This story appears in the
September 2001 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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When 600 Lb. Gorillas founders Chris and Paula White wanted to
know whether their cookies were good, all they did was ask. After
handing out surveys and free samples of their gourmet goodies at
trade shows, they soon amassed thousands of responses that declared
"I went ape over them!" Encouraged by the positive
feedback, this husband-and-wife team, both 33, donned safari gear
and brought the comment cards (and cookies) to meetings with
buyers. The idea worked.
Once the Wrentham, Massachusetts, company got their cookies
(which are sold as frozen balls of dough) in grocers' freezers,
the Whites mailed a list of stores to each person who had filled
out a survey. To entice those who have yet to taste the treats, the
Whites visit food festivals and supermarkets in the New England
area weekly to set up shop and pass out samples. "People see
our hut and instantly come over to see what we're all
about," says Paula. "Our booth is fun, and crowds love
it."
These days, 600 Lb. Gorillas cookies can be found in more than
400 markets and gourmet food stores nationwide. With their sales
expected to reach the million-dollar mark this year, it's clear
the Whites aren't monkeying around.
Contact Source
- 600 Lb. Gorillas (508) 384-1968