#161 Accidents Happen to the Nicest People - Robin Rosenberg, Bobbie's Boat Sauce

Meaningful Marketplace Podcast

We first interviewed Robin Rosenberg, CEO of Bobbie’s Boat Sauce on episode 64, released November, 2020. Actually created at sea on a sailboat, Bobbie’s Boat Sauce borrows its name from a repair concoction used by boaters, but not the kind of “sauce” you want to eat. While cleaning out the refrigerator on the boat and with some jazz playing in the background, Robin accidently created a flavor and zest she had never experienced before. The creation went fabulously well with the fish she was cooking, then the eggs she prepared the next day and a new flavor was born. As she says on her website, “Bobbie’s Boat Sauce is an addictive tomato-chili concoction enhanced with aromatics, lime, and fish sauce. Squeeze a little spicy, tangy, umami on everything you love to eat!.” Bringing the recipe back to Portland, Oregon, Robin formed a company and began the journey. That took her to the first road bump, the name Boat Sauce. Her legal consul determined the name was too broad and would be difficult to trademark, since many boaters, especially those with wooden boats, all had their own secret boat sauce they invented to make repairs on their particular boat. However, the bump was cleared and so were many others on the way to what is now national distribution of Bobbie’s Boat Sauce. But much has changed since our first interview with her. Back in 2020, Robin had one sauce flavor plus a hotter version of that flavor. Since then there has been an explosion of product offerings. Her first addition was a marinara hot version, tomato-forward but with a briny tang. The new flavor was actually a production mistake (another fortunate accident), as she was in the middle of changing co-packers and although the recipe was not followed correctly, it yielded an outstanding new product to the line. It’s the serendipity that happens to determined entrepreneurs like Robin. A very new venture is mixing the her sauces with cheddar and cream cheeses. Robin began doing this at Holiday season in a commercial kitchen and then selling it at markets and fairs. She now has distribution in three Portland stores and has many inquiries. However, she is still a company of one, as she says, and the aspect of scaling that part of the business is daunting. Going from a shelf product line to a refrigerated product line is a huge and complex step and takes lots of resources, including human resources, let alone all the extra space required for processing and transporting. The good news is that the cheeses freeze well, which makes inventorying for Bobbie’s and Bobbie’s distributors easier. Another idea at the back of Robin’s head was to create seasonings for her audience. So now she is launching Boat Dust seasonings! They are basically dehydrated Boat Sauce flavors in a two ounce shaker glass available in boutique food stores and small fairs. Ever the inventor, Robin continues to produce Holiday and special treats on a limited basis, always experimenting with the public to see what catches on. Check out the line on her website: https://bobbiesboatsauce.com/. Follow her: IG@bobbiesboatsauce. Our hosts: Twitter - @sarahmasoni and @spicymarshall, Instagram - @masoniandmarshall.