05/ 30/ 2007
by Emily McMackin
What the Bundt pan did for cakes, Matt Griffin hopes to do for brownies. It's a dream he cooked up a decade ago as a bachelor who loved brownies but couldn't make them. Every time he tried, the edges would bake long before the center, leaving chewy corners but a soggy middle. So when Griffin came up with an idea for a maze-like pan with rounded channels to distribute heat evenly and deliver more crust per square inch, he patented it--sure that licensing deals with big bakeware companies were just around the corner.
Today, Griffin's Edge Brownie Pan is one of the hottest products in the baking market, garnering rave reviews from the Washington Post and Cook's Illustrated and attracting attention from retailers, catalog companies and media like HGTV, ABC News and an array of nationally syndicated shows. But success has happened much differently from the way Griffin and his pastry chef wife, Emily, envisioned. Instead of selling their invention to a big corporation, the Griffins and their business partner, David Hall, have used it to build their own company, the Carmel, Ind.-based Baker's Edge.
Cultivating partnerships with an array of players in the bakeware world has helped the Griffins propel their pan into the marketplace--without handing over any intellectual property rights.
"For us, it's become more about teaming up with larger companies--not so much in terms of business but in terms of knowledge," Matt Griffin says.
After two years of trying to sell his concept to large--and skeptical--bakeware manufacturers, Griffin decided to make the pan himself. Only there was one problem.
"We knew how the bakeware worked, and what we wanted it to do, but we didn't know the specific mix of alloys or coatings to use," Griffin says. "So we chose the best bakeware company, researched who did their production and contacted them."
The manufacturer guided the Griffins toward the right materials and even agreed to make the prototype. It also put Griffin in touch with a packaging company, which allowed him to "play the name game and get good prices."
Whetting retailers' appetites proved trickier. After getting lukewarm responses from the bigger names, Griffin found success partnering with small but reputable retailers like King Arthur Flour.
"Being in their catalog opened new doors for us," Griffin says. "Our pan was well-made and different enough to warrant some attention."
The Griffins also invited food bloggers to test it, creating a buzz that sparked sales of 5,000 pans within six months. The exposure has allowed Griffin to market the pan to a broader audience--which now includes museum gift shops as well as niche wholesalers. Next, Baker's Edge hopes to target online retailers and kitchenware chains.
"We know that to become a household name we can't do it on our own," Griffin says. "But we haven't compromised our vision. We've been our own person all the way through and, so far, have remained in control of our destiny."
Making Your Mark
How do you turn your idea into a market sensation without selling out? Here are Griffin's tips.
Model the best. Pick a company you admire that offers a product or service similar to yours, analyze its operation and identify its best practices. "We love to foster relationships with companies a year and a half ahead of us in business growth, because what they're going through now, we will soon experience," Griffin says. Also, don't be afraid to call up competitors for a few pointers. As long as you're not asking them to spill company secrets, they'll probably be willing to talk.
Pick the right partners. Partnering with others can give you a boost to overcome hurdles or connections to take the next step, but don't team up with just anyone. Find a partner who not only shares your vision, but also gives you the freedom to make the ultimate decisions. After agreeing to participate in a cable show pitting inventors against each other for a contract with the Home Shopping Network, Griffin backed out when the producers asked him to sign over a portion of his profits.
Focus the message. Know what you are selling and keep your message clear and succinct. Early on, Griffin made the mistake of turning his pan into an "everything product"--pushing its ability to bake casseroles and cookie bars in addition to brownies. "Now we focus on corner brownies," he says. "Any other use for the pan is an afterthought."
NFIB.com
Learn more about how to turn your product or service into a name brand in "Brand and Imaging" in the "Sales and Marketing" section of www.NFIB.com/toolsandtips.
