Jason Cox is looking to put a little fizz back into the soda market.
Already making a name for himself locally with The People’s Crafthouse soda he creates, Cox hopes a CBC Dragon’s Den investor will help take it even further.
Cox applied for the show and was put in a long line of entrepreneurs pitching to a producer in Kelowna in March.
“It seemed to go really well. I was told I would get five minutes but the producer spent 35 to 40 minutes with me,” said Cox.
Then he heard nothing back.
“I was getting a haircut last Friday at my barber’s and he had asked me what was happening with it. Although in my head I was thinking I wasn’t going to make the cut for Dragon’s Den, I hadn’t actually vocalized it,” said Cox. “I was making excuses that maybe I should have done this or that. I got back to my shop to open it up and I got the phone call. I think the universe saw I was giving up hope and then it was restored immediately.”
As fate would have it, one of the Dragon’s he would most like to work with — Jim Treliving, owner of Boston Pizza — just happens to have roots in Penticton.
“He was here last year speaking to the chamber. I actually sat at the table with him but didn’t want to do the classless thing and pitch him my product over lunch,” said Cox. “We talked about his business, the chamber, local community and everything including waterslides but not The People’s Crafthouse. I haven’t changed my look much, so I hope he recognizes me and puts two and two together.”
It was after receiving a gift of craft soda at a chamber conference in Nanaimo that Cox was intrigued by the idea of making his own but in more classic flavours. Next thing he knew he was working with Burger 55 to create their in-house rootbeer. It was an instant hit. Now he is capping 200 bottles a day, seven days a week in a variety of flavours to try and keep up with demand. This on top of the kegs and canisters bars are tapping into, along with his cocktail syrup.
“We went from having one outlet selling to five locations carrying us and this year we have 12 lined up and growing,” said Cox.
Getting a call to film an episode on Dragon’s Den was not in his budget. He has started a GoFundMe account (People’s Crafthouse on Dragon’s Den) with the goal of raising $5,000 to help him get to Toronto to film on May 13.
“Like the old saying, it costs money to make money. This is not something I had in my business plan to pay for. I now am looking at a flight, hotel, promotional material, shipping my product by refrigerated truck because it is all natural ingredients and I don’t know how it well it will last if going by plane,” said Cox. “I have given a lot back to this community and have never expected anything back, but now I am asking for help.”
Cox said some entrepreneurs that film on Dragon’s Den never actually make it to TV, however, a new segment on the show this year will guarantee his will. He said producers will not allow him to divulge what the segment is about but mentioned his episode will air sometime in January.
