(21March2015)
Transparency – more & more this seems to becoming a popular word. For me it came to mind in the wake of my recent meeting Tom Trimbath – a local writer & good character I have been getting to know more and more. I mentioned a few things going with my baking, business, and ideas and Tom – being an ideas-guy like me – kept on saying “There’s a good topic for a blog!” So let’s give “transparency” a go here…
What follows really isn’t anything new – these are things I talk about having to do with my business plans and products, just in one spot. I’ll add that these are things I’m pleased to talk about – and this, for me, is an especially good time to get into it with expanding my product line and as I’m just starting to see signs of my company taking a foothold.
Expanding Product Line
In the past months I’ve talked & written online about expanding my product line. Largely this has come from learning more about biscotti. Prior to going into business making a couple of batches at home was no big deal, but when you’re making a dozen or more in a day commercially you become distinctly aware of how labor-intensive big-scale biscotti is by comparison to many (or ‘most’) other cookies. Biscotti remains a joy for me to make and I predict it will continue as my ‘hood ornament’ product, however I need my company to be effective and prosperous so I’ve needed to find & expand into products that are more efficient to produce. Just before getting my business license nearly a year ago I had to decide on a name. I knew I wanted to have a local reference and be clear in the title what it is that I do. For a short amount of time that was Whidbey Island Biscotti Company, until a friend and I identified that I shouldn’t limit myself and that ‘Baking’ would be wiser. This fit too because I always figured I would eventually expand into other products – just not quite this soon.
Character Of WIBC Products
I consider my baked goods to be ‘real food’. What I mean by that is I am making what you would make at home, just in a commercial setting and in larger supply. If you want to understand this further, please look at the ingredients found on my labels – I’m additionally pleased to list these on this site. While you will find listings of some preservatives &/or flavor enhancers, these are in the original ingredients – I do not, however, add artificial preservatives or flavor enhancers. The preservatives I do use – in a manner of speaking – are butter and sugar. As for flavor enhancers, only pure extracts. Given my recipes, I will not tell you that I am making health food, but I believe I am making healthier food. As my company and product line grows it is my intention to keep this standard of quality & characteristics. Also, my products are hand-made and will be until I have to go mechanized.
Future Product Exploration
For a number of weeks now I have been brainstorming and talking about ideas of new products. In some cases I’m already exploring these.
- Monster Cookies – I have thoughts around three similar but different large cookies. So far these are based around peanut butter and oats. I’m working on my oat options. Supply isn’t a problem. If possible and as needed I get two supplies including one that is prepared without flour giving a Gluten Free option.
- Brownies – Who doesn’t like a good brownie? Originally I thought of these because I have a recipe that is flour, nut, and diary free, which I might also be able to produce as soy free. This one is going to take more work and time. I am thinking though of making regular brownies with the addition of flavor combinations.
- I have other cookies I’m thinking of doing … I can’t really talk further about these now because that will totally give things away. As some of you know much of my acumen comes from my professional music experience. One of the things I’ve learned is to not tell all of your plans as to not get scooped by one of my peers.
- Muffins – You just can’t go wrong with muffins. I have two in mind with more to come. One I won’t talk about, but I will say it’s based on something many people enjoy but I think I can make it healthier. The other, a pumpkin puree muffin.
- Biscotti – As said, I am not abandoning biscotti. I have ideas for about 30 flavors, including taking biscotti (in Star Trek terms) where no biscotto has gone before. Earlier this month I experimented with an Irish Cream biscotti recipe. It was a big flop but it was good to do. I want to keep doing R&D on my many biscotti ideas.
Growth, Employment, & Giving Back
If someone were to ask “Why did you start this company?” I think the most accurate answer ‘in a nutshell’ I could give would be this: I saw an opportunity to bring quality, pleasing products to people while making work for myself when I was struggling to gain employment and get out of poverty. That last bit is just crazy, I know … selfish me – but then I lost count how many years I was looking for work (8?). Don’t get me wrong, I don’t state that as some sort of badge, it’s just the fact of the matter. Now in its fourth month I’m seeing hints that WIBC is taking a foothold, and I’ve been told that once tourist season hits my company is likely to see an explosion of business. I could use an explosion of business, and while it may be a scramble I have faith that my resourcefulness, among other things, will guide me. At minimum I have no shortage of learning to experience – and I have that old swing in my step from having work.
With the growth of my business will come opportunities I’ve envisioned for my WIBC. As I needed employment, my company will need employees – over these past years the workforce has needed positions and I’ll be happy to see people get back to work.
The first act of my company was to contribute to a soup kitchen. This was a serendipitous blessing – as I formed my company I knew that one of the things I wanted to do was to get involved in fighting hunger. I recently watched “A Place At The Table”, a documentary by the same people as “Food, Inc.” One of the things the film pointed out well was the ‘give a man verses teach a man to fish’ adage. In America, leastwise, it’s not a problem of having enough food – the problem are the pieces of the equation that keep people from being able to get food for themselves and food that is healthy. I don’t know what my & WIBC’s involvement is going to look like, all I know is that more will be revealed.
Last and very not least, I believe in supporting the people who support us. From the inception of my company I’ve wanted to offer a military discount and find ways to support our soldiers. I’m not sure how to do this yet, but as said – more will be revealed.
Don’t Stop Believin’,
Don
