Today we’d like to introduce you to Susan Pon-Biscoe
Hi Susan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
HPC started when my husband and I wanted to make a tastier pickle. He had never liked the one note vinegar pickles that fill supermarket aisles. After some research we decided to try fermenting cucumbers with a salt brine and not use vinegar.
Lacto fermentation is a process which extends the shelf life of food by brining food in a salt solution. As an added benefit the naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria found in food produces the probiotic, lacto bacillus and prevents the growth of bad bacteria. When we eat these fermented foods we are feeding our gut with probiotics, good bacteria that help create and maintain a healthy gut biome. Foods like yogurt, and kimchi (which I also make and is my best seller).
But the pickles had to taste good, after all that was the goal! That is where the fun started. With taste palates ready and willing, and after much trial and error, the Smoky Chipotle and Roast Garlic Dill pickles were created. My husband loved them. Goal accomplished!
They blew our minds, and so we wanted to share them with friends and neighbors. They liked them too! Some even loved them and asked us to make more and they would pay us! I still thought these supporters were being nice until I sold my first jar to a complete stranger at the local private park who gave me permission to sell every Wednesday at their food truck venue. We had a name, an LLC and a very loose business plan.
Each week I would sell a little more until most weeks I would actually sell out of the products I brought. But the most interestingly and exciting phenomenon was that 30-50% of the people who tasted our products bought our product!
We decided to focus on the idea of producing and selling locally, and what better way to sell locally than at the farmer’s market. A milestone for HPC was to become a part time vendor for The Boulder Community Farmers Market last year. This year HPC was a full time vendor in Boulder, while keeping the part time status in Longmont.
HPC is only in its third year. But in that time I have a lot of real world, grass roots evidence that these products delight people’s palates are healthy and create happiness!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
So far it’s been fun, exhausting, gratifying and challenging. Anything but smooth! But that’s okay, I’m not sure it’ll ever be smooth, but maybe smoother in time.
Right now I’m struggling to expand, which is mostly a monetary problem. This is so much better of a problem than if the problem was no body liked my products! My core products are solid, they are always delicious and are consistently high quality ferments. At least that is what my customers tell me.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Happy Pickle Company of Boulder Colorado ?
HPC makes pickles, kimchi and other veggies that are salt brined allowed to ferment without vinegar; promoting probiotic cultures to be developed along with real flavors to be consumed and enjoyed for good gut health and tasty sensations.
We sold primarily at the BCFM and hope to continue as well as be available at other local markets outside of Boulder County next year.
For the late autumn and winter months we’ll be delivering locally and hoping to start selling our kimchi through a local online grocery store.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
The big ones are creative problem solving, perseverance, humor and discipline.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: thehappypicklecompany
- Facebook: The Happy Pickle Company of Boulder CO
- Other: susan@thehappypickle.co
