Bigger is better!

Lizbeth Lane Cuisine is moving slowly towards that goal of being a big enough company to be able for us to actually pay ourselves. We haven't yet, but it's looming somewhere out there on the horizon.  I met with one of our distributors last week and she informed me that we will now be going into 50 ACME markets in PA, DE and NJ. AND.... Redner's Markets in central PA. This is fantastic! It also means we need to hunker down and get working to provide these stores with demos P.O.S. and get in touch with all these stores to introduce ourselves.

The demos are a long, tough day. They are also very amusing, frustrating, informative, tiring and anything else out there that can wear you down. It's great to see people loving our simmer sauces...and they do! Some people love them and simply walk away...."Hey! Where ya goin?"  I had one customer yesterday at a McCaffrey's Market in Princeton, NJ tell me that her child was gluten intolerant. She sampled the Red Pepper and the Marsala. She bought one of each of our flavors! Wow...

We also were presented to the regional office of Whole Foods last week by one of our distributors, Avenue Gourmet. We are waiting for that answer. We were hoping to be in the local Philly WFs this month but it hasn't happened.  Michael A. needs to fill out an updated vendor form and submit it to the regional office for approval first.   It's hard to believe but we started our push to get into Whole Foods almost one year ago and still nothing has happened.  Nothing moves quickly in this business....

We are also looking at other chains in the NYC area....a Fresh Direct . They deliver to New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs. An awesome company that's growing rapidly.  We sent out our samples and a sales kit.  Will let you know how it's going.

Finally....the CNN thing has finally calmed down. The upside to this is that we are getting more online orders that before the story ran. We are getting repeat customers. We are getting accolades from so many "sauciers" out there. We are loved.....awwwwww. (thanks!)

Another push for us has been to get our social media working harder. I set it up when we started out a couple of years ago... what a friggin mess I made! So we hired Kelly to tear it down and set it up as it should be. She's done a great job. We now even have our own YouTube Channel!  Check it out. We have some life-changing kitchen tips on there, too! The link is on our Lizbeth Lane Cuisine website.


Happy entrees to you!! Later.

Lizbeth Lane Cuisine YouTube Channel

Hello Sauciers! As we continue on in our food adventure we are growing our online community. We are gaining more fans on our  Facebook page  and more followers on our  Twitter account  (@lizbethlane). Our most recent addition has been our YouTube channel! 

On our  Lizbeth Lane YouTube Channel you can find fun and helpful videos. We have uploaded videos that show you how you can prepare you favorite simmer sauce and created playlists such as New & Updates and Tips & Tricks. 

If you want us to create any specific videos or have any ideas, we would love to hear them! 

Be sure to check out our channel and let us know what you think!

"Incoming!!!!!

Well.... the holidays have come and gone. I feel like my mind has done the same.  It was fun but also exhausting!  We aint getting any younger you know!!

Had a blast with my grandkids who came for a late Xmas from their home in Scarsdale, NY.  We shredded gifts open and messed up the house...oh, it was grand!  Then on New Years Eve...and right in the middle of an Elmo story, the phone rang.  "Just saw your story on CNN- how do I order?"  Holy Piccata! Here we go again.  I'm not complaining mind you, it's just that Michael A. and I thought the CNN deal was over and that things would now be a little calmer here at Lizbeth Lane Cuisine.   Oh no...not a chance.

Another call. Then another. Web hits rising through the top of my computer!  Orders setting off Michaels smartphone.  Yes indeed...CNN was running our story again...and again...and....

We were happy as could be!  Happy friggin new Year!!!  Time to dive into peanuts, tape and boxes again!

It's now the 5th of January and all is calm...all is bright.  It's time for us to focus on 2012. And it's looking good.  We will expand our markets north and south. I'm chomping at the bit to go west because so many inquiries have come from CA, OR and WA.  It's a huge opportunity. But, it's also a logistical monster.

We can't ship our sauces out there unless people are willing to pay $20/ bottle! Shipping a load across country would cost a fortune. That aint gonna happen. We are going to have to manufacture our fabulous babies out there and find distribution.  That will take some doing.

But fear not western state folks-- be patient. We will be there eventually, if not sooner... maybe later this year. Right after I finish reading that Elmo story to my granddaughter, Chloe.

We can breathe again...

Ahhh....finally slowing down... a few orders per day now. If I never see another packing peanut, it will be too soon.   The flurry of activity was great however!  We were pushing orders out the door at a rate of 60-75 per day.

Now it's time to re-focus....get back into family and friends and enjoy the Xmas holiday.  What am I giving to people? Simmer sauce, of course.  Oh and for Michael A.?  Hahahahaaaa....it will bring tears to his eyes. He will jump for joy. A dream come true.
Oh, and a bottle of good scotch, too.

Merry Christmas!

We got peanuts!!!

What do you do with over 20 huge bags of peanuts? I'm not talking about the ones you eat--I'm talking about the ones you use to ship packages. Well..... we have been going bonkers here at Lizbeth Lane since last Monday, shipping out over 200 packages of our fabulous simmer sauces to folks all over the country!!

Our story aired on CNN over a one week period beginning last Saturday. A great story which was beautifully produced by CNN. When it first aired, Michael sent me a text message:  Wow--28 orders so far.  We thought that was pretty good. Then.....40...60....80...120....OMG....150.......and growing!

We hauled our butts out to Handi-Crafters beginning Monday to assist in filling these orders.  They were great.  We came home at the end of each day totally exhausted but feeling really good knowing that people wanted our sauce!  They loved the mention of Handi-Crafters as well, who we use for fulfillment.

Our Facebook friends list has been growing by the day.  Gee...never thought we'd have 130 new friends in just a few days.  Emails loading up our computers! Business inquiries! Now it's Friday and has calmed own somewhat. Orders are still coming in but it's no longer a tsunami of paypal orders.  

Be sure to view our story which is now up on CNN's website. It might just help you work up an appetite for a great tasting entree made with one of our simmer sauces.  Thanks to all who have ordered. Be sure to spread the news... and the joy of it all!!

http://yourbottomline.blogs.cnn.com/2011/12/13/boomers-simmer-up-success/

CNN airs our "story"!!!

Rid here...
Yesterday we got an email from Jennifer at CNN with the schedule of when our story would be on the air.
Michael and I were like two little kids on Xmas morning. We simply couldn't wait to see ourselves. I immediately thought about the fact that you look 10 lbs. heavier.  Uh oh.  Oh fergetttaboutit!!!  I had to do demos in one of our stores today, so I missed the first airing. Michael was busy working at that time as well. Damn!

Michael stopped over about a half hour ago so we could watch the 5-6pm airing of our touching and poignant story.  It was grrreat!!! We actually looked like a couple of smart savvy guys, who knew what they were doing.   Well....that's because we do. Sorta. We still have plenty to learn and lots of hurdles to face. That's the food biz.

We are getting plenty of online orders, emails and comments and new friends on Facebook.  Great!!!

Thanks, CNN and thanks to my daughter, Stacey, who used to be a Producer for Anderson Cooper. She's the one who was able to get CNN's interest in us in the first place.

Great....and then....

First, we're in the ACME in Paoli. For those who don't know, ACME is a chain of 120 stores in the SE Pennsylvania and NJ area.  We are starting with one store- Paoli and will roll out into others. as time marches on.  Ugghh. Would love to be in all 120 stores in one shot. Oh well....
So, there I am shopping at the Paoli store with Michael when the Manager came up to us and told us that our sauces were now on the floor. Michael and I raced over to where they were on display only to find that they had only 3 of the 4 sauces for sale. The Roasted Red Pepper was missing. HEY! That's one of our biggest sellers!  Customers go bonkers for that one. We talked to the Manager and emailed him as well. He must check with his  (our) distributor to see where the hell those cases of Red Pepper are.  When they get the Red Pepper is anybody's guess. Hope it's soon. It's weird seeing only 3 of our 4 sauces on the shelf.

Again, there is this "thing" about the food business. For every good thing that happens, there is a "thing" that goes haywire.  You get into a store---one SKU is missing.  You get a meeting with a store to present your product-- but need to wait 3 months to meet.  The store wants your simmer sauces-- but beat the crap out of you on price, demanding free fill or paying to get an off shelf position (that means you get out of grocery aisles and into the perimeter where all the customers travel).... like the meat dept. or produce, etc.

Doesn't matter. It's rhino time. We just gotta keep charging ahead.  Clawing for every bit of business we can get.  Can't go after new business now though. It's the holidays and managers and buyers are all going nuts with the holiday crush. We will be calling them right after New Years.  Got to go now...
tomorrow I demo for 4 hours and need to get ready.

I hope I sell every last jar of our simmer sauces.