Chew on this | A conversation with Autumn Gullifer, creator and owner of TriPom Chews
Photo/Courtesy Autumn Gullifer
Autumn Gullifer with fiance Ken Bryant and, from left, Roxy, Xena and Riche
TriPom Chews
Founded: February 2010
Employees: 0
Startup costs: $10,000
Projected revenue, year one: $30,000
Projected revenue, year two: $50,000
Contact: 888-602-4443
www.tripomchews.net
What is TriPom Chews?
We are a small business that makes high-quality chicken and turkey jerky for dogs. TriPom came from having three Pomeranians of my own, which were my original inspiration and motivation. Our premium turkey jerky chews are made from 100% USDA grade A turkey breasts. Every piece is hand-cut from the breasts and dehydrated by my fiancé and me. The chicken jerky can be ordered in plain, marinated in blackstrap molasses, or come in a combo package, which contains both flavors. We also sell chicken and turkey jerky bits for cats, and we strive to have a top-quality product that is healthy for both cats and dogs.
Why did you start the company?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warnings about jerky that comes from China. I began doing some research and learned that dogs have reportedly been getting really sick from China-made dog chews. We made a decision to not use these products with our own dogs, and after trying to find a replacement for their favorite treat, decided to make some dog chews of our own. Our dogs love our jerky, which is nutritious and contains no additives, preservatives, chemicals or fillers. After living in Chicago for 17 years as corporate employees, we moved to Maine with the dream of starting our own small business full time. We realized how much people like Maine-made products.
How do you market your business?
We do a lot of marketing through our website, where we sell our chicken and turkey jerky. We also go to a lot of local dog events and craft fairs, where we are able to show off our product. We also take advice from The Animal House, a pet supply store in Damariscotta, where the owners, Dan and Aubrey Martin, are experts on nutrition. We created the product, but knew with the amount of knowledge that the Martins have, they would be able to help us sell it.
What has been successful about your business strategy?
How much we believe in the product. But it’s not just about selling the product; it’s also about educating people about the product and how healthy it is. For instance, people don’t realize we use three to four pounds of raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast for every pound of chews.
We have been successful in getting our product into 14 locations in Maine and one in Chicago. Mostly these are higher-end pet stores, not the type that would carry supermarket brands. We were just picked up by Barrels in Waterville. We realize people in Maine believe buying local is important — you don’t get that in Chicago. That’s why we decided to take our business someplace we knew people would appreciate what we’re doing.
How do you finance this business?
We finance our business through personal savings.
What has been the biggest challenge running this business?
Making an adjustment from the corporate world to a closer-knit business scene…It’s a whole different world being self-employed — doing what we need to do and knowing when to do it. And having to teach our customers about what they are feeding their cats and dogs, hoping that they realize how much healthier our chews are for their pets.
What are your goals for the future of this business?
To grow and expand, by focusing on the wholesale market and resale of our product. My advice is to start slow and get a good grasp on things before making any huge decisions. It took a year before we figured out how to make the chews. Our decision to move to Maine was also difficult, but we always knew that Maine supported small businesses and treated animals like they are part of the family. People have embraced us and our business here.
Interview by Carol Coultas
New Ventures profiles young businesses 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to editorial@mainebiz.biz.
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