On Wednesday October 20th the second edition of Dragons' Den Meaford will hit the stage of Meaford Hall.
As the contestants prepare to stand before the Dragons and pitch their business ideas in hopes of convincing them to support their endeavour, The Meaford Independent decided to check in with the big winner from the 2009 event, Meredith Cowan to see how her success at Dragons' Den Meaford has impacted her business.
Cowan is the proprietor of Meredith's Ginger Syrup. After her participation in the initial Dragons' Den Meaford, Cowan walked away with more than $4,000 in cash plus a $10,000 interest-free loan.
Originally from Toronto, Cowan and her husband Mark settled in Meaford seven years ago in order to enjoy life in a small town surrounded by a rich agricultural heritage.
“I like being close to where my food is produced,” offers Cowan, who has strong natural health interests.
In the year that has passed since that victorious evening, Cowan has rarely had time to stop and smell the roses as her business has continued to grow month after month.
“Meredith's Ginger Syrup has grown from being available in just two locations in Meaford to now over 20 locations in Grey Bruce, and it is still growing,” Cowan told The Independent, “It is now also available in Toronto.”
After she left the stage at Meaford Hall, Cowan set to work putting her winnings to good use. She undertook a branding project that saw a new and distinctive look created for marketing her product and a new website was developed to help promote her business.
Cowan also built a commercial kitchen at her farm to accommodate the increased volume of product that she has had to produce in order to meet demand.
And it isn't just product sales that have grown, Cowan's product line has also expanded to include Meredith's Ginger Elixir which is a unique blend of lemon, honey, and ginger.
Raising the profile of Meredith's Ginger Syrup has been a key to the success of her product. After winning the 2009 Dragons' Den Meaford competition, Cowan has been featured in several media publications, and On The Bay magazine rated her Ginger Syrup as “One of the top things you must taste this summer.”
And then there are the cocktails. In addition to a variety of culinary uses, Cowan has promoted her product as an excellent mix for beverages, and in December of last year she introduced the Meaford Mule at the annual Chamber of Commerce Christmas party. The beverage pays homage to the Moscow Mule which was popular in the early decades of the last century and is made by mixing vodka, club soda, and Ginger Syrup.
Another cocktail was developed to help launch her Ginger Elixir. A product launch party was held at Bridges Tavern in Thornbury in July where Cowan's latest creation, the Bee Sting Martini was featured.
The long hours, and furious pace of expansion hasn't seemed to wear on Cowan, and she is excited about continuing to grow her business.
“The product has grown and I have grown and we both are better for the experience,” says Cowan.
As for any advice to the contestants who will participate in the latest edition of Dragons' Den Meaford, Cowan reminds us that none of us become a success on our own, there are many who help us along the way.
“A debt of gratitude is owed to all the people who have helped me on my journey to creating a successful business in Meaford.”
The 2010 edition of Dragons' Den Meaford will take place on Wednesday October 20th at 7 pm at Meaford Hall. Tickets can be purchased by contacting the Meaford Hall box office.
