Layton man’s funnel makes canning easier

Layton man’s funnel makes canning easier

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SALT LAKE CITY — Canning may be fairly simple and very rewarding, but about four years ago Mark Gallegos invented something that made it even easier: the Bottle Mate Canning Funnel.

“Canning is not hard. It’s really not. It’s a time-consuming process, but I’ll tell you it’s very rewarding,” Gallegos explained. “There’s nothing better than fall coming and you seeing your cupboard full of your preserved foods that you worked to do. It’s just such a rewarding feeling. ... (If) you need something, you just go right to the cupboard. You don’t need to go to the store.”

So, what makes Gallegos’ funnel different from any other canning funnel? First, traditional canning funnels are simply round with a spout, so they spin as you pour the food in. His funnel sits securely on both jar sizes — on the inside of the small jars and the outside of the large ones — because it has two rims.

Second, with most canning funnels food spills all over the rims, which can be unsanitary and lead to improper sealing. Due to its design, Gallegos’ Bottle Mate Canning Funnel protects the rims, thus preventing spills.

The Bottle Mate Canning Funnel (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Gallegos)
The Bottle Mate Canning Funnel (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Gallegos)

The Bottle Mate Canning Funnel may be a canner’s dream, but it might not have been created without Gallegos’ mother. The inventor said he owes his love of canning, as well as cooking, to her.

Gallegos was born in Salt Lake City, but grew up in Layton. His father is a WWII Air Force veteran and his mother owned Duke’s Café, on Riverdale Road in Ogden, until she became a chef at Hill Air Force Base. Gallegos remembers cooking and canning with her. While he has five siblings, he is the only one who has kept up the tradition.

“Everything we had was homemade — whether it be a cake or home-cooked meals," he said. "Nothing (came) out of a box.”

He said he appreciates how his mother “really focused on giving her family a healthy alternative to what you buy in stores.” However, he added that canning as a family was about more than health.

Mark Gallegos with his mother. (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Gallegos)
Mark Gallegos with his mother. (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Gallegos)

“It was a big family bind," he said. "It was more economical to do that.”

Gallegos continues to make his own meals each night, despite the fact that he’s now single.

“It’s important to me," he said. "The food’s better for me. One thing I do like is cooking.”

And, of course, he loves canning. Gallegos designed his double-rimmed funnel after having to wipe the rims of 80 or 90 jars of salsa. After an engineer at his work created a working drawing, a company in Ogden printed a 3-D prototype. The designer there warned Gallegos they would probably have to do several runs before it worked right.

“Believe it or not, the prototype they made ... fit like a glove,” Gallegos said. “The funnel that I have now and sell is the exact design of that prototype.”

With his then wife’s encouragement, he went to a patent attorney. Research revealed only one design that was a potential stumbling block. There was still a major difference: the funnel had to be screwed on the jar.

The Bottle Mate Canning Funnel (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Gallegos)
The Bottle Mate Canning Funnel (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Gallegos)

Nevertheless, Gallegos went to speak to the inventor, who it turns out had never pursued marketing his design, because he realized people were unwilling to screw it on and off the jars. So, he sold Gallegos his patent.

The canning funnel took off quickly after Gallegos showed it to a few local retailers. He spent two years selling his funnel at farmers markets and special events throughout Northern Utah. He named his private business MJ Enterprizes.

From farmers markets, he started selling his funnels to stores — mostly local ones such as Orson H. Gygi, For Your Kitchen, Kitchen Kneads, Smith and Edwards, and Rainbow Gardens. However, he also sells to Sportsman’s Warehouse, IFA, C-A-L Ranch, and KitchenKrafts, which is a mail-order company.

The Bottle Mate Canning Funnel has even been featured on “Chef Bryan” and in the magazine "Edible Wasatch."

Mark Gallegos (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Gallegos)
Mark Gallegos (Photo: Courtesy of Mark Gallegos)

Since it’s important to Gallegos that jobs stay in the United States, he has decided not to manufacture his funnel abroad. That decision has actually helped rather than hindered his business. He said people appreciate that his product stays in "ma and pa" shops and is manufactured locally. In fact, people who aren’t canners have bought his funnel simply because they like that it’s local. Plus, there’s the benefit of the Utah’s Own endorsement.

He said when people buy the funnel, they often go back to buy more for loved ones.

Things have gone well for Gallegos. However, no one is without their obstacles. Three years ago, doctors discovered Gallegos had a brain tumor. While surgery cleared it completely, he had to do a lot of therapy to regain skills like walking and balance.

However, he hasn’t let that stop him.

“It’s been a good journey for me, despite the setbacks and my brain tumor and my surgery," he said.


![Katrina Hawkins](http://img.ksl.com/slc/2584/258498/25849802\.jpg?filter=ksl/65x65)
About the Author: Katrina Hawkins \---------------------------------

Katrina Lynn Corbridge Hawkins is a graduate of Brigham Young University, a Utah native, and a freelance writer. You can contact her at katrina.hawkins21@gmail.com.

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