A Lefse Leap of Faith

A Lefse Leap of Faith

Owning Mrs. Olson’s Lefse was not part of Anna Simmers’ life plan.

But when the opportunity arose to buy the family business, she and her husband took a “leap of faith.” 
“It’s been the best thing in my life,” she said.

With degrees in recreation and leisure services and special education, Anna (McIntyre), ’07, ’10, taught for 12 years before becoming a stay-at-home mom.
“I didn’t realize it was okay to change professions; that you can grow and do something different.”

Mrs. Olson 1959

Mrs. Olson’s Lefse has operated as a small-town family business since its founding in 1959. Today, it occupies the former Winsor Township School and two adjoining warehouses in Gonvick, Minnesota.

The company uses locally sourced ingredients, including regionally grown potatoes and flour milled nearby. While lefse is produced year-round, the busiest season runs from Labor Day through New Year’s Day, when the plant produces about 3,000 pounds each day for distribution across the country.

Mrs. Olson’s is increasingly promoting lefse as a wrap. “We’re in the process of developing it as a seasoned potato flatbread.” 

The company now supplies larger food-service sheets to restaurants in Portland and Seattle, where lefse is used for sandwiches and burritos. Some chefs have found that lefse holds together better than traditional tortillas. 

Coming Full Circle

Anna said her UND experiences continue to surface in unexpected ways. Classes in recreation and hospitality helped prepare her for the customer-service side of the business.

“I feel like I’ve come full circle,” she said.

And despite overseeing many thousands of pounds of lefse production each year, Anna still thinks back to making lefse with her grandmother for the holidays.