Do you think of Dirt as a food product? Of course not! We want our food clean and free of dirt, that is unless you are seeking a tasty way to spice up your cooking. Enter Todd’s Dirt Seasonings. Why the Dirt name? His Original DIRT resembled a bottle of dirt and grass so the name stuck. I must admit that I was skeptical but when you consider that a brand in a supermarket has less than 7 seconds to attract your attention as you are walking down the aisles, the name has a certain appeal.
I asked Todd what was his light bulb moment for starting "Dirt". "in 2007… I was watching a show for the first time on CNBC called "The Big Idea" with Donny Deutsch. I got really inspired watching this show that maybe I could do this. "
Bottling and selling DIRT was something in the back of Todd's mind but it sat there, marinating, for 14 years. Prior to entering the retail supermarket channel, he was making DIRT in Mason jars and giving it out for Christmas presents, not so dissimilar from how many food entrepreneurs experienced in starting a specialty food business
After watching "The Big Idea" "I got really inspired watching this show and maybe I could do this." He initially thought that since he had a great product and an outgoing personality, why wouldn't he be successful like the many small companies seen on the show. With a big yell to his wife Holly, "we are going to sell DIRT." The business was born in October of 2007. However getting out of the kitchen and on to the retail shelf proved to be much more difficult to execute and a great tasting product was not enough.
The Journey To the Shelf
" In the beginning, I was not sure if Todd's DIRT would sell, so I went to four or five stores before Christmas to see if they would sell. I went into stores and asked for the owner or Manager of the store. I told them about my product and my story; Believe it or not, most stores put it on their shelves." His new product launch initially did well and he decided to move forward with his business.
However in 2008 the economy started to nosedive and consumers and retailers became a much harder sell. This was when Todd realized that a great tasting product was not his ticket to success at retail. Of the original five stores that Todd obtained distribution, 4 went out of business. Starting the business was easy compared to getting shelf space for trial and sustainable repeat sales.
Food entrepreneurs have many challenges and one key challenge is finding retail stores that want to work with an unproven brand was difficult. Be prepared for doors shutting in your face.
Todd had decided early on to use a co-packer vs. spending money on a production facility to make his product. What is a copacker? According to John E. Rushing, Ph.D. of North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension "Copackers manufacture and package foods for other companies to sell. These products range from nationally-known brands to private labels. Entrepreneurs choose to use the services of copackers for many reasons. Copackers can provide entrepreneurs with a variety of services in addition to manufacturing and packaging products. They can often help in the formulation of the product."
Dr. Rushing's article, Choosing and Using a Copacker, is a wealth of information that all food entrepreneurs should read when starting or growing a specialty foods business. However finding the right fit with your company can be long and arduous. "I went through three different manufactures to make my product, before I found my current company." Said Todd. The first three he worked with were not a good fit and had product and packaging quality issues. He also had challenges with working with packaging companies until he finally contracted with the company who is now his current labeling supplier. It seemed as if there was a roadblock whenever he turned a corner. His business plan was set back two years during this learning process.
