Greater Sudbury Northern Life Reporter Bill Bradley
Greater Sudbury's Cindy Babcock has what those with a sweet
tooth want.
The Lively native produces peanut brittle products from her
basement which are good enough to earn her a spot on CBC
television's Dragons' Den show on Dec. 8.
Though she still works for a local mining company as a process
technician for mine samples, her company is making headway
since she started experimenting with peanut brittle in 2005.
"I have been able to get my product into some Cineplex Theatres
in Toronto, the Yorkville Varsity Theatre and the Grand
Sheppard Theatre," Babcock said.
How did she do it?
"I started making the brittle as a hobby three years ago. Then
a close friend, Jennifer Swearengen, a teacher at St. Charles
College, invited me to bring some to a craft show at her
school. I had a table. I sold lots."
In fact, her peanut brittle was so popular, some bought it for
Christmas presents.
"One package went to California. I got a response back saying
it was great."
Key to her entrepreneurial adventure was marketing.
"I thought up the company name in 2005. Then I worked on the
logo. My friends and family gave me lots of advice."
Then opportunity knocked.
"Chantelle Gorham, from Northwest Fudge Factory, came over one
day and said a distributor she knew had pulled off all peanut
brittle products off local store shelves.
"So I went on the web. I looked up peanut brittle recipes. Over
the next three months my family were guinea pigs as I tested
different kinds of peanuts in the mix and even different
butters to get the right combination."
There was a lot of trial and error, she noted.
A major breakthrough was packaging.
"I went to the Farm Boy store in Ottawa. It is an upper-end
grocer. The procurement manager suggested I create a brand
image of a premium brittle around my name Sinfully Deelicious."
Babcock had been selling her brittle at Smith's Market on
Lasalle Blvd. in 2006.
"That year, 2006, I was selling my product at the Pick of the
Crop store in Timmins, Bay Produce in North Bay and Heritage
House in Muskoka." By late 2007 she was also at Market Square
downtown.
Brent Battistelli, owner of Battistelli's Independent Grocers
in Lively, was very supportive.
"Brent supports local producers like myself. He is fantastic,"
she said.
How did she end up in a television show?
"I watched the Dragons' Den show religiously for two years. I
never, in my wildest dreams, thought I would be on it," she
said.
She knew that the way to get on the show was to make a pitch
video. Dragons' Den would then screen the entries and pick the
top 10 videos. She made a video, For The Love of Brittle, with
the help of Greg Tremblay from Sudbury. It worked for the CBC
and was even aired on YouTube
"I got the call in May 2008. We went on the show for a taping
in June," she continued.
Babcock said the experience was scary.
"I forgot everything I was supposed to say. Nothing came out of
my mouth. I had my fiancé, Steve, with me. That helped.
Finally, I loosened up for them."
She said the Dragons are a mixed bag.
"Kevin O'Leary and Robert Herjavec are both tough. Kevin is
like the American Idol judge, Simon. Jim Treliving was
fantastic. Arlene Dickinson liked my business card (because it
said) 'cause everyone knows a few nuts.' She thought that was
really good marketing."
Babcock cannot reveal how well she did.
"You have to watch the show Monday Dec. 8. I signed a waiver
not to tell," she laughed.
While she was in downtown Toronto filming with the CBC, she
happened to phone Cineplex and made a pitch to them by phone
and in person.
"They liked my packaging. They, the procurement people, said
that is half the battle."
Babcock then got a call at the end of September from Cineplex.
"When I got that call from Mike Statham in Toronto I was in
shock. They liked my apple cinnamon and rum and butter pecan
product. We then agreed to meet again to work out the details."
For now, Sinfully Deelicious products are still made in her
commercially equipped kitchen downstairs in her house. The
product sells for $2.99 for 90 grams and $4.99 for 180
gram packages.
While at a trade show in Chicago, Babcock bought commercial
processing equipment that allows her to produce five times the
volume and move soon into commercial space. She expects to
employ 10 people full-time in a year.
What is her advice to fellow entrepreneurs?
"Make use of the resources locally. I had great help with the
basics, like getting advice on a lawyer from Gillian Taillefer
at the Regional Business Centre.
Her lawyer, Murray Scott, ended up buying product for his staff
in his office.
"My banker, the Royal Bank, was there for me. They even visited
me and helped me with my cash flow," she added.
How do others feel about working with Babcock?
"Cindy is totally dynamic. It was such a joy working with her,"
said Taillefer, business information and communications
officer, Regional Business Centre.
For more information, call 692-0505 email
[email protected]
or visit her new website at
www.sinfullydeelicious.com
