Mother/daughter “souptrepreneurs” Marilyn and Sara Polon want a super deal for Souper Girl, their super fresh soup business. They’ve been making soup in the greater Washington DC area since 2008 and they’ve become quite the toast of the town. They started small as a web-based soup service, then grew to a take-out store in Takoma. They now have two brick and mortar stores plus they’re in Whole Foods Markets and Costcos on the east coast and the Midwest. Souper Girl is also an option on Peapod.
Polon wants to take Souper Girl nationwide, which is challenging since she sources all her ingredients from local farmers. Part of her plan is launching a national program, called “Soupermeal,” which ships directly to customers. She also wants to expand her retail foot print.
Sara went totally vegan three years ago. Appropriately, all Souper Girl soups are vegan and kosher. There’s even a Souper Cleanse program so people can see what vegan eating is like. Customers receive 20 soups and eat four per day at specific time intervals for five days, with two days off. You start each day with a cup of warm lemon water to kick start the metabolism. Then you eat four soups over the course of each day. You take a break on days three and five and eat whatever you want. Healthy snacks are OK (no chips or pretzels) as is coffee and wine. Polon sells the cleanse as a way to introduce people to vegan cuisine and its health benefits.
Taking Souper Girl national has its logistical issues which a Shark could help with. It also takes cash – another Shark plus. The question is will the Sharks be hungry after two vegan based businesses pitch in the Tank tonight?
My Take on Souper Girl
I love soup. In fact, I had clam chowder for lunch today. I usually eat soup two to three times a week. Sometimes it’s fancy soup and sometimes it’s good old chicken noodle in a can. I’ll always buy a ham when it’s on sale just so I can make split pea with ham soup.
Souper Girl Soups look delicious and I am going to order a cleanse package to try them out. I’m especially interested in the gazpacho. My mother makes a nice gazpacho in the summer. It’s one of my favorite foods. Just thinking about it made me want some! I am in with Souper Girl and will review the products when I get them.
Will Sharks Want Soup?
I almost want Souper Girl to not get a deal so I can hear one of the Sharks say “NO SOUP FOR YOU!”
Seriously though, I think they will do a deal with Mr. Wonderful if they can come to terms. Here’s why:
Mr. Wonderful likes women run businesses and he tends to invest in them. Sara is not some wide-eyed “wantrepreneur,” she’s the real deal. With mom Marilyn in there as a kicker, it’s a good team – like the Wicked Good Cupcakes mother/daughter team.
The second reason this makes sense for both Souper Girl and Mr. Wonderful is existing infrastructure. Mr. Wonderful invested in Plated, a home meal kit delivery service. They have relationships with local food purveyors in different regions and they have centralized shipping facilities. All Sara would need to do is have a commercial kitchen strategically located near Plated’s facilities and Mr. Wonderful could leverage both businesses.
I’m betting on a deal with Mr. Wonderful.
Entrepreneur, auteur, raconteur. Rob Merlino is a blogger and writer who enjoys the Shark Tank TV show and Hot Dogs. A father of five who freelances in a variety of publications, Rob has a stable of websites including Shark Tank Blog, Hot Dog Stories, Rob Merlino.com and more.
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