Albert<\/strong>: You sell the on Amazon<\/a> Gary:<\/strong> Albert:<\/strong> Is the Super Peel used by commercial bakers? Or is just used by home bakers?<\/p>\n Gary:<\/strong> From the very beginning there was some interest from commercial bakers and pizza shops, but it really has been a home use type of product. We continue Albert:<\/strong> How did you come up with the design for a long handled Super Peel?<\/p>\n Gary:<\/strong> The design for the long handled Super Peel has been in the works for some time. Over the past several years, I have sent out maybe a dozen of various Albert:<\/strong> We understand you will be working with the Fire With In<\/a> as well as Forno Bravo.<\/a> How did that come about?<\/p>\n Gary:<\/strong> Hooking up with The Fire Within group was a bit of serendipity. Jim, who works with them and also operates one of their WFO “pizza wagons”, just The connection with The Fire Within has only been through Jim so far, and I am not entirely sure where it is going. We will have about a dozen Albert:<\/strong> Do you have any advice for someone that wants to create a new product?<\/p>\n Gary: I would strongly recommend that they start with a concept that fits their knowledge base and is relatively simple, ideally being a product that they What seemed like a good deal can sour easily for any of many reasons, and they will want the rights to their invention to come back to them in any The most important thing, above all, is to persevere! Once they have some “real data” to absolutely know that their idea has good potential, they need Albert: <\/strong>What has been the hardest thing for you in developing the Super Peel?<\/p>\n Gary:<\/strong> Development was never a hard problem, though redesigning to reach a product that would be of high quality and could be sold at an acceptable price was Case in point, we will be launching a new version – the Super Peel Pro, in October this year. It is Albert:<\/strong> Part of your marketing strategy has always been to give back to How does that fit in with your mission statement of your company? Has giving back to the community helped your business?<\/p>\n Gary:<\/strong> Giving back and paying it forward are two things that I strongly believe in. I can’t say that charitable giving has helped the business directly, at I strongly believe that all of our kids need every chance that they can get to succeed in life. I donate to local children’s charities and have for years given talks to grade school kids on inventing and being an inventor. I love to see how amazing their problem solving is at an early age, and want them all to know that this is something that they also can do. People usually refer to thinking inside of or outside of the box. Young children tend to think without consideration of any box at all. And, who knows where the next great product idea or company will come from?<\/p>\n Albert:<\/strong> What else is new with the Super Peel?<\/p>\n Gary:<\/strong> As usual Albert, I have probably ranted on a bit long already, and have covered a lot of this question already. I can only add that I do have many![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=pizzatherapycybe&l=ur2&o=1\")
\nThat is an interesting question. Several years back, Amazon<\/a>
\nme and others with their own products to sell – Amazon exposure, WOW!! Initially, we packed and shipped everything in house, but have gradually
\nmigrated most of this over to Fulfillment by Amazon. Product is shipped to Amazon’s warehouses and they take it from there right through customer
\nservice. Using Fulfillment by Amazon carries with it the free Amazon Prime shipping offer. Of course, someone actually does have to pay for the
\nshipping until UPS and the Post Office offers to deliver for free. There are more fees for this service, but you get actual shipping prices that are
\nridiculously low compared to what one could get themselves. So it averages out, and so far Amazon has been good for the product.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B002PFRXG2&Format=_SL110_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=pizzatherapycybe\")
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/e\/ir?t=pizzatherapycybe&l=as2&o=1&a=B002PFRXG2\")
\nto sell some to restaurants, pizzerias and bakeries, but these are generally small and\/or specialized. Last year I spent a large chunk of time designing
\nand building a large prototype that would work with a particular commercial oven brand. It was an interesting project, but it did not end up going
\nanywhere. On a related note, Eric Kastel from the CIA tells his bread baking students to get a Super Peel as part of their home baking arsenal
\nwhen they leave. It is the best tool to simulate the oven loaders that they have been using in class. In the end, the Super Peel is and has mostly been
\na tool for home users.<\/p>\n
\nprototypes to customers who wanted a longer handle, mostly for their WFOs. Early users have been very happy with it. Having one for my own use has
\nconverted me, even for indoor oven use. There is just something very cool about having the extra reach. So, the design has been sort of shape
\nshifting, but has been getting more refined.<\/p>\n
\nhappened to receive a Super Peel from Florida from his Mom’s estate. He had never seen one before, but was struggling a bit with loading pies into his
\nWFO. He tried it out and was totally hooked. Turns out that he lives in my home town, just 20 miles from where I am located. We got together and I
\nset him up with a few more of the standard Super Peels. I actually had a chance to see his WFO pizza wagon in operation a few weeks back at local
\nfarmers market. It is a winner for sure! I was there only 2 hours and I bet he made and sold 200 pies. People could not walk past without stopping,
\ngawking, shooting video, etc., and even buying a pie or two!<\/p>\n
\npreproduction units in a few weeks and, hopefully we will be able to equip their cart packages with both standard and long handled Super Peels.
\nPairing the Super Peel with the traveling WFO does make a lot sense, as many people starting one of these operations have never made a pizza before. The
\nSuper Peel makes prep and loading of their pies so much easier. And, as I mentioned earlier, using less bench flour can really improve the results.<\/p>\n
\ncould actually make and sell themselves in order to test market and develop some sales data. Even if they wish to license the idea to another company,
\nsales data speaks way more loudly than just optimistic words like “everyone will want one of these”. And, a good licensing deal with a good company can
\nbe hard to get. Even with luck finding a willing and able licensee, they need to keep performance requirements and minimum royalties in any contract.<\/p>\n
\ncase of non-performance by the licensee. As was the case with the Super Peel, they might then still be able to bootstrap a business of their own
\naround it. I never did make many Super Peels personally – maybe 25 or so. I am sure they will be worth millions down the road, so if you have one hang
\non to it!! The best way to get going is to get some sales data to prove the need and pricing, and then work with contractors to make the widget or at
\nleast the parts.<\/p>\n
\nto go at it like a shark on a seal, and drive through all of the many setbacks that will inevitably come along. At the same time, they need to
\npay real attention to any show stoppers that might crop up and be ready to
\nlet it all go if that time comes.\\<\/p>\n
\nchallenging. I always continue to look at other products, new materials and manufacturing technology to see if there are improvements that can be made.
\nEven looking back through old stuff can be helpful.<\/p>\n
\navailable in limited quantities on Amazon right now, but I just contracted for the first real production run. It will be made of the same resin\/fiber composite board that goes by the name “Richite”, sold under the Epicurean brand. In many ways it is a better material for the product than wood, but
\nit was way too pricey when I first looked at it over 10 years ago. Manufacturing costs have shifted enough that it has now reached relative
\nparity with wood. We will keep the wooden peels, but I expect that many will prefer the composite for its low maintenance.<\/p>\n
\nthe community. (And yes I think you’ve gotten Pizza Therapy involved more than once..)<\/p>\n
\nleast not to my knowledge, but it is something that I am committed to.<\/p>\n
\nproduct ideas in various stages of development. Some are just simple existing products that make sense to brand and sell under our company name.
\nOthers are totally new products. And then, there is the next generation Super Peel – the final frontier!, which is always in the works. This last one must remain a secret for now, but stay tuned!!<\/p>\n