Cambrooke Foods in Framingham, founded by Lynn and David Paolella in 2000, originally grew out of their impulse as parents to secure nutritious, palatable meals for their two children.

Both Paolella children were born with Phenylketoneuria (PKU), a disorder that prohibits their bodies from metabolizing the amino acid phenylalanine. Those with the deficiency (David Paolella notes that 10,000 Americans have PKU and 17,000 have either PKU or other metabolic disorders) must adopt special low-protein diets for life. Before Cambrooke, anyone with PKU faced a dietary future of unappetizing, unimaginative retail options.

Lynn Paolella’s response in the mid 1990s was to create more palatable, more varied dishes for her children. By the year 2000, she was determined to share that cuisine with the entire PKU community. “That’s when we decided to transform our cottage business to a more serious enterprise,” recalls David Paolella, who joined Lynn full time that year as Cambrooke’s chief financial officer.

To gain a stronger business foundation, Lynn visited Paula Camara at the MSBDC office in Worcester, who found the Paolellas’ story compelling. Soon afterward, she introduced the couple to her MSBDC colleague, John Rainey. “The two operated as a team—Paula was its heart and soul and John its number cruncher,” recalls David Paolella. “To help us secure a bank loan, they asked us to think more clearly about our initial business plan and to complete the necessary pro formas. John introduced us to a template that allowed us to build out our financial forecasting. The model, which we continue to use, allows us to view our resources and expenses alongside different financial assumptions. Above all, it helps us to manage cash flow. For a small business like ours, cash flow is king. You need it to pay employees and bills, to invest, and to leverage your investments. If things get away from you and you lose liquidity, you’re out of business.”

Camara introduced the couple to Middlesex Bank, which responded with a loan and line of credit. Since then, Cambrooke has grown gradually but steadily, relying periodically on the MSBDC’s financial and strategic advice. It’s been controlled growth, emphasizes David Paolella, who adds that couple worked for a few years without income. “David and Lynn would come back to visit us year to year to adjust their business plan,” notes Camara, who also offered advice about their web site and relocation of their operations. Initial financing allowed them to move inventory from their home to rented warehouse space. Not long afterward, they moved their warehouse and accounting operations to the same building (their headquarters) in Framingham. In 2002, they purchased a house in Sudbury, where they coordinate customer service. And in 2006, when they began doing their own manufacturing (they had previously contracted their recipes out to food manufacturers), they began making their growing line of products in a facility in Randolph, which has earned ISO 90001:2000 certification and houses Cambrooke’s lab.

 In May of 2006, with assistance from MassDevelopment—the state’s finance and development authority—Cambrooke purchased a three-acre land parcel in Devens. The company plans to consolidate its operations there in a planned 45,000 square-foot facility scheduled to open in 2009. Expanded research and manufacturing space will allow Cambrooke to diversify its products to serve customers with metabolic deficiencies beyond PKU.

“In eight years, Cambrooke’s progress has been impressive,” remarks Camara. “It now has 26 employees, up from a few family members in 2000. Its low-protein food line includes over 70 products, ranging from a line of specialty breads, ready meals, meat alternatives, cheeses, pastas, baking mixes, snack foods, and chocolates.” Earlier this year the company launched Camino pro™, a companion line of metabolic formula products that allow patients to receive their daily amino acids, she continues. And the firm has developed patent-pending sports drinks, David Paolella individual serve sauces, frozen desserts, a snack bar that blend amino acids into shelf-stable formulations. For those and other innovative products and its competitive success, Cambrooke Foods was honored with the 2008 New England Innovation Award from the Smaller Business Association of New England (SBANE).

“Lynn and David’s business acumen and their commitment to their customers has been extraordinary,” observes Camara. “I have every reason to believe that they will bring Cambrooke Foods to the next level. I have never been prouder to work with a client.”