NOBLESVILLE, Ind. – What started with a glass of non-homogenized milk has evolved into Simply from Scratch, a farm-to-table mobile grocery. The central Indiana business serves Hoosier communities through farmers markets, the family farm and Bruno the Bus, their mobile grocery store, according to co-owner Lauren Flanders.

“The business was created to diversity the family farm while advocating for confident consumers and increasing access to fresh, local food, particularly in food deserts and underserved communities,” Lauren said. “At its core, Simply from Scratch is about connecting consumers with Indiana agriculture and helping them feel confident about the food they bring home.”

Suzanne Flanders, Lauren’s mother-in-law, co-owns the Noblesville-based company with her daughter-in-law.

Several years ago, Suzanne was in Shipshewana, Ind., visiting a family friend. She was offered some non-homogenized milk to try, Lauren explained.

“Although milk had never agreed well with Suzanne, she was surprised by how well she felt and impressed by the quality. That experience sparked the idea for Simply from Scratch. Simply from Scratch was originally Suzanne’s catering business that was started as a side business in 2010.

“In 2022, it was an easy transition to the farm-to-table business we wanted to start. (We) began distributing local milk and learning the farmers market business. As customers asked for more local groceries, (we) began connecting with Indiana farmers and producers to source products like eggs, bread, honey, produce and other grocery staples.”

The farm-to-table experience focuses on making local food more accessible, Lauren said.

Suzanne’s background is in dietetics and Lauren’s is in agricultural education. This enables them to educate customers about nutrition and agriculture, Lauren said. Both women were raised in rural areas where their family farmed, but did not grow up on farms.

Simply from Scratch started with refrigerated trucks and then they bought a used school bus they named Bruno, Lauren said. Bruno has freezers and refrigerators as well as display racks filled with Indiana Grown products, she added.

“We produce at least 50 percent of the products, while supporting other local farmers and producers. We attend farmers markets as well as do our own popup markets in collaboration with businesses, HOAs (homeowner associations), senior living communities, events and more. Bruno the Bus is open to all, with no membership fees attached.”

Simply from Scratch buys bulk flour through an Amish grocery store in Shipshewana. Their homegrown garlic, black raspberries, sweet corn, asparagus, potatoes and herbs are some examples of products that go into their meals and baked goods, Lauren said.

Products that are sourced elsewhere that don’t sell before the “best buy” date are utilized in other places, she noted, such as carrots and potatoes in chicken pot pie, and chocolate milk becomes cake.

In September, Simply from Scratch and nine other women-owned agriculture-related small businesses in the state were each recipients of $1,000 grants from Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB). The grants support the growth and development of such businesses across the state, INFB said.

The grant money will be used to create a cool room, Lauren said. She said Simply from Scratch has struggled with produce being too cold or too hot with their current refrigeration. The cool room will keep produce at 45-50 degrees instead of 32 degrees.

“This is the first grant we have received through farm bureau, and the first grant we have applied for,” Lauren pointed out. “With it being the International Year of the Woman Farmer, we have had more opportunities to build upon our business, from grants to scholarships.”

As for longer-term plans, she said each year of the business has brought new ideas, growth and struggles. They’ve discussed having a true brick-and-mortar store and if so, where. Lauren said they’ve been asked to go further out than central Indiana, so they plan for a state health certificate for 2027 which allows movement across the entire state.

“We have also had discussions about a second bus,” she said. “Having a second vehicle like Bruno would help us reach more communities, especially in the colder months. Each month, week, and day brings new thoughts and ideas of how to build upon Simply from Scratch.

“We pride ourselves on being a business that uplifts other small businesses. Our tagline is: The grocery just got local.”

For more information on Simply from Scratch, visit www.simplyfromscratch.biz.

The other nine recipients of the INFB’s 2026 Women-Owned Small Business Grants were Tana Long, Bluejay Homestead; Stephanie Strothmann, Purple Shamrock Farm; Shannon Tieken, Samara Acres LLC; Marybeth McDaniel, Mbee’s Honey Farm; Madelynn Keiffer, Lavender and Lace Florals LLC; Kristen Tackett, the Harvested Homestead on 13; Jenna Blue, Blue Family Farms; Beverly Sharritt, Flying Dirt Farm; and Aimee Jo Albright, Albright Acres Flower Farm and Nursery.