Ponzo Parties - The Next Craze?

A Sydney company is increasing production of its popular snacks for all Maritimers to enjoy. Ken's Original Ponzos, owned by Ken Hannah, will be putting ponzos in grocery stores beyond Cape Breton's border in the near future. Mr. Hannah has installed a new kitchen that can produce 800 dozen ponzos a week -- more than four times his previous capacity.

A $29,000 investment from Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC) and a $25,000 Community Business Loan from Nova Scotia Economic Development and Tourism paid for the mixers, fryers, walk-in freezers and refrigerated tables he needed to meet the growing demand.

Mr. Hannah said the improvements are working. "We're now in seven Sobeys, five SuperValu and four Co-op stores in Cape Breton. We're poised to go to the mainland now."

"This project is another example of the Government of Canada helping people who are taking advantage of emerging opportunities and, as a result creating employment opportunities for themselves and others," said Senator Al Graham, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister responsible for Nova Scotia, speaking on behalf of Fred Mifflin, Secretary of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and ECBC. "This local businessperson has demonstrated the kind of business acumen that is helping the economy of this community grow."

"Entrepreneurship is a vital part of the Nova Scotia economy and we are proud to support it," said Manning MacDonald, Economic Development and Tourism Minister. "This is a great example of a Nova Scotia entrepreneur who has carved out a niche and looked to new markets for growth."

Mr. Hannah came up with his deep fried ponzos in 1978 as a result of his ongoing experiments with food products - long before similar deep-fried pizza pockets hit the market.

"I wanted to come up with a unique product that would give me an exclusive niche in this area. I tested it with people from the area and family members and found that I did have something different," said Mr. Hannah. "Then I went through a combination of names that I thought would be short and catchy. That's how I came up with Ponzo."

Mr. Hannah has been selling ponzos in restaurants for the past 20 years. In 1997 he noticed that demand for his product was increasing -- customers were buying them by the dozen for parties and other occasions. He decided to try his hand in the retail grocery market and began selling them in five grocery stores across Cape Breton.

The success of the retail sales lead Mr. Hannah to look beyond Cape Breton, first to mainland Nova Scotia and eventually to New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Negotiations to ship the product all over the province are underway.

"I knew that once I expanded I'd have the capacity to meet markets outside Cape Breton. I have every intention of shipping ponzos throughout the Maritimes."

Increased production has meant more jobs. After expanding, Mr. Hannah hired four employees for the production process and anticipates hiring an additional five people by the end of the year.