The best of Sanpete County’s businesses and their entrepreneurs gathered at Snow College in January to pay tribute to the very best in customer service, community impact, employee excellence, environmental achievement and collaborative spirit.

The all-around best business in Sanpete for 2025 was SoapCreek Manufacturing, a new personal products company in the county.

Led by Centrecomm’s Director of Development, Chamber President Faylyn Warnick, the event filled the Pioneer Room of Snow College’s administrative building, and welcomed over a hundred members for dinner, motivational talks and awards. The Chamber of Commerce’s main goal is to make membership affordable to small and big businesses throughout the area and connect aspiring business people.

Leading Sanpete’s 2025 “best” was Mardell Kitchens whose restaurants are favorites in Ephraim, Spring City, Fairview and Mount Pleasant. The Mardells were recognized with the Community Impact Award for their county-wide string of great restaurants including Roots 89 Roadhouse in Ephraim, The Corner Station in Fairview, and The Coffee House in Mt. Pleasant, among others.

Receiving the “Innovation” Award for 2025 was SoapCreek Manufacturing located in Ephraim which specializes in water-free, and package-free, organic skin care products. SoapCreek products complete end-to-end manufacturing all take place in Sanpete County. SoapCreek products are manufactured with USDA Certified ingredients.

Best “Customer Service” went to the local and statewide favorite, “Das Café” in a crowded category including nominees, Spring City Mercantile, Harvest Grill, and Good Life Senior Living.

The Sanpete Chamber of Commerce conducts the awards each year and invites businesses to nominate their peers. The event is designed to create awareness and connectivity between merchants in the county. But Faylyn Warnick believes it is the networking between start-ups and longtime local merchants who participate in the Chamber of Commerce which is irreplaceable.

“Businesses tend to grow slowly in rural areas. says Warnick. There are three key pathways to success in a beautiful place like Sanpete County:

1: It’s vitally important for ambitious new business owners to get involved in the Chamber and their communities and build trust.

2: It pays to “advertise.” If your budget is tight. Don’t be afraid of competition and make sure you know exactly what your market is. Das Café has done a beautiful job in creating a its “brand” and being loyal to it. Customers always know who and what Das Café is going to be.

3: Focus on your “niche.” What you do best and stick to it.

Other businesses recognized by the Sanpete County Chamber this past year include:

Mid-Utah Radio, Cycle Sanpete, The Sanpete Pantry, Wasatch Academy, Baxter Manor in Spring City, Snow College, CentreComm, Charlee’s Comfort Kitchen, and Mount Pleasant Animal Hospital.