The Lucky Onion in All Natural Spices and Seasonings

It's a Garden Party!

What does it mean to love what you do? In a heartbeat, many of us would quit our day job. Hold your horses. It is important to know about what goes into making a specialty gourmet product. From another standpoint, we have a long way to go in terms of education, eating healthy, and doing what makes sense in our economy. This story about a couple doing something they love--in the case of the Lucky Onion, Inc.--is really about giving back to the community. The following is an interview with Theresa Dormi, who is owner of Lucky Onion, Inc., along with her husband Brian Gilligan.

GreenMarket Producers (GMP): How did you get started in gourmet spices and seasonings?

Lucky Onion: We were asked to participate in a farmers’ market through a friend as part of an art festival.  The farmers market was five weeks away.  We didn’t have a product, but we thought we could come up with something unique.  We decided on spice blends because my husband has a knack for creating blends to spice up our barbecues.  Really it was meant to be a one-time thing.

GMP: Was the business expensive to get started?

Lucky Onion: As graphic designers, we had access to labeling materials and design skills to set up a booth. We did everything ourselves. A friend in manufacturing had contacts to order packaging that was FDA approved packaging. Lucky Onion was basically started in cottage industry style, from our home, working nights and weekends.

GMP: What was appealing about going in the gourmet spice making business?

Lucky Onion: Actually we wanted to get away from being in front of the computer and our corporate jobs.

GMP: How long have you been in business now?

Lucky Onion: Five years.

GMP: Have there been obstacles to growing your business?

Lucky Onion: One thing we are finding hard to do is reach the minimums that supermarkets require. Also, the supermarkets are asking very low wholesale prices. We see this as a hurdle we’d like to overcome.

Another obstacle is researching for the right copacker. We’ve found what is really important is establishing relationships and having everyone on board that is interested in the same level of quality.

GMP: Did you ever consider that it wouldn’t work?

Lucky Onion: No, I am an optimist. I get excited about new and creative ideas, and believe in it. If you work the hardest at what you love doing, you will succeed.

GMP: Why is it appealing to sell at farmers' markets or green markets?

Lucky Onion: We like being in front of customers at the markets. We’d like it to become full time. We hope to travel to all the farmers markets around Florida and other special events.  Furthermore, I have become so involved and invested in our local market that I was recently voted on to the Board of Directors. I hope my participation will help the market to continue to grow as well as educate more people about buying local and seasonal, and eating natural foods.

GMP: How do people find out about your spices and seasonings?

Lucky Onion: The main store is located in the Downtown Fort Pierce Farmers’ Market of Florida’s Treasure Coast region. Our website also drives traffic. We also use social media to communicate with our customers and friends using Twitter and Facebook (luckyonionfl).

GMP: What about e-Commerce? How has that worked?

Lucky Onion: Our website does well to support our local markets.  We get orders from around the country.  Orders come from around the U.S., for example, Maine, Minnesota, and Idaho, because people who find us at local markets, also ship to relatives for fun and gifts, especially during Christmas, Super Bowl, and 4^th of July.

GMP: Why did you develop all natural products and why was this important for you?

Lucky Onion: I have an allergy to soy.  Also, I can’t buy anything with preservatives or flavor enhancers. I can only buy fresh and all natural.

GMP: What is your number one seller?

Lucky Onion: Garden Party Spinach Dip is our number one favorite, selling 30% more than the others.  

The Herbaceous Dill Dip is a runner up because customers that come to one of the local festivals in Hobe Sound every year are using this dip and seasoning on Salmon.

GMP: Do your customers give you feedback?

Lucky Onion: Constantly. Our customers tell us when one of our dips was hit at a party or unusual ways the dips were used.

GMP: Your packaging is interesting.  It is nice to see you offer recipe ideas on the back.  How did you develop these recipes?

Lucky Onion: The recipes and preparation ideas came to us as we went along.  A lot of friends and our parents were testers.  We had some trial and error but talking with people helped in developing more versatility for our products.

GMP: What kind of advice would you give to other people wanting to get started selling products like yours or other food products?

Lucky Onion: If you are serious about starting a business like ours, do your homework. Go on the Department of Agriculture’s website and obtain the paperwork, licensing and permits.

GMP: Would there be anything you would do differently if you were starting this business over?

Lucky Onion: Looking back, I wish we had spent more time on the business in the beginning and not get side-tracked with our other full time work.  We needed to devote more time to grow faster than it has grown.

Also, we recently downsized real estate holdings to minimize our costs. We are able to concentrate on the business and not have to work at salaried jobs.  We don’t want it to control our lives. We want to have fun with Lucky Onion, build a strong foundation, and not go into debt. Then, we’ll take the business on the road.

GMP: Have you experienced “feel good” moments since you started this business?

Lucky Onion: We’ve had many feel good moments.  People run up to the booth with a unique story and tell us that they had to show people our label.  In fact, some people from CT had seen a video that I appeared in.

Meeting a chef who buys everything, especially someone with training and good taste makes us feel that we’re doing something right.

Then there are those very special moments when children have come with a $5 dollar bill and tell us they saved money to buy something from us.  We feel the business is really about supporting our community.