“This is kind of the perfect combination,” said Katie McDonald, founder of Full Moon Tea Co., “because the three of us are just gonna make each other better.”

Before moving into The Stir, all three founders—McDonald, Samantha Coffin of Matcha Nude, and Sabrina Hill of Spice Witch—were juggling time in rental kitchens that couldn’t keep up with the needs of their growing businesses. “I could only be [at the rental kitchen] one day a week for a certain number of hours, and all I had was one table like this big to work on and a six-foot rack for ingredients,” McDonald said. “It was so limiting in every way.”

For Coffin, who sells high-quality matcha sourced from Japan in compostable packaging, the shift into a dedicated space was essential. “We weren’t hiring anybody else because you couldn’t have someone else come to that kitchen that we were in,” she says. She had help from her sister, who worked from Coffin’s home, but the lack of support and space caused a lot of stress.

McDonald had a small office at home where she was doing orders and fulfillment. “That office was like floor to ceiling,” she said. “It was like walking into a hoarder’s house [with] boxes and packaging and paper and bins of tea.” 

In Asheville, where food-based businesses have historically depended on time-share kitchens and storage lockers, the idea of a permanent, private space is borderline radical—mostly because of the expense. “You’re paying either monthly or hourly, depending on where you are,” Hill said of the previous setup. “You’re at the mercy of their schedule.”

Coming together as a trio has allowed the three business owners to escape this trap. The timing of their move came with urgency, when the commercial kitchen used by Coffin and McDonald was purchased by a new owner. The two decided to partner up to search for a space, and Hill joined later. 

After scouting several unfortunate spaces, including some that smelled of paint fumes or stale smoke, the three fell in love with a quiet industrial park with a beautiful green pond just outside. “Literally the next day,” Hill remembers, “the real estate agent called and said ‘There’s a place near the pond.’” 

They signed a lease and passed their Department of Agriculture inspection just two weeks later—an impressive timeline. 

Each entrepreneur now has their own production and fulfillment zone within The Stir, which has made their production process more streamlined. Hill infuses oil with spices to make her signature chili crisp and chili oils on-site. “I cook and bottle the same day,” she says. “It’s nice to have everything under the same roof.”

McDonald blends sustainably sourced teas, purchased from a broker who buys directly from farms around the world. “I buy all of my ingredients pretty much ready to go,” she says. “Then I just have the recipes and I do the blending and the packing here.”

Coffin focuses on repackaging high-quality organic matcha, stored in refrigeration just like it is in Japan. “It comes to us in very large bags, and then we repackage it,” she explains. “The biggest part of our business is giving people the education to learn how to actually enjoy matcha.”

Still, the shared values that brought these women together have made the difference. “All three of us have the same sort of vibe to how we approach business,” McDonald says. “We all had very similar business models and the same goals.”

Each business is scaling while staying deeply rooted in the Asheville ethos. The Stir offers them more than just affordable efficiency—it offers community. “[Business owners] don’t have a lot of co-workers, right?” said Coffin. “We all had voiced opinions of, like, wanting to do it differently... and it’s been worth it every step of the way.”

While each business is at a different stage, they’re able to work cohesively and support one another by sharing contacts and ideas.  “As each one of us grows or gets a nugget, the other ones are able to work on that, too,” said McDonald. 

Asked why they chose Asheville to plant roots, the answer was resounding. “There’s a really nice network and community,” said Hill. “There are a lot of people that are thinking for themselves, trailblazers, and a lot of badass women—Asheville is a feminine city.”

The Stir isn’t just a location. It’s a business model, a lifestyle, and a testament to the collaborative power of women building something better together in Western North Carolina.

“Everything’s in such alignment, and it feels so right,” said Hill. “I get excited to come into the office.” 

Learn more at FullMoonTeaCompany.com, MatchaNude.com, and ShopSpiceWitch.com.