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Tune in to the HuttCast Podcast where we explore an expansive array of topics—from life lessons and business insights to the latest in automotive trends and current events. As a seasoned leader in the business community, I bring practical perspectives to the table, breaking down complex issues with common sense that seems all too rare these days. Join us on HuttCast, where no topic is off limits and every conversation is an opportunity to learn something new.
HuttCast
From Shark Tank to Sauce Success: Chef Richard Cooper's Flavorful Journey
Chef Richard Cooper, the creative force behind O Eddie's Finishing Sauce, joins us to share his exhilarating journey in the culinary world. Imagine pitching a unique product on Shark Tank and then bouncing back from setbacks with unstoppable optimism—that's Richard's story. From a successful showcase at the Anoka County Fair to a thrilling attempt to impress Shark Tank producers, Richard talks candidly about the highs and lows of pursuing his dream and the passion that fuels him to keep going.
Richard offers a fascinating glimpse into the intricate dance of small business success, with a special focus on the art of branding and storytelling. His journey from personal sauce production to strategic partnerships with co-packing companies reveals the challenges and triumphs of scaling a business. With riveting stories about securing distribution deals through Ron Mar Distribution, landing his products in major stores like Hy-Vee and Kowalski's, and his rapid expansion into Von Hansen's locations, Richard underscores the power of strong relationships and a robust distribution network.
The flavorful world of competitive barbecue serves as a vibrant backdrop in this episode. Richard shares his passion for barbecue competitions, recounting victories, setbacks, and the lessons learned along the way. Whether he's contemplating the logistics of starting a food truck or dreaming up his own rib smoking contest, Richard's dedication to expanding his sauce's reach into larger markets is palpable. Listeners will gain insights into the complexities of retail dynamics, the nuances of competition politics, and the relentless pursuit of culinary excellence. Tune in for a taste of Richard's flavorful journey and the savory secrets behind O Eddie's Finishing Sauce.
Oh Eddies Sweet Whiskey Bourbon Sauce is guaranteed to step up your next barbeque. Made in Minnesota
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2, 3, 4. 2, 3, 4. Secretly recorded from deep inside the bowels of a decommissioned missile silo, we bring you the man, one single man, who wants to bring light to the darkness and dark to the lightness. Although he's not always right, he is always certain. So now, with security protocols in place, the protesters have been forced back behind the barricades and the blast doors are now sealed. Without further delay, let me introduce you to the host of HuttCast, mr Tim Huttner.
Speaker 2:Thank you, sergeant-at-arms. You can now take your post. The views and opinions expressed in this program are solely those of the individual and participants. These views and opinions expressed do not represent those of the host or the show. The opinions in this broadcast are not to replace your legal, medical or spiritual professionals. Welcome to Podcast Sunday medical or spiritual professionals. Welcome to the HuttCast Sunday 11-17-2024. We have a special guest in our studio, one of our gold sponsors, richard Cooper, chef Richard Cooper of O Eddy's Finishing Sauce. He's been on a number of world things going on and we're going to catch up with him today and say hey, eddie, what's going on? So for Headcast Standby, we're going to have a conversation with O Eddie's Finishing Sauce.
Speaker 3:This grilling season, take your taste buds to the next level. The sauce that'll change your barbecue forever. O Eddie's Whiskey Bourbon Sauce is going to be at the Anoka County Fair. O Eddie's Whiskey Bourbon Sauce is going to be at the Anoka County Fair. O Eddie's Whiskey Bourbon Sauce is all about that split second when the tender meat and delectable sauce touches your taste buds. Don't believe me. Chef Richard Cooper is bringing O Eddie's Whiskey Bourbon Sauce to the Anoka County Fair so you can taste it and become a believer yourself. O Eddie's Whiskey Bourbon Sauce the sauce that's worth the wait.
Speaker 2:Welcome back to the podcast. Richard Cooper Chef Richard Cooper is in our studios. Can you hear me, okay? Yes, I can. Thanks for coming out and setting this up and let's have a conversation, because the last time we spoke you were on. I'll have to check my episode schedule, but you had a lot of things going on and since then I've heard and I've been kind of following that you were trying to get on Shark Tank. Is that correct?
Speaker 4:Yes, I actually, after the six days of selling sauce at Noca County Fair before that, I saw that they had five live call castings that they do every year and the last one happened to be in Indianapolis, and so I booked a flight for that Sunday afternoon hotel and shipped some of my product down there marketing materials. But there was no guarantee to get on this show. But it was basically just get in front of the producers and hopefully show your business. On your side you have about a two-minute pitch. So after six days of selling at the Noca County Fair, I jumped on that flight on Sunday afternoon and got to my hotel in Indianapolis and stayed up all night trying to get my two-minute pitch down. You only have one shot at this and there was no guarantee that I was going to get in front of them. They only hand out 500 wristbands. They got to stand in line and fight all these other entrepreneurs that are trying to get in front of them as well.
Speaker 4:So about 6 o'clock in the morning we rolled over there to the stadium. It was Indianapolis Speedway actually. I got there early enough so I made sure I got in line. You know it was a fight to get on that line, I'll tell you, and it was about 7 o'clock in the morning, but they went through the whole thing and I ended up sort of handing out wristbands and I ended up getting one and the number I had was 265. And I'm like 265 entrepreneurs before me. There ain't no way I'm getting my flight out of here and I was just like wow what the?
Speaker 4:heck. And I mean there ain't no way I'm getting my flight out of here. And I was just like wow, what the heck? And all of a sudden we get in there and they disclose everything and how it's all going to work. But it was so funny. We're not going to start on wristband number one, we're going to pull it out of the hat Really. Yeah, it was 201. So I only had 64 entrepreneurs in front of me. So I'm like, wow, great, I'm going to be able to make my flight out of here and I won't have to change it or anything like that. So I was very blessed to get that happen.
Speaker 4:So again here we go. The Lord works in mysterious ways, you know. So it was a 40-hour turnaround up all night trying to get this pitch. But I got in front of them, and usually only there for a couple minutes in that, in front of the table, in front of the producer, but I asked producer.
Speaker 4:I go hey, can you uh open this up and smell this and taste it? I want to see the expression on your face. And she goes well, is it gluten-free? And I go, uh, nope, she goes, well, I can't try that. Then I'm like, well, right there, I'm like that's not a very good sign, but anyway.
Speaker 4:So I was up there for quite a while. It seemed like a long time, but they said if you get a call within two weeks from an area code number, that was us calling you, so make sure you answer it. We want to invite you to get in front of the Sharks actually in LA and try to pitch a product and get a deal done. Well, I wore that wristband for a whole month, never got the call. But anyway, there's a reason for everything. Maybe the timing wasn't right, so I took that as that. We're going to give it another try again in January, coming up when they do the live call casting schedule again. But this year I wasn't able to get out there. They had five of them with the east coast and west coast and it was just way too much travel and to try it again. But so we're waiting for this year. Now we've got a lot of things going on and we've seen where OLEs is going and hopefully they'll get my applications I keep sending in to them.
Speaker 4:I did three of them just sent in, but they got so many of them, tim, and you just never know when it's going to happen, so maybe it wasn't ready for last time, but we're going to give it another shot. So it was a great experience. It was a lot of fun and it was very exciting for me. So again, I'm very blessed by having that opportunity. So it was a good time.
Speaker 2:Not many people get an invitation to the target?
Speaker 4:No, again. That's why the producers, they look at all the applicants and applications that come in and then they'll take the ones that they did at the live call casting.
Speaker 4:They're the ones that pick and choose who gets in front of them to get the deal, and even when you do get the call and go out there and get in front of them, you might not even get that. They videotape them all, so you might not even get on the show. But you might still get a deal or not a deal, but you're not guaranteed to be on the show. They're looking for charismatic people to make it exciting, so we'll see We'll give it another shot though.
Speaker 2:Hmm, looking to sell the drama behind it too. I suppose it's a show. I mean, it's what they do.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and they can take you everywhere. And that's my goal, is my exit strategy and hopefully find an investor or them and get in front of them and create a deal and get this thing worldwide, if not nationwide.
Speaker 1:And they're the ones that can help you.
Speaker 4:So even if you don't get a deal, a lot of entrepreneurs went on and moved on forward and became successful without them, but it gets you the exposure and that's what's really exciting about it.
Speaker 2:I can only imagine that kind of exposure. Yeah it's amazing, yeah, especially if you're one chosen to get that kind of exposure.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it's amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, especially if you're one chosen to get to that end point. Yeah Right, it's hard though. Wow, so you flew down there. Is that what you did to Indianapolis?
Speaker 4:Yeah yeah. I took a late afternoon flight and got in there in the evening and got to the hotel and grabbed my six case. I shipped down there. I sold a half a case. I sold what? Six jars? Just in the outside doing my pitch and in front of my mirrors and selling it to the staff and some of the residents that were there for the evening. But it was pretty fun.
Speaker 2:Interesting Exhausting, though I can imagine it's a switch you turn it on and you hang on until you're done.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah yeah, it was pretty crazy, but you only have two minutes and you have to have that pitch. You've got one shot at it, so you've got to make sure it's right, but it was a 40-hour turnaround. I was pretty beat up but it was so much fun.
Speaker 2:And I look forward to doing it again. So you sold a bunch at the anoka county fair.
Speaker 4:How did that go? Well, let me tell you, it's a the setting up these fairs and events I've done erx, racetrack and uh, three years in a row and a lot of other events. Never did one farmer's market, but that is um, it's kind of a uh got bad karma or some. I sold a lot of cases and got a lot of exposure. But uh, last two years, well, a year ago, the storm came through and wiped out my whole canopy and tent and on a friday and it was hot and humid, there wasn't much traffic but we still did. We still did really good sales.
Speaker 4:But I had to have, uh, I had to have my wife run out to Walmart and get a whole new canopy and get it set up again for the weekend, and so the cost was there. The sales weren't there for the first four days. It was just way too hot and humid, but we, we survived it and we got up and going and we made up for it over the weekend. You know, but all these events, um, it's the setup and everything. It's just by yourself. It's it's a lot of work but it's so rewarding and it's so much fun now your moniker, your, your company image is the camaro.
Speaker 2:Did you have that at the fair?
Speaker 4:No, they would not let me. I'd like to have that there next to my booth but for some reason they wouldn't let me have it Because that would drive a lot of people will come by and see the car and then want to know what the deal and the story is. They wouldn't let me do that, probably for security and insurance reasons whatever, I have no idea. But the car shows do real well. I can just go to car shows and basically sell more than a case every time. I'm there giving samples, interacting with all the car gurus and all the people at these events, so that's fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would think the car gurus and all the people at these events. So that's fun.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I would think the car would draw. Yeah, well, you know, I'll tell you, tim, there's so many people that will taste the sauce and look at it and go well, what's the deal with the car? I'm not going to buy your sauce just because of the car.
Speaker 3:I don't even know what it is right.
Speaker 4:I'm like well, you want to know the story. The story is I bought it after beating, cancer and da-da-da-da, but I wouldn't buy it just because of the car. I don't know what it is. So that's why you have to get the brand out and get everybody to sample it and actually enjoy it and know what the story is behind the car and on the label and on the branding.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm, mm-hmm is behind the car and on the label and on the branding. Now, what is your? What do you expect the ramp-up rate to get the next level of?
Speaker 4:production, well, production, well before we had our last podcast here, that was in November of 2023. So April of 2023 was the first production of, uh, uh, the co-packing company, yeah, yeah, making a thousand jars, and that's uh. So we finally got it to that point and I was saying, god, I'm so glad they're doing this now and I have more time for myself to really, um, get the exposure and do what I need to do. But you know, what it never had, never panned out yeah, I'm not making it anymore.
Speaker 4:I'm not, I'm not, I'm not buying all the products, jarring it, labeling it and all that stuff. Right, they're doing it and it's still. My time is so consumed with. Now it's finding distribution, and that's a whole new level in itself and a challenge and I'm experiencing all that now. But that was 1,000, what 100? It was over 1,000 jars. Okay, then we had our second production run of 1,440 jars in July. So it was only three months later that we were able to get another run. That's how the sales were going. Wow, yeah, it was really really good. Three months later that we were able to get another run. That's how the sales were going. Wow, yeah, it was really really good. And since then, well, now I got distribution.
Speaker 4:It started this year. At the end of April I found a local company, ron Mar Distribution, in Minnetonka and they're going to help me get into Hy-Vees and Kowalskis and some high major retail stores, and so I was really excited and looking forward to that. But that was a challenge in itself. You know they cut into your margins and I was ready for that, but so far they've done a really good job. They got me into 10 Hy-Vees, 5 Kowalskis and during that year of 2023, von Hansen's I finally got a hold of the right person there and Von Hansen's they delivered two cases to Chanhassen. Okay, well, they sold in three days the two cases and then they said, well, let's try another demographic area. So we did one down in Apple Valley apple valley, okay, yeah that went really well two
Speaker 4:cases in two days. So I get a call on a friday tim and they said uh well, we, we'd love to have your product in all our stores. I'd like you to deliver two cases to every single location in minnesota. Here there's 23 of them. They got one in Arizona, Chandler. So I said I will never take this for granted. So that night I loaded up my car with all these cases and I drove 350 miles that Saturday morning throughout the whole day and delivered two cases to every single bond hand. And they're doing real well, very well, and I'm very blessed.
Speaker 2:That's kind of like two peas in a pod. There right the finishing sauce and it's a well-established, great place to buy steaks and all the meat products, right right.
Speaker 4:But I kid you not, I remember every manager's names at their locations. I visit them frequently and so as they kept selling it and it was going really fast, I had to keep driving around. So that's where I needed kind of distribution. So distribution came in. But I made them an offer they couldn't refuse. I gave them a better margin, a better price on the jars. I gave them a better margin, a better price on the jars and I basically said I'll drop ship it to your distribution center in Circle Pines, the sausage house, and they basically will deliver the product themselves to all those locations. So that was a good relief too and that's still going real well.
Speaker 2:Now what are the chances of the Hy-Vee gig?
Speaker 4:Well, the Hy-Vee that was kind of crazy. We started out doing about seven different locations throughout the metro area and just trying to bring a package in with a sell sheet and visit the managers. That day, spring Lake Park, hy Park IV ordered five cases right away. The meat manager you know, that's a family, that's an employee-owned company really but they can make their own decisions. You don't have to find the big wig to get them to decide whether they want to carry it or not. They can make their own decisions. So that was really really wonderful and it got me very excited.
Speaker 4:So then we got into the other ones. So now we're in, like I said, we're in nine or ten of those locations and my commitment to doing demo setups and sampling the sauce to have the traction and the movement and the sales to hopefully keep going in there. And you never want to have your product on the shelves and all of a sudden it's empty or it's not moving. Then you kind of lose that shelf space and it's very important to make sure that your product is moving and it's always stocked. So next thing, you know, we ended up getting in 10 of them and so I'm running around doing that and then the only way I can get into Kowalski's was to find a distribution company, and Ronmar was one of them that they would use. And so we're in five of the Kowalski's locations and I'm looking to hopefully get into more.
Speaker 4:So that was exciting too. But all the setup and demos for you know, really Thursday, friday, saturday I don't do Sundays, I need to relax. So I'm doing these demo samples and it's so great to interact with all these customers and managers and employees at IVs and these big retail grocery stores to watch the traction and movement of the sales and have fun with their customers. It's really a lot of fun. It really is.
Speaker 2:I suppose. I mean, it's kind of like when you go out and if you run for office you get to walk up to everybody's house and you have a piece of paper in your hand and you want to talk about their city or the government or whatever you're running for. But you're running for, but you're right in front of them all the time.
Speaker 4:So you're literally.
Speaker 2:I mean that's a pretty good gig.
Speaker 4:Yeah, it is, and it's hard. To someone said, well, you need to pass the torch and I'm like, well, I got to find people or somebody that can sell the. You know, sell my product with the passion and my mission, vision and story that I have. And some of those people are kind of hard to find but they're out there and I have found a couple of them. But you know, what's really great is that when you're there and you, hey, can I interest you to try my sweet and savory whiskey, bourbon sauce, specialty sauce. Well, sure, and some people will walk by and go Richard, I already got it and I keep buying it and I buy it here and there. I love it. I can't stop buying it, I just love it. I love your product and that's really great to hear as well.
Speaker 2:Right Now. If you were to start expanding this, let's talk the business side of this. Mm-hmm. There's really so much margin in a product. I don't care if it's X, y and Z you have to build it, get it, create it, mass produce it. Now you have to distribute it. So if this distribution is such a thing, you really have to have a company to do it. Or can you like Do it myself? Yeah well, hire couriers. How would you get to each station without giving away the farm? You've still got profit to make.
Speaker 4:Well, that's why all the education and putting it all together makes sure that you have the right margins for everybody to make your product successful, and so you have to build that in in the early stages, which we did.
Speaker 4:And because it's a specialty sauce, people, um, you know, when you're you're paying 10 or 11 for a jar of sauce and I'm shipping it plus five dollar shipping charge. So they're paying 18 bucks a jar. But that margin for the retail. You know copac company charges me this price and then then you've got to have the distribution, so you've got to fit that margin in there too and then they sell it to the retail stores at, hopefully, a 30% to 45% margin is what they're looking at. But the margins are still there and everybody can make money and increase their new organic growth sales. So it's there. And everybody can make money and increase their new organic growth sales. So it's there. And there's also movement. There's also room to if the products are selling. You can do specials and bring the price down just to get it moving. But people are buying it and it's moving.
Speaker 4:And I can't believe how my mind works. You know, everywhere I go, every store, I look at shelf space, I look at this and that I see what sauce are moving and all these different brands that are on the shelves and they're just sitting there. You know they move them. But how did they? You know it's so hard to get in there, tim, but how did they? You know it's so hard to get in there, tim, that you've got to make sure that you are actually moving the product and making sure the customers are knowing where to find your product. It doesn't matter the demographics, your race, religion it doesn't matter, or your financial. If people like a product or your service, doesn't matter what it is, they're going to spend the money on it, no matter how hard the times are or anything they will. That's why people go to the fresh meat markets. They'll spend quality. You'll spend good money for quality product and then they'll buy the high-end sauces or rubs or whatever. So it was really good, sure.
Speaker 2:Now what's your MSRP on the bottle?
Speaker 4:Well, manufacturer's sale price about $9.99 to $10.99.
Speaker 2:Okay, so about $10 a bottle.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And your last gross shipment, 1,000 bottles.
Speaker 4:You said the first production was 1,000 jars and then the second production. Obviously, your margins get better the more product, yeah, you order, and so the price goes down. The Copac company, that's how they work, the bigger volume yeah.
Speaker 4:So the bigger volume you can get ordered and pallets on hand. Well, my margins are better and that makes distribution's margins better and the retail stores have a better margin as well. But the price is there. The price is set for pretty much everybody. All my locations. It's anywhere from $9.99 to $11.99. So people are paying for it. They're tired of the same old sauce. They're tired of the same old product. We're creatures of habit, tim. We buy the same food products. We cook the same food over and over and over. We're boring, we're creatures of habit. So O Eddy's is trying to educate and teach people. Give people the opportunity to use my recipes that's one on every label that we've created and try something different and experience it and have fun cooking and eating food again. We got to, as more people are barbecuing and smoking and grilling and baking at home, but a lot of people aren't educated. They don't know how to do this. So we are going to help them, educate them and have fun cooking again and eating. Fun cooking again and eating.
Speaker 2:I suppose the special recipes that you put together and you put them on certain bottles gives you a meniscus of what bottles went out when. What's your ROI return investment, who's using what? Does that kind of help you at the shelf level?
Speaker 4:Yeah, well, I started with my top ten recipes and there's one on every label. Now they're also listed on my website where they can go in and retrieve them. I thought about just putting them on the labels, but then, and not on a website. That way, when they run out of sauce and they need another recipe, they'll go and get another jar. Well, it could be hindsight, 2020, but look at this, if you put it on the website, too, and they got your sauce, well, they're only using a couple ounces at a time, so they'll go on and get another recipe and then keep using the bar until it's done and up. And we continue to create more, get more recipes. Matter of fact, I just finally got into the wild game A couple of my neighbors. They're hunters, so I just did a recipe of a bacon wrap, rosemary duck and grouse.
Speaker 1:Nice.
Speaker 4:I'm not a hunter, tim, and your name's Hunt Isn't that funny, I'm just kidding. So I got them on there. So I'd like to do more of the bear and the venison will be coming up, and elk moose whatever you have, I have recipes for them. So I want the game hunters and the hunters to get excited about using O Eddie's product on their wild game, and a lot of them just use the same, cook it the same way. So hopefully, we get them excited as well. Well, let's shift the gear here.
Speaker 2:Now, I know this is a finishing sauce for meats. Yep, what if you're the non-meat-eating type? Can you use it into that type of venue?
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah. So you know, like my salmon and asparagus recipe. I mean, if somebody's not a meat eater but they're a fish eater, it's so easy to use my recipes and no mess, no fuss, no cleanup and it.
Speaker 4:but you can use it on salads and sandwiches and egg rolls. So it really salads and sandwiches and egg rolls. So really they're using it on everything. And I just had somebody post on Facebook from Colorado they use the sauce on an omelet, on their breakfast omelet. No kidding, I never, I mean, I didn't even think about that. But see, so people are trying different things with the sauce and they're getting excited about it. So it's pretty cool. Wow. Well, let's pretty cool, wow.
Speaker 2:Well, let's plug the website here. Where can we find this?
Speaker 4:It's oedyswhiskeybourbonsaucecom and that website has been changed and updated several times and it actually was down for about eight weeks. I kept trying to find. You know, people talk to talk and don't walk the walk, but this all the rhythm and stuff. When you see you're looking for something, all these different companies come up. We can help you do this and do that and make you successful, make your product grow and website design, but they so it was down for eight weeks, weeks and I lost a lot of online sales. But we battled through that and I found the right person after you know people taking advantage of me. But now we got.
Speaker 4:I got somebody that's very good and, uh, he's taking care of my website, redesigned it and, um, taking care of all my social media my YouTube and Facebook and Instagram and making the necessary changes and trying to get the search in the SEOs and all the reasons. So we get OITs up there on them pages when people are looking for recipes or different types or whatever comes up. So that's challenging the social media website webs. All that is so challenging and one person can't do all that. So you need help and everybody has their very everybody's got their expertise in certain areas. Yep, doesn't matter what you are a mechanic, if you're a chef, doesn't matter absolutely. And so you have to reach out to these people to really help you get to where you want to go.
Speaker 2:How about the guys in the professional smoking contests, the Burt Youngs, all those?
Speaker 4:guys. Yeah Well, you look on. I was got to do is type in barbecue rib contest.
Speaker 2:Yeah right.
Speaker 4:It just pops up Everything all over the United States and it's amazing that these, how good people can be doing these rib fest and contests. And, oh, Eddie's, we did one in July of 2023. I don't know if we mentioned that on the podcast when yeah, when we were here last time. No, that was in July.
Speaker 1:No, we did yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I won my first barbecue for Rib Fest yeah, we did talk about that. And the second one. I remember my smoker went down, but this year I tried it again.
Speaker 4:uh, somehow I forgot my my own spice and I'll tell you, I got there and I didn't win and I'm like, why didn't I win this? I mean, expectations are high for me, but the sauce was there, the sales were there, but I had to buy someone else's spices that were there another competitor. So I I think, uh, the mix of my spice and their spice didn't hit the palate of these people that were coming in and judging and all that. But hey, there's a reason for everything. Right, you learn from it. It was a mistake, but hey, we're going to try it again.
Speaker 2:We will try it again. Well, they say, losing builds character.
Speaker 4:Yeah, right Because in today's world.
Speaker 2:That's the problem. Everybody gets a participation trophy.
Speaker 4:Well, it's not just about trophies. I mean, for me it's exposure, and just getting everybody to enjoy my sauce. But yeah again, failure is not an option. And whatever you do, and if you do fail, remember last time. You learn by your failures. Here's what not to do. Yeah, yeah, right, right and make the changes. Well, how about if?
Speaker 2:Eddie's was to hold a rib smoking contest.
Speaker 4:Well, that sounds like a really good suggestion and an opportunity, probably, but I don't know. There's no way I could put it together. I don't know. I would need help. I just don't have enough time. The time is so precious.
Speaker 2:Well, you have a spot at the New York County Fair, so, instead of having a booth table, why don't you have a smoke? Smoke off.
Speaker 4:Well, there again, you have to get it approved by certain vendors and a location. But a lot of people say, you know, if you've got all these recipes in your sauce, why don't you start a food truck? I'm like, yeah, I could and I could probably be very successful, but that is so much work. People don't realize how much work it is.
Speaker 2:Oh, food trucks are work.
Speaker 4:Absolutely A lot of work. And I don't need that because I have the recipes and I have the sauce and I can focus and do a lot better. But now that ain't. I thought about that too, but the cost is very, very expensive and you got to be everywhere you know to set up and sell that product. And if you make all that product and you ain't selling it, well then it goes. You know the pig farms for the pigs? I don't know. I just that's not where I really wanted to go, but I could if things change. What's about exposure?
Speaker 2:It is a lot of exposure If you hold it. Think about it. You have the setup. You're going to do racks or ribs or whatever the contest is. You have a trophy I mean trophies are cheap and you get these local guys who are jumping on this because there's a lot of smoking teams.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you say you got to use Eddie's sauce. Knock yourself out on your spices. Here's the racks or ribs you go.
Speaker 4:Yeah, Well, they have that big one down in mystic lake uh casino and it's a huge, huge one and they have big semis that come in with their big banners and then these are some serious smoking competition people and they've got a lot of money invested and they have their own spices and their sauce too. But what's really cool about google or when you look up stuff like that and the SEOs and the all the rhythm now I've been seeing a lot of because O'Eddy's is getting out there right. So I'm seeing these barbecue rib fest competitions throughout the United States that have been going on and people are saying, oh, our company, we finished second or third and this, and that, Well, sometimes I'll just go, hey, I'll tap on there and I'll comment. Well, if you're looking to try to get first place, maybe you should try to order a jar of O'Eddy's and it could possibly give you that jump to that next level to win first place.
Speaker 2:A pity sale.
Speaker 4:Yeah Huh, the pity sale. A pity sale, is that what you call?
Speaker 2:it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I never thought about it that way, but no, I'm just like hey, it can help you win if you're a good rib fest competitor or chicken or whatever you're doing now, right, and just buy a jar.
Speaker 4:If you're finishing second and third or fourth, well, what is the problem? What is the issue then? Is it the sauce or is it how you're preparing it? I don't know, but for me and the experience I had, wow. All I know is that that little one or two ounces of sauce after I did my ribs was amazing and I couldn't believe I wanted to go.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you don't want to be in the business of working against the people who buy your product.
Speaker 4:Well, think about it, tim. We already are when I go in and see where my sauce jars are at whether they're five cases deep on the top of a reach-in meat cooler, or if it's not at my sauce, or none, or oh, it is not on the shelves where all the other barbecue sauce is at. So when you see all that and you look at the pricing and you look at the staging, that makes a lot of difference, you know. But right there on top, reachable, and if they know what you have, they'll buy it.
Speaker 2:You said earlier that humans were creatures of habit, and that's absolutely correct. When I smoke and I'll do I do briskets, I do chicken, it's pretty much across the board. Sure, you have the right type of smoke, you have the right type of saturation of smoke, the way you prepare it, the temperatures you prepare it, I mean it's all and once. You have your formula, yeah, now you have to see if that formula is good for the people that hit the pallet. Like you said, it's got to hit the pallet, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, do you, do you spin that apple cart one over it because we want to try Eddie's sauce, or I mean? There's a lot going on and people who win don't change.
Speaker 4:It. It's the losers that change. Yes, that's correct, but the and the people that aren't winning first place and feel they have what, the you know, the good product or their good way of smoking or grilling or baking doesn't matter, but only if they are the ones that are going to learn how to compete with the bigwigs that keep on winning and winning. And some people say, well, the judging, it can be rigged, or this, that I'm not a believer in that.
Speaker 4:I think judges are looking for something that's outstanding and it hits their palate and all the criteria that goes into the judging for them. So you have to adapt and figure out why are they winning and why am I not? If it's the sauce, maybe. If it's your spice, maybe. Maybe you're not doing the 3-2-1. They call it three hours, two hours, one hour when you're smoking.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I get that, or you've got to leave the conspiracy out of it, because now you're turning it political yeah and I don't bring politics into any of that. Oh no, no, I'm talking about smoking politics not national.
Speaker 4:Yeah, right, right.
Speaker 2:No I know that.
Speaker 4:Yeah, the politics and the smoking.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 4:There's. You know, anything can happen, but throw your best skills and your best product out there and see what happens and learn from what happened at that event and try again. Don't be afraid, it's easy. It's really not that hard.
Speaker 2:So Von Hansen is your main serve now right, Well, they are.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we're 23 locations, okay, and I don't have to deliver it anymore, which is great, nice. But now it's the Hy-Vees and the Kowalskis and I'm in a doggy boutique that are selling, I'm in hair salons, I'm in smoke shops and convenience gas stations, but again, those are the ones that I worked on to get it in there and hopefully keep the movement. But now it's really trying to get into your Lunds and Bylers, albertsons and all that. That's even more of a challenge. But IV, that could be my number. That can get me nationwide, that can get OEDs nationwide, and the only way we're going to do that is hopefully get in about four or five more locations here in the cities, minnesota, and then they got their distribution center in Iowa.
Speaker 4:Now it's huge, huge, huge. And so hopefully, once we see the traction and movement in the numbers, I can get a hold of the marketing sales reps big weeks down there and the corporate office and see if we can get them to order pallets at a time. I'll drop, ship them myself, give them a better margin, leave the distribution out, because my distribution company cannot get me the logistics to get where I need to go. They can't even get me up to northern Minnesota or southern Minnesota, so we continue to just market and brand our product and ship online. And, matter of fact, well, let's see April, we'll go into that later. But yeah, so I just got to keep trying to get the product in as many, many locations as I can.
Speaker 4:And are your big retail or grocery stores the ones that you want to target? Well, sure, but if the product doesn't move, you know they'll discontinue your product and remove you off the shelf, but that hasn't happened yet. With low 80s, uh, we're, we're next to some pretty big brand name sauces. You know kinders and you know stubs, sure, and I see the movement. I see the movement and I see their jars just sitting there. Maybe they're restocking them more than mine, I don't know, but I just I see it. So we're right next to them and we're on the shelves next to them too, and I see the movement and their pricing and people are okay with it.
Speaker 2:So you can order online. Right, you have like a page you can order from. Yeah, right on the website. Okay, let's try something. Let's say everybody who's listening to this show gets 10% off with a promo code HUDCAST. Yeah, can you set that up on your?
Speaker 4:computer? Yes, I can. Matter of fact, this new website admin I have, we're going to do a Black Friday special, nice, and I currently have my holiday package special where you get a hoodie, t-shirt and hat, nice.
Speaker 4:That are well-made and they're all embroidered. And so you get that a jar of sauce, a recipe, and then I'll gift-wrap it and we'll ship it to her and deliver it to you in person, if you're local, but we'll ship it, gift wrap it for that special person. That's hard to buy and we give them a special deal on the pricing and then we also offer the free shipping.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm not giving away for you. You have to say this is okay. I just brought up an idea Like let's see.
Speaker 4:Well, that's how it starts. It's people like you or other people that run into me at these demos or wherever they see me and they want to help me, they want to promote it or can we do this or do that, and I'm like absolutely Help me get it out there.
Speaker 2:Well, Eddie, I've always been on your side.
Speaker 4:Well, thank you very much.
Speaker 2:You know that I mean since day one, I mean since we met, it's like okay, you got something cool here, let's grow this, Isn't it?
Speaker 4:amazing. Yeah, I never thought it would go this far, tim. I really didn't, you know, I really didn't. And so the last time, in November, we did this podcast, my mission was to travel. Well, in April of this year 2024, I couldn't get a motorhome, yet I tried to get yours.
Speaker 2:That's how it started.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's how it started, Because my mission, vision and story is that's where I need to be and need to go. But I rented a classy motorhome and I loaded up 30 cases of my product, Wow, and I drove 2,100 miles in six days, Holy cow. Yeah, me and my brother David, and we just started here in Iowa, and then it was Illinois, and then Missouri and Kansas City Wow, Mississippi, Memphis, Arkansas, you know. And then back around again, and my goal was to come back empty. You know, just get the exposure. Well, you know, again, things happen. You got to adapt so I wasn't able to set up my booths anywhere and people were, you know, you try to set up in Walmarts, party lots or all these places, kind of getting in trouble. But it rained for three days so I had a hard time getting set up. So then I had to adapt. So well, what do we do? So, you know, what I did is I started targeting fresh-cut meat markets throughout those states and cities, right, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:And I got five of them to bite and commit and they each bought a case and we put their business name and logo and pictures on the website to let everybody know we're in Missouri and Arkansas, right, right, right, like a real-time thing, yeah, yeah, so that panned out pretty good and they each bought a case and never heard from them. Kept reaching out to them when we got back. It was a good experience. It was not profitable, but we did get some exposure did you have fun?
Speaker 4:yeah, we had fun. What did you rent? What kind of coach? It was a class c motorhome, uh-huh, it was probably like I wanted 20 footers, like that. Yeah, nothing special, and that uh really wasn't the most comfortable thing to be in, anyway, I'm not kidding. So that's why I wanted your motorhome and, uh, no, really something that's more comfortable and for the record, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I mean it makes a huge difference when you're traveling eddies and I met on a.
Speaker 2:I was selling my old coach, yeah, and he answered one of the ads that we had out there and we, we just it just kind of happened that way. Yeah, so Go ahead. Oh yeah, and it was just, it just kind of grew from there and then we started to get to know each other and say, hey, you know, we got a lot in common, yeah, so that's how it all started. For my listeners it was just a, it was Whore sale piece up here in Minnesota, usa. For the other guys out in the world, yeah, and it was just. Yeah, it just kind of happened yeah.
Speaker 4:But you know again, the Lord works in mysterious ways and there's a reason why that didn't happen, tim.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no, it wasn't a big thing.
Speaker 4:Well, it is to me, because maybe the Lord is saying the timing's not right, you know, and I'm pushing too hard or pushing too fast, and so that's why you kind of wait for things to just keep falling into place. Right, we're going to get there.
Speaker 2:We're going to get there you heard the term when the devil heals your feet. Hit the roof, you know he's in trouble. Yeah, that means you're on the go and he's got to deal with it. So that's what the Lord's for right, oh yeah. Well, if he sees the good in you and what's going on, he'll get you to where you need to go, yeah, but the Lord gets your feet up and the devil worries about where they're at.
Speaker 4:Yeah no doubt the Lord gets your feet up and the devil worries about where they're at. Yeah, no doubt. Here's another thing is that since then I never had any orders down there, and so I directed my energy and time to other resources locally and worked from up here and then worked to try to get it lower.
Speaker 4:But all of a sudden the website came back up and people started buying orders, ordering a jar of sausage. And there was a lady that bought the last jar of O80s at Mason's Specialty Meats product in West Plains, Missouri. Okay, that was two months ago. Okay, so you think about April, until two months ago she bought the last jar, so it took a while for that case to sell, but nobody reached out to me. So when I asked her where she got it and she told me the story, well, I reached out to John at Mason Meats and told him you know I'm getting orders you reminded him, he was out, I reminded him that his
Speaker 4:shelf was empty and people are ordering it on my website, and so we got together again and he committed to two cases. So I shipped out two cases this week to have him restock the shelves and get his current customers and my customers or clients that are already online the opportunity to buy it locally, to save the shipping costs. And the margins are there again. Right, free shipping, I said, you know, cost me money, but hey, we need to get the exposure down there and get people to have something different in their mouths.
Speaker 2:I'm not kidding you. Sure, in the car business we have a group of guys, companies, that what they do is they're a repping agency. So let's say we have a tool, a widget, a piece, yeah, we get a hold of these repping agencies and their job is to do exactly what you're doing. Yeah, you pound the pavement, get them out there, you make sure they're in front of people and, of course, they're on the numbers. So they take a percent, sure, but some of these big companies are really nationwide, yeah, some of these big companies are really nationwide, yeah, and they can hit some massive, massive people.
Speaker 2:Yeah yeah, and they don't deal with end users. There's not an end user thing. This is a direct business-to-business. Guys, you're right.
Speaker 4:Have you hunted any of those guys? Yes, and I've been again. It's a very difficult process and I need to have patience more, but when I reached out to a lot of these larger distributions and companies to try to get my product on their shelves or where I needed to go back, then maybe I wasn't ready and that's why they didn't take me on. But now we're in 75 locations Nice and the product's moving and people are looking for it, and now I'm reaching out back to those major companies to see if it's possible they'll reconsider, and so again, it's hard to get a hold of them and I've gotten response from out of order Sounds like you're having really good success, but we're not going to be able to stock your product. We're not going to stock your product at this time, and that's basically some of the ones down in all the cities that I visited back in April.
Speaker 4:These major retail nice grocery chains that are all over and the other bigger ones. They want you to use a company to put your portfolio on there and wait for these big retail marketers looking for new products to excite and get new organic growth. And they charge a lot of fee and there's no guarantee that these people are going to come and look at it. So I'm not going to invest that way. These people are going to come and look at it, so I'm not going to invest that way. I think the best investment of entrepreneur or business partner is face-to-face, business-to-business, and to promote your products you have to get in front of people. You can't just email them and wait for calls.
Speaker 2:Do the lazy way.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that's the lazy way. And you can send pack. You know, get packages with samples and this and that and your business card sell sheets, but you're not guaranteed they're gonna give you a call either. So it's really just trying to get a zoom meeting or some sort of physical meeting so they can actually see your energy and your movement and your determination, dedication into a product that they can actually get an organic growth. So it really is you got to sell yourself and the sauce sells itself.
Speaker 4:Really it does. You know, you just gotta get in the door, you gotta get find a way to get in the door. And a lot of them want distribution companies and they don't take you on. Now what do you do?
Speaker 2:right? Well, I do know that you have another engagement today, so let's hit this website again one more time. And how do we acquire it's?
Speaker 4:a oed, whiskey, bourbon, saucecom, and it comes up real quick. I have, um, all my recipes that I've done, we're doing. There's three live recipe cooking videos now on youtube and instagram and we're going to continue doing more of those as we move forward, probably, hopefully, one or one a month, you know, depending on the time I have. But all my, all my uh marketing, everything is on there all my locations, photos, recipes, videos, all that's on there and uh.
Speaker 4:Take a look at it and see where the mission and vision is. We're already just headed. I really believe we have a lot of good things coming our way, and hopefully sooner than later. But I have patience and the Lord's guiding me and he's putting me in front of people that are guiding me as well and giving me suggestions and help and support. So everything is on the website. Go check it out. We will ship it to you. Keep an eye on for the specials and the free shipping. But people are looking for it. They are, they really are.
Speaker 4:And do we want to use the promo code? I don't have a promo code. You can. I mean there again, that's something that I have to learn how to do or figure out how to get that on it. But I think the web admin it's just when we run these promos or whatever. I think it just automatically goes into the checkout when you're pricing it. And there's also OED's or Cooper's BMT Foundation is also on my website. You can see our story and our mission and an opportunity to donate funds for that as well, because today's date we're $1,500. O Eddy's has donated to the foundation and helping people with cancer and their families, so I have not had a chance to.
Speaker 4:I really wanted to visit the center down in Iowa, you know, for the Iowa Hawkeyes, I'm not kidding you, but I never had an opportunity them six days to stop somewhere and do what I really wanted to do, but again we're here and we're going to help families and they love the story. So website has everything on it. Check it out, get some orders in, donate to the foundation. Let's help O'Eddie's get to fulfill his mission, vision and story.
Speaker 2:Understood. Okay, you have it. O'eddie's Reach out. Check them out. Thanks for coming in today. Okay, you have it, o'eddies Reach out check them out.
Speaker 4:Thanks for coming in today. Hey Tim, thank you again. This is a spur-of-the-moment thing. I reached out to you. I just you do a great job and I love your podcast and somehow they just come on these. You know, like you said, this serious radio, I don't know, but people are hearing it and it's a way for them to really get the story of O Eddie.
Speaker 4:So, tim, I can't thank you enough, and I gave you a nice jar of sauce for you to keep in your palate and try some of those recipes. I have a Thanksgiving recipe that's on there too. Right, it will change how you cook your Thanksgiving dinner, your turkey, your I have the stuffing and the garlic mashed potatoes. I guarantee you it will change everybody's ways of cooking turkey. I'm not kidding. So give that a shout too, and if you have any questions or concerns, you can email me or call me from the website and I'll guide you and walk you through all my recipes. And if you have a recipe that you'd like to have out there, I would definitely take a look at it and work with you on that as well and make that a goal. So thanks everybody for your time and let's keep O-Eddies going. And Tim, again, thank you so much for your time.
Speaker 2:Thanks, richard, and for you out there across seas, I don't see why you couldn't import them or export them from your countries. Give them a shot. Oetti's on the web, finishing sauce, and thanks everybody for tuning in. Catch you next time and maybe we'll have a different conversation about this last election. How do you like that show? Okay, I'm looking forward to that.
Speaker 4:I'd love to hear that oh boy, I'll tell you, you can spend a lot of hours, can't you?
Speaker 2:I can, I it, just you can't. This book writes itself, yeah right, yeah, yeah, it is.
Speaker 4:It's exciting to see where we're going to go now okay, all right then, thanks everybody farewell catch you soon.
Speaker 2:Thank you, and that's a wrap for hutcast. Hutcast again. A pragmatic approach to seeing things how some people see them. If you like our show, give us a thumbs up on the Facebook site Again for HuttCast. Thank you again. Have a wonderful evening, thank you.
