Our client, Joseph, was surprised and excited to hear that his bakeware invention is for sale in a popular home solutions catalog, as well as in two large housewares store chains. He was even more excited to learn that it will air on QVC this fall and is also under review by a major upscale domestics retailer – And it’s all because he likes chewy brownies.
Joseph has always loved brownies with a chewy edge, so much so that he used to slice a pan of brownies before it was finished baking so all the squares would have edges. His wife did not appreciate that and told him so. “She yelled at me,” he recalls, laughing.
The pilot wondered if he could invent an “all edge” brownie pan to keep peace in the family and give him a whole pan full of chewy brownies. He first came up with the idea about 20 years ago when he was a helicopter pilot in the Marine Corps. A fellow Marine and friend had spent a “huge amount of money” patenting a new product idea, however, so he didn’t think developing his was an option; he thought that was the way it was done.
“I really didn’t have any desire (to pursue it) because of what I perceived about the cost.”
About three years ago, however, he received an email from Davison, inviting him to submit an idea. He thought, “Hey, I have a crazy idea,” so he submitted it, and the work began.
His finished product, the Silicone Dessert Bar Pan is for sale in the Get Organized catalog, and this month it will hit about 700 Hobby Lobby and Kitchen Collections stores. The product is also under review by a major domestics retailer, and in October it will air on QVC, the most popular home shopping network. In addition, the manufacturer is expanding the product to an entire line of silicone bakeware for holiday-themed treats, including pans for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas!
During the design process, the product evolved from a metal pan to silicone bakeware that remains cool to the touch and bends for easy removal of items after baking; a rigid frame molded into the perimeter makes the pan safe to carry. The 12 candy-bar shaped molds can be filled with brownie batter, Rice Krispie treats, cookie dough – and all the treats come out perfectly, each one with four chewy edges.
“It feels pretty good,” Joseph said of his product’s apparent early success. But it didn’t happen overnight. Prior to being licensed, the bakeware was presented to three other companies, all of which turned it down. He decided to keep going, despite the setbacks.
“It is an emotional roller coaster; up and down,” said Joseph, who flies EMS helicopters. But he’s still very glad he took the chance on his idea. In fact, Joseph and a partner have submitted a second idea to Davison, which he feels is another much-needed invention.
“He had his share of struggles along the way, but he never gave up. He was so passionate about the product he found a way to make it happen,” said Founder and CEO George Davison. “We couldn’t be happier for him and his family.”
The client has not realized a net profit on his product.