Meet Mary Kyle & Caroline: MC Meals
Meeks & CoCo Meals is your on the Go-Go Dallas Dinner Delivery run by two incredible female entrepreneurs! You can DM them to place your order plus check out their weekly menus on their instagram page! Their business is truly empowering families by giving back time that they would otherwise be spending on cooking that they don’t want to do. “Dinner at home” is now an exciting term thanks to Meeks & CoCo rather than a stressful emotion! Their “heart” is an ingredient in every meal they serve, and I can’t wait for you to read about why and how they do what they do!
Tell us about who you are and your journey to where you are now!
(Mary-Kyle) I was born and raised in Ruston, Louisiana and then made my way to Ole Miss for college. My mom, being from south Louisiana, made countless cajun dishes for our family as I was growing up that I came to loving and appreciating later in life, after moving away from Louisiana. She is much of my inspiration in the kitchen and I always seem to incorporate her cooking style in my dishes when I am creating meals in the kitchen. After Ole Miss I moved back to Louisiana and lived in Shreveport to earn my masters degree in communication disorders for two years. After long days of studying and sitting in class, I would always end my days in the kitchen to decompress and allow myself to get creative. Thankfully my roommate at the time, Taylor Anne, was kind enough to let me try any recipe I desired for those two years! In the summer of 2017, I was offered a job in Dallas through Highland Park School District and have been here since then! My favorite part about cooking is sharing it with those I love and serving others in that way. I have found that it is the perfect avenue for connecting with others whether it’s by bringing them a meal or hosting them for a dinner party.
(Caroline) I am also a Dallas transplant, originally from Kansas City! I was the strange child who didn’t care about MTV and was addicted to the Food Network. My mom has many talents, but cooking isn’t one of them… or one she ever cares about having. :) Fortunately for me, that meant I always had free reign of our kitchen and was able to create whatever, whenever. My parents have always supported my love of cooking whether it meant taking me to see Giada de Laurentiis on her book tour or taking me to new restaurant openings. I have always loved everything about Southern culture so I headed to Mississippi to get my BA in Integrated Marketing Communications and Business. Shortly thereafter, I moved to Dallas to pursue a career in the hospitality industry. I traveled for a few years working with great chefs on various events and then worked for a while in the Legal side of actually running and acquiring hotels. Then I took a major turn and now work full-time in wealth management in Uptown (it truly has been a journey!)
Part of the reason Mary-Kyle and I are so close is that we both have a passion for hosting and cooking. We live together near Greenway Parks and everyone that knows us will tell you that we love a dinner party. We decided after hearing so many people complain about having to cook three meals a day for their family in the quarantine that maybe we should start cooking for other people. Between kids and crazy work schedules and grocery shopping and clean-up… the list goes on and on… there was a need in Dallas for a home cooked meal delivery service. It just kind of made sense. All it took was boredom and a couple of glasses of wine and the next day “Meeks and CoCo Meals on the Go-Go was born.” I don’t think either of us actually thought it would take off like it has.
2. What is the mission of your brand? How does it empower women?
The mission of our business is to provide delicious home-cooked meals straight from our kitchen into the homes of others. We strive to relieve families of the strains of preparing home-cooked meals (grocery shopping, cleaning, etc.) by bringing dinner to their homes. We have had countless people and moms reach out and express how much easier their nights are when they order one of our meals; it also allows for them to spend more time with the people they love as opposed to working on dinner after work and school.
3. How do you collaborate with women working towards a better world?
We hope to help alleviate the stress and pressure of all that revolves around preparing dinner each night. By providing meals for families and others who need some help around dinnertime, it allows for people to focus on quality time with their children and those they love. As a culture we are constantly going and busy with after-work and after-school activities. Then you add the grocery shopping and cleaning on top of everything and who has time to have a conversation over a meal at home? We each have siblings with young children and this is always a constant stress of theirs. With our business, we are helping restore how “dinner at home” can look for busy, working individuals. '
4. What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to press through as a female entrepreneur and what are the steps you’ve taken to overcome it?
We have been well supported by family and friends thus far. Starting M.C.Meals at a time when the country is going through a pandemic was the most challenging part. Grocery shopping can be very challenging due to low supplies and limited shipments at times. We also both have other jobs that are extremely important to us. Balancing priorities and multiple obligations causes us to be better at planning, organizing, and working efficiently.
5. What advice would you give to a female entrepreneur in the beginning stages of launching her brand or business?
Set your goals for your business in the beginning and stay true to the mission of your business. Caroline said early on that “we can’t be everything to everybody”, but we were confident that we could provide a range of delicious meals for people in the Dallas area that we have been cooking for the people we love for years. Though we have expanded our meal options and grown as a business each week, our mission remains true. We deeply care about providing meals made from scratch to family, friends, and beyond. We put our heart into cooking and believe that it shines through with each meal we provide.
6. What sets your brand apart from others?
We are not full-time chefs, but we have vowed to devote our extra time to this business. We are different in that we are not a commercial kitchen or a restaurant. There are countless options in Dallas when it comes to great food! M.C. Meals provides a range of meals that allow for others to stay in their home and enjoy all of the benefits of a home-cooked meal without all of the hassle! When our customers eat our meals, they know that they were prepared in a way that their moms likely cooked. We make every item completely from scratch. Is there anything better than enjoying a nostalgic meal at home with those you love?
