for energy-efficient equipment, HVAC, lighting, energy assessments, and building improvements.