IT’S A HIT — Don Sorkin holding a bottle of the new product.Richard Gillard/Acorn Newspaper
Move over Boysenberry. Girlsenberries occupy grocery store shelves.
When Westlake businessman Don Sorkin embarked on a new startup venture, he created a new product called Girlsenberries Preserves out of memories of grocery shopping with his mom.
His idea was a success. The product was featured by Kroger last year and is sold at 176 of his Ralphs stores in Southern California.
What is Girl’s Berry? Well, it’s not a real berry.
Sorkin has created a brand of Berry Preserve that combines four classics: Strawberry, Blackberry, Blueberry and Red Raspberry.
Girlsenberries Preserves is not the first business venture for Sorkin. In 1986, he started Dandees Diapers, a company that sells diapers in a variety of colors.
The entrepreneur was semi-retired when he came up with the concept for Garsenberry Preserve. Pandemic isolation inspired him to launch Berry’s brainchild.
of Acorn We spoke with Sorkin about how his product has made it from the drawing board to the supermarket.
Acorn: how did you get involved in the industry?
Sorkin: My first year with (Dandees Diapers) went very well. My partner and I have taken our company public. We collected the money and it worked. I know how to take over a business from a startup. Now we are back in the supermarket, and we also know the supermarket business from our experience at Dandees.
Acorn: How did you come up with the name Girls Senberry?
Sorkin: When I was younger, my mother and I would go grocery shopping in the jams, jellies and jams aisle and pass by boysenberry products. rice field. And she said, “Well, they don’t make them.”
I really thought about it. When we started developing the product, we got in touch with a lawyer and trademarked the name.
Acorn: What are the ingredients in Girlsenberries Preserves? How did you find this perfect berry combination?
Sorkin: I used berries that everyone loves. And then put them all in one jar. I also wanted to make something really delicious. Not too sweet, just the right sweetness. A mixture of red raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries are evident on the palate. You can see the clumps of flesh. Kids love it too. Jam goes well with peanut butter, toast, or bagels.
Acorn: Where do you source your fruit? What was that process like?
Sorkin: Our manufacturer is located in Utah. They get their fruit from different regions. We worked together to test the product and make sure everything was correct. I got a sample from there. I carried[a sample]with me, and I really liked the Kroger. It took many rounds to perfect the sweet and sour mixture.
Acorn: How did it feel to finally see the product on the shelf?
Sorkin: It feels like the product is finally here. it’s like a baby. After 9 months of hard work, it’s finally here.
Well this is my little baby. I’m really proud to see it finally hit the shelves. Especially when people buy it and enjoy it. But after speaking with Kroger, I think the price is too high right now. We will reduce the price of the product. . . We are also discussing expanding Girlsenberries Preserves to other supermarkets.
Acorn: Have you come up with a product slogan?
Sorkin: yes. Years ago, I remember hearing Wendy say, “Where’s the beef?” advertisement. And Tony the Tiger’s “Wow!”
Well, I wanted my little slogan to be “It’s deeeelicious.”
Come here boys, girls here.