Maker Monday: Meet Melissa Kagiyama of Key to the Mountain
For this week’s Maker Monday, we’re featuring Key to the Mountain, a Missoula-area food company focused on simple, nourishing products made with high-quality ingredients and a whole lot of heart. From rich apple butter to decadent brandied cherries and local huckleberry honey, everything is crafted with a focus on real food — no fillers, no shortcuts, and no weird stuff!
We caught up with founder Melissa Kagiyama to chat about Montana food culture, cooking from scratch, and why simple ingredients are often the most magical.
J&M: How did Key to the Mountain first begin?
MK: We were blown away by the quality of produce at the Missoula farmers' market, and knew we had to share its goodness with others!
J&M: Your products feel very rooted in Montana. How does living here influence your recipes and ingredients?
MK: All of our products are sourced with Montana-grown produce. I originally got pushback on doing this because of the expense, but people quickly changed their minds when they tasted the incredible difference it makes (lucky for our business!).
J&M: What’s your philosophy when it comes to food and sourcing ingredients? MK: I'm trained in holistic medicine, so it has to pass my vetting: in short, fresh and no chemicals!
J&M: Which product would you recommend to someone trying Key to the Mountain for the very first time?
MK: They're all shockingly amazing, so just pick your favorite fruit. I promise, you will be delighted.
J&M: What’s your favorite way to eat the brandied cherries?
MK: Of course, they make a spectacular Manhattan, but my favorite is drizzled on vanilla ice cream.
J&M: What’s one thing people might not realize about making small-batch food products?
MK: Because of the higher volume to surface area ratio in small batches, we are actually able to use way, way less sugar than is required in large batches of products without compromising the high quality!
J&M: Your products feel very cozy and comforting — what do you hope people feel when they open one of your jars?
MK: There's a lot of confusing information out there about how to eat healthy and what's best. I hope that when tasting our products, they'll have a new standard to compare good food to, forget all the confusing info, and simply trust their own palette! We have a lot of people telling us that Key to the Mountain products flash them back to their happy youth—that always makes me feel good.
J&M: Thanks for taking the time to chat with us, Melissa!
You can find a selection of Melissa’s delicious products in our gift shop at Jim & Mary's RV Park, all crafted with love by Melissa!
