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Name: DeLiteful Foods, Cafe DeLite

Type of business: Retail store selling packaged food for special diets requiring gluten, egg or dairy free products and adjacent Cafe serving soups, sandwiches and pizza made to accommodate special diets.

Address: In Glendale Plaza strip mall: 4040 Quakerbridge Road, Lawrenceville.

Telephone: (609) 586-7122

Web site: www.delitefulfoods.com

Number of employees: 6

Founded: May 2006

Top officers: Ronni Staffenberg, president and husband, Drew Staffenberg are co-owners.

How would you describe your business?

"DeLiteful Foods is a specialty food shop that carries food and only food," said Ronni Staffenberg. "The food is for special diets. For instance, for those who have celiac disease we carry gluten-free products, low-carb items for diabetics, dairy-free substitutes for those [who are] lactose intolerant. We also offer items that are soy-free. We only carry food items that are dependent on a particular health issue. We don't carry vitamins or nutrition supplements like a health food store. We are open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday; Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 12-5 p.m. The cafe has the same hours but is closed on Sunday.

"Cafe DeLite is adjacent to our retail store and serves soups, salads, sandwiches, and wraps, and pizza. We offer very simple foods. For example, if you were on Weight Watchers and are in their counting points program, we in the cafe can make you a lunch and you would know exactly how many points it is. For instance, we can weigh out the turkey and amount of chips to match your needs."

What makes your business special?

"We are very unique. Our retail store has the largest selection of gluten-free food in the area. We serve Princeton, Trenton, Burlington, Monmouth, and Middlesex counties.

"In the cafe we have separate toaster oven, separate microwave, separate pizza oven, separate cutting boards, separate utensils to prepared food for customers with celiac disease. So if someone with celiac comes here, they can order a hot dog on a gluten-free bun or a wrap and know that they won't be cross-contaminated with anything they shouldn't be eating.

"Our food tastes good.

"Even our samples are arranged on two separate tables with one only for gluten products to prevent the possibility of contamination. We offer a soft serve ice cream, vanilla or chocolate at one carb per ounce. Located in the cafe, the machine is available every day."

What goals do you have for the business?

"Obviously, we are in business to make money. But we both come from helping professions. Drew's training was as a social worker, mine as a special education teacher teaching blind and visually impaired children for the state. It makes us happy that we have people coming and that we are helping them. Our customers tell us we are a godsend, they don't know what they'd do without us, and 'please don't ever close.' It makes us feel terrific. We want to continue to build this business."

How has your business changed?

"About a year-and-a-half ago, the store next to us, which had been selling gelato, decided to leave and we took over the space and created Cafe DeLite, where we could offer cooked items as well as packaged products."

What was your most important deal?

"Every customer is our most important deal. The customers who find us are loyal. Weight Watcher's leaders come here. Customers with celiac needed space to start holding support meetings and we offered them the use of the cafe one night a month."

What changes do you expect in the next 10 years?

"We are hoping to have an online store, hopefully before 10 years."

What is the most important thing you've learned in your business?

"Customer service. It's all about the customer and customer service. Our staff is trained and able to give individual attention to customers who want assistance. They will read every food label if necessary, but they don't provide advice about choosing a food. They find the particular food that your medical professional determines is the best plan for you."

What advice would you give to someone considering your line of work?

"Make sure you understand how time consuming and difficult it is but on the other hand how rewarding it is."

Is there anything else you would rather be doing?

"No. I love it here."