Positively West Virginia
Positively West Virginia
Episode 18: Marketing Campaigns for Restaurants: The Custard Stand
Loading
/

Dee and Angie Cowger continued a family tradition and opened The Custard Stand in 1991 as a take-out dairy bar in Webster Springs, West Virginia. The Cowgers used a century-old recipe created by Angie’s grandfather as the chili for the hot dogs.

For more than a decade, customers repeatedly asked where they could buy Custard Stand Hot Dog Chili. In 2003, the Cowgers, who are long-time entrepreneurs, converted the three-bay car wash behind the restaurant into a USDA-approved production facility and launched Custard Stand Food Products, their second business.

In February 2016, the Cowgers pitched the hot dog chili and chili soup on ABC’s award-winning reality show, SHARK TANK. While the Cowgers didn’t get a deal, the exposure and praise from the SHARKS dramatically increased retail and online sales. Billionaire Mark Cuban said the couple is living proof of the American Dream.

ANGIE COWGER, DEE COWGER (CUSTARD STAND FOOD PRODUCTS)

DEE & ANGIE COWGER FEATURED ON SHARK TANK – “Episode 718” – (ABC/Tyler Golden)

Custard Stand Chili West Virginia - marketing campaigns for restaurantsOver the years, the Cowgers, their three children, and other family members visited stores, festivals and consumer shows to hand out samples of America’s Tastiest chili and talk to people about the product. The family proudly promotes the values of homemade taste, quality, and consistency

Custard Stand Hot Dog Chili is available at Kroger, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, IGA, along with smaller chains and independent grocery stores, in more than 18 states. It can be ordered online and shipped in two days to most of the U.S. for a flat rate fee.

Custard Stand Chili is the Official Chili of WVU Athletics and served by at West Virginia University football, basketball, baseball and soccer games. They are the chili of choice for WV Black Bears in Morgantown (a Pittsburgh Pirates minor league baseball team).


Show Notes:

  • 00:34-2:45: Jim introduces today’s guests, Dee and Angie Cowger, founder of “The Custard Stand” and Custard Stand products. Jim asks the couple to give the audience some insight into their personal lives.
  • 2:46-3:27: Angie talks about her three children, their West Virginia roots, and what they like to do in their free-time.
  • 3:28-3:43: How did you get started in the custard business?
  • 3:44-4:50: Dee tells the story of a custard stand that they went to all the time as kids and when it shut down, there came the idea of starting their own. With the help of a century-old-recipe of Angie’s grandfather, the couple began their own custard stand.
  • 4:51-5:00: What’s your 30 second elevator pitch?
  • 5:01-5:52: “Custard stand restaurants are not fast-food, we’re what fast food used to be.”
  • 5:53-6:09: Angie, what would you say you’re most excited about right now for your company?
  • 6:10-8:46: Angie talks about new graphics and labels for their products on the store shelves. She also mentioned a Facebook marketing campaign they’re running to encourage their customers to show all the different ways they’re using the custard stand chili at home.
  • 8:47-9:13: What is your worst business moment as an entrepreneur?
  • 9:14-11:15: The couple talks about a time when a truck hit their facility and ended up hurting an employee.
  • 11:16-11:23: What’s your big takeaway from that experience?
  • 11:24-11:32: “When you know you’re right, be persistent and don’t quit.”
  • 11:33-11:39: Dee, what is the best thing about being in business in West Virginia?
  • 11:40-13:10: Dee talks about the pride of the people in West Virginia as well as being proud of creating and producing his product in the state he was born in. Angie talks about the support of the people here and being able to give back to the state.
  • 13:11-13:30: Talk a little bit about the Shark Tank experience…
  • 13:31-15:51: The couple takes us back through the journey they went through to get on Shark Tank and what it was like to pitch their idea to the sharks. They say even though they were unable to make a deal, they would do it all over again.
  • 15:52-16:20: Jim takes a brief moment to recognize the incredible sponsors of the show.
  • 16:21-16:29: What’s the vision for your company long-term?
  • 16:30-18:47: Dee says, “I’m always looking big picture. I’m always trying to be a national product.”
  • 18:48-19:00: What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring entrepreneurs or business people?
  • 19:01-20:13: Angie urges people to, “not take no for an answer and when you get a no, find out the reason behind the no.” The couple advises people to also not be afraid to take a risk or a chance.
  • 20:14-20:30: Angie, what’s one thing you do everyday that you think contributes to your success?
  • 20:31-21:20: “I check my email and all of our Facebook pages first thing in the morning.”
  • 21:21-21:25: Dee, what’s one resource you cannot live without?
  • 21:26-22:41: Dee says he cannot live without YouTube saying that if he has a question on how to do anything he checks YouTube right away
  • 22:43-22:48: If you could meet anyone in the state of West Virginia that could help your business get to the next level, who would it be?
  • 22:49-23:34: Angie says that she’d like to meet whoever is in charge of buying for all of the state entities.
  • 23:35-23:57: What’re some of the challenges you face in your company?
  • 23:58-26:07: “Our biggest challenge as of late is transportation.”
  • 26:08-26:26: Have I missed anything that you’d like to cover?
  • 26:27-27:02: Angie urges people who have any questions to check out their website and their Instagram and Facebook pages
  • 27:03- Close: Jim thanks the Dee and Angie for joining him on another episode of Positively West Virginia and once again thanks the sponsors of the show for allowing us to tell these wonderful West Virginia business stories.