Charisse McGill, the creator and founder of French Toast Bites was a bright and familiar face in the business community, writes Vince Carey for the Daily Times.

The upbeat entrepreneur was at the pinnacle of her success when she died suddenly in her Aldan home Monday. She was 42.

McGill’s French Toast Bites were getting into grocery stores, and her food stands showed up at major Philadelphia events, including the Auto Show, Spruce Street Harbor Park, and the Flower Show.

She started Lokal Artisan Foods and collaborated with Doylestown Brewing Company to create a French Toast beer.

This past summer, she became the new executive director of the Farmers Market Coalition, a national nonprofit advocating on behalf of 9,000 farmers’ markets.

McGill started out in the food industry business as market manager at the Lansdale Farmers’ Market and became successful in selling lemonade.

From there, she opened up French Toast Bites in 2018 at Philadelphia’s Holiday Market in Dilworth Park.

Over time her business grew.

“I was able to take that product and turn it into a coffee, a beer, a spice blend,” McGill said while being honored by the Philadelphia 76ers as this year’s recipient of the Buy Black Program.

Find out more about Charisse McGill’s impact in the Daily Times.