While most companies are struggling with revenue declines, Justin Esch and Dave Lefkow have watched their revenue go through the roof.
Their secret can be summed up in one word: Bacon.
They started their little operation, J&D Foods, in Lefkow’s garage in Seattle. They came up with their flagship product, Bacon Salt, one night in a bar, and reserved the BaconSalt.comdomain name via BlackBerry.
They watched their revenue shoot from $350,000 in 2007 to $1.4 million last year.
And Esch says, “This year has been much better.”
They went from bacon salt to baconnaise — their customers wanted a spreadable bacon flavoring — bacon ranch dressing and bacon popcorn.
They try to come up with a wackier item for the holidays. Last year it was bacon lip balm.
This year, they went a little postal.
“Technology has given us a lot … The car. TV. X-rays … Heck, we even cured polio. But what have our envelopes tasted like for the last 4,000 years? Armpit, that’s what,” Esch and Lefkow write on their Web site.
So they did the only thing they could do: They created bacon-flavored envelopes.
“It tastes shockingly porcine!” Esch said of the envelopes, which, like their other products, contain no real bacon — so “you won’t have to start storing your envelopes in the refrigerator!” They’re even kosher-certified.
You can buy a 25-pack of bacon-flavored “Mmmvelopes” for $6.99 online.
So what’s next? Maybe bacon cologne or bacon body spray. “Body by Bacon,” Esch suggests.
And tonight, they’re having the first-ever “Bacathalon” at Heaven’s Night Club in Seattle to promote the launch of their Bacon Pop popcorn. Events include racing on kids’ bikes in bacon suits, bacon tossing and bacon pong. Plus, a professional eater will attempt to set the world record for bacon eating.
On your mark. Get set —
Bacon!
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