Ten Years and We’re Just Getting Started
One of the first things we were taught in Business School is that upon launch, don't celebrate too long. You should instead plan for the exit from the business you just created. One prevailing assumption is that there will be others providing services like marketing and product fulfilment. Each organization is tasked with the success of the product, relieving development to create something new. Because we launched desirable products, it was incumbent upon us to continue providing what the market wanted. Making an already successful product better should be at the top of the "things to do" list. We have been successful because our challenge to build solutions instead of products was correct. This has resulted in ten years moving forward.
Our food products are created and sold under the banner "Cookin Wit' Gus", and have been on the market for just north of ten years. Consumers are increasingly drawn to spices for both flavor and perceived health benefits. With a growing interest in global flavors and authentic ingredients, leading to a rise in demand for whole spices and healthy spice blends. We have succeeded in part because there's a growing preference for products with clear origins, single-origin sourcing, and natural/organic production. Consumers have also become more "label conscious". The next time you're in a store, view the contents of blended spice products. On those product labels, you will see ingredients clearly man-made, representing additives and preservatives whose purpose is to extend shelf life.
Our "Ten Years Moving Forward" Strategy
- Use Quality Products
- Be Honest With Consumers
- Stand Behind Your Product
- Do What You Say
- When Wrong, Make It Right
- Make It Right Anyway
When creating our rubs, it was understood that without anti-coagulants, these products would harden well before the end of their shelf life. Pre-sales and marketing addressed this so that consumers understood and bought into what they were purchasing. What you get is a product that's complementary to the food and aromatic to the senses. While some may debate the role of additives and preservatives, you can't debate natural products. Our sauces and seasonings are just different, and guests who taste these products always ask, "What did you use to prepare that dish?".
At the end of the day, hinging success on additive and preservative-free products was understood and accepted. Many consumers gave little thought to what was actually in commercially available spice blends. Most just went along using what they were taught. Those who bought into the concept of using natural products continue to be repeat customers. Ten years moving forward, we're working on the next ten.
"Life's Good When You're Cookin Wit' Gus"
