Red Hot!
I scream, you scream, we all scream for . . . ice cream hot dogs? How one entrepreneur came up with a cool twist on a ballpark favorite
What: Hot dog-shaped ice cream treats
Who: Peter and Tara Franklin of Cool Dogs Inc.
Where: Boston
When: Started in 1999
The idea for cool dogs-ice cream molded into the shape of a hot
dog and encased in a bun-shaped cake-came to Peter Franklin as he
prepared a hot dog for lunch one day. With his wife, Tara, 43,
helping with the marketing, Peter set to work developing the
idea.
After he patented his concept, Franklin attended the National
Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions convention in fall
2000, where Cool Dogs were an immediate hit.
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Soon, Franklin had landed accounts with Dick's Last Resort
in Boston and grocery stores in the local area. In addition, they
are now sold at Six Flags in New England and New York's Shea
Stadium. Cool Dogs will also be appearing at Giants Stadium in New
Jersey sometime in August. Sales are expected to reach $2.5 million
this year.
"When I left [my high-tech job], everybody thought I was
out of my mind. High-tech was booming and I had to sell my stocks
to invest in this business," says Franklin, 51, a former
marketing director. But, judging from his product's popularity,
it seems Franklin has come out as top dog.
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