Can you tell us about the origin story of your company and what inspired you to get started?

 

Jeff Parker - I moved to Colorado in 2014 to get involved in the cannabis boom. Shortly after arriving, we attended a concert in the mountains of South Park over the 4th of July weekend. We learned that this was the first recreational cannabis festival of its kind. However, due to the high altitude of the mountains, we were warned that dehydration could be a serious issue.

On the first day of the event, we partied hard. I smoked my first two-foot joint and experienced my initial bong hit with dab wax; the whole nine yards. Despite the fun, I was troubled by severe dry mouth, also known as cottonmouth, and found that nothing — not gum, soda, juice, or water — could relieve it.

That night, a woman was distributing brownies. We were excited, anticipating our first cannabis edibles. To our surprise, they turned out to be psychedelic mushroom brownies. I found myself tripping, still struggling with the intense dry mouth.

It was then that I had an epiphany: I needed to find a solution to this dry mouth issue. This experience ultimately inspired the foundation of my company.

 

Were you the first to come up with such a solution?

 

Jeff Parker - The candy has been around for 20 years, but people didn't realize that it could alleviate dry mouth.

Originally, it was just a novelty candy. However, the ingredients in it stimulate the salivary glands to start working. The production began in Denver, where we were residing at the time. This fortunate circumstance made it the perfect place for me to establish my company, focusing on leveraging the candy's unique properties rather than treating it as just a novelty item.

 

What was one of the biggest challenges that you faced when starting up and how did you overcome this challenge?

 

Jeff Parker - The most substantial obstacle was finding acceptance for the product. 

Initially, I was uncertain about how to market and sell the product effectively. I had a product I believed in strongly, but breaking into established markets like smoke shops, convenience stores, and cannabis dispensaries was a daunting task. I wasn't fully confident in how to pitch what I had devised.

To tackle this, I decided to participate in my first trade show - the Cannabis or Alternative Products Trade Show, also known as "Champs," held in Denver in October 2014. This move turned out to be a significant turning point. The show helped me make a substantial breakthrough, expanding my product's reach across 13 different states and securing over 300 customers.

 

What marketing strategies do you use to get more people to know about your product?

 

Jeff Parker - It's positioned as an impulse product in convenience stores and smoke shops. Typically, people see it and are compelled to make a spontaneous purchase.

As for marketing, I utilized a grassroots strategy, which I refer to as 'grown in town'. Essentially, this strategy entails visiting numerous stores one by one to sell the candy directly to the retail outlets.

 

How do you maintain a work-life balance, especially in the face of challenges and the demands of leadership?

 

Jeff Parker - I don't pursue aggressive sales or marketing for my business. Being a single father of two young children, ages five and seven, I prioritize spending time with them over expanding my business. I work sufficiently to cover our bills, primarily between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. while they are at school. I've maintained a steady customer base over the years, with some patrons having supported my business for nearly a decade. 

At present, I do have a few distributors handling my products, but I haven't actively sought out new business opportunities. Before becoming a parent, I had resolved to make my children my utmost priority. This means foregoing babysitters and daycare; aside from attending school, my children are always with me. I cherish our time together, delighting in the joy and innocence that comes with childhood. 

Despite owning a candy company, which inherently has a playful and youthful spirit, I'm content with our modest lifestyle. It affords me the precious opportunity to truly be present during my kids' formative years, embracing the role of being both their father and playmate. 

There was a time in my twenties when I worked as a stockbroker, a period when I earned a substantial income, albeit at the cost of working over a hundred hours weekly. My son recently learned about my past financial standing and questioned why we aren't wealthy now. I explained to him that, while we could pursue a more affluent lifestyle, what we need most at this juncture is each other, not wealth. Our bond and the memories we create together are invaluable. However, I also assured him that if necessary, in the future, I am willing to work harder to provide more financial security.

 

What sets your product apart in terms of quality and design?

Jeff Parker - I have the unique advantage of having no competition in the market; there's simply no other product quite like mine. 

My manufacturing process involves a collaboration with a Disney-affiliated candy manufacturer based in China. A significant selling point of my product is the specially designed dispenser it comes with. With a simple press of a button, it releases a single mint, making it extremely user-friendly. 

What people appreciate most about the dispenser is its hygienic aspect. It eliminates the need to hand over the candy or have others reach into the container, thus avoiding unnecessary contact. This feature not only makes it easy to share but also to access and operate with just one hand, making it particularly popular among motorcyclists who find it convenient to use while riding. It has been well-received by many, denoting its ease of use and the thoughtful approach to its design.

 

Is there an age limit to purchase the candy?

Jeff Parker - No, there isn't any. My daughter, who is just five years old, takes great joy in telling everyone about 'Daddy's Damn Candy'. Yes, it's quite delightful. She, along with my son, take it to school to show their friends, proudly sharing that their dad owns a candy company. It brings a unique sense of pride and joy to them.

I often find myself wishing I could bring my daughter to the trade shows. Her vibrant and outgoing personality, paired with her adorableness, would steal the show. She genuinely loves the candy and enjoys sharing it with others. I am confident that her presence at a trade show would be so impactful that one event per year would suffice.

How has the technology influenced the way you manufacture and design your products?

Jeff Parker - Given that all manufacturing has been outsourced to China, it's reassuring that they remain on the forefront of the necessary advancements to ensure the quality of the products. Despite my limited resources, which restrict me from having a dedicated research and development department, I benefit greatly from their services. This partnership leverages the extensive R&D resources that Disney invests in for their theme parks and various other ventures. It offers a robust infrastructure where the candy is meticulously tested in labs to guarantee the precise combination of components.

This setup fosters confidence in continuing the business the way I have been. Moreover, to reinforce quality assurance, every batch of candy is subjected to rigorous testing in a lab based in the United States. This ensures that the blend of chemicals integral to the candy's formulation meets the approved medical standards, maintaining the product's efficacy and safety.

Are there any new product lines in the work that you can tell us about?

Jeff Parker - Yes, I am gearing up to introduce lollipops and chapsticks to the market.

How have you seen the market evolve over the last few years?

Jeff Parker - We have evolved from working with small, independent smoke shops and convenience store owners to partnering with large multi-location corporate giants that operate strictly on margins. Consequently, the business transitioned from being relationship-based to being financially focused.

How do you envision the growth of your company within the next five years?

Jeff Parker - I would like to see my product get into national chain stores or national gas stations, like Wal-Mart and Target.

Have you tried to reach out to them and ask if they want to sell your products?

Jeff Parker - Last year, my house was severely affected by Hurricane Ian, leading to the loss of everything I owned; my entire house was obliterated. Since then, I have devoted most of my time to rebuilding it to secure a place for us to live. Consequently, I haven't been able to engage big retailers such as Walmart, Target, and major gas stations like Circle K and Racetrac due to my limited scale at the moment.

Now, with my children attending school and the reconstruction of my house halfway done — despite a recent setback from another hurricane two weeks ago — I am preparing to broaden my business horizons. The next step is to reach out to the purchasing managers of establishments like Circle K to arrange meetings and potentially initiate trials in various stores to assess the performance of my candy.

In the past, I have retailed my candy successfully in independent gas stations, but the challenge arises from the limited shelf space and the fact that they host between 200 and 2000 different products, making it easy for mine to be overshadowed. Moreover, since I am not affiliated with any large national distributors, reordering is not a straightforward process for them, requiring them to contact me directly, a step most are unwilling to take the time for.

I am optimistic that pursuing contracts with national gas station chains can change this, allowing me to ship large quantities of my candy to a single distribution point from where it can be disseminated to various stores. 

However, scaling remains a considerable challenge due to financial constraints. Fulfilling an order for a retailer the size of Walmart could necessitate an investment upwards of $250,000, which is currently out of my reach. For nine years, I have run my business without diving deep into complex financials, relying mainly on orders from China and revenue generated from a few trade shows I attend annually. 

As I move forward, my game plan involves tapping into national accounts, a move that demands a significant increase in my purchasing capacities and coming up with substantial finances, which I currently do not possess. Therefore, while I am eager to take this step, I remain cautious, aware of the financial demands it imposes.

Nowadays companies connect with their customers on social media, so how do you connect with your customers? 

Jeff Parker - Yes, that's correct. I haven't really delved much into it. I am turning 46 in a few days and mainly use my personal page to share moments with my kids. That's primarily where I post. A considerable portion of my business network and friends are connected through my personal page, and I do have company pages as well.

A few years back, I hired a person to manage social media for me, but unfortunately, it didn't turn out well, so I never revisited that strategy. Consequently, many wonder why I don't sell my candy directly to consumers through online platforms. The primary reason is the shipping cost. While the candy retails for $2.50 in stores, the shipping cost for online sales would add an additional $3 to the price, making it less feasible for customers and for the business.

Who has been a significant influence or a mentor in your professional journey?

 

Jeff Parker - I have a lot of people I respect tremendously in the industry, you know, especially in the cannabis sphere. I got to know many who have left a substantial mark on the whole industry. Take the owner of Chronic Candy, for instance, he was the trailblazer with CBD products, getting them into smoke shops globally.

He has been incredibly generous with his time, engaging in general conversations about his journey — from starting sales at the grassroots level from the back of a van to reaching a point where he could jokingly say that he bought his second Rolls Royce thanks to lollipops.

If there's one thing that you would like your customers to know about your products, what would it be?

Jeff Parker - Yeah, the one primary thing I'd like to emphasize to my customers is that my product truly works. It delivers exactly as advertised. In a market saturated with products making all sorts of claims, mine promises to effectively remedy dry mouth, and it does exactly that, and does it well.