Local Delivers a ‘Taste of Luxury’ During Pandemic

Fredericton- Although the pandemic caused a halt for many businesses, a twenty-two-year-old local, Maeve McNutt, launched Curated six weeks ago– delivering charcuterie and graving boxes directly to your door. Created in a kitchen at Greener Village, McNutt, alongside her family, assembles the orders. The deliveries take place on Fridays and Saturdays.

During isolation, McNutt felt as though herself, and others, were missing the pleasure of dining at restaurants.

“We were kind of inspired in a weird sort of round-about way by the pandemic because when we were on lockdown–obviously nobody could go out to eat– and we missed that experience, so we wanted to figure out a way to get a little taste of luxury at home, but uniquely and conveniently,” said McNutt.

Curated immediately received support from locals and has sold out each weekend. There are four box options; The Date Night, The Evening In, The Big Box, or a custom board.

Have a large event coming up or a girls’ night? Curated offers all sizes and pre-orders.

Each one includes fresh, local, and homemade ingredients such as a variety of cheeses, jams and honey, crackers, and assortments of meat. They add color with fresh berries, grapes, figs, chocolate sweets, and edible flowers to garnish. Any leftover ingredients get donated to the Greener Village food bank.

They aim to incorporate as many local products into their boxes; produce from the Country Pumpkin, fresh bread from the Happy Baker, ingredients from the Boyce Farmers Market, and more.

“Fredericton is a great place to support local–and upcoming businesses, and we wanted to kind of return the favor and show our appreciation.”

The ingredients differ weekly, so each box comes with a pairing card featuring their favorite combinations to guide you in discovering your own. Name tags get added to personalize each order.

Gracie Gottschalk is a busy university student with a passion for hosting but doesn’t always have the time. McNutt makes charcuterie more convenient for those on the go.

“This way, I am able to order a box in advance, even if it’s weeks or months ahead of time. I’ve had them for things as small as a get-together with a friend or two or doing girl nights with 10-12 people, they’re perfect for any type of event and there’s lots of variety; it’s something that everyone will like,” said Gottschalk.

McNutt is also a UNB student, and the immediate interest made it difficult to balance both her studies and new business. But, her passion for creating the boards and the reactions from customers makes it worth it.

McNutt’s goal is to change the stereotypical view of charcuterie and graving boards.

“There’s kind of this idea that they are a little bit pretentious, or that certain things need to be paired with other things, or that there’s a correct way to do that, and it was really important to me to get away from that,” said McNutt.

They want to create a fun, hassle-free experience that brings people together.

“It’s more than just the food, it’s about the experience of sharing a box with someone.”

Feel like getting creative with Curated? Check out their website and social media to hear what’s in their upcoming boxes and plans for the holiday season approaching.