Ellenka Baumrind of Springs, who started by handing out a few jars of her ratatouille to friends about eight years ago, never expected to make a business out of it.
But Ellie’s Country Delights — all-natural vegan vegetable stew in original, spicy, and mushroom forms — has made the jump from kitchen to local markets, to now being offered in 400 Stop & Shop stores in the Northeast, and is a recent addition to the Whole Foods Market lineup as well. Ms. Baumrind has gone from an original run of about 360 jars in 2005 to over 50,000 jars in 2010.