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Meeting the Market Head On: WW: Many well-known brands have a story behind them – briefly tell us your story from the initial idea to your name and reputation as it is today I have always been interested in food, cooking and eating. While my boys were little (at this time I was a full time wife and mum) I attended cooking classes galore, read heaps of cook books and generally experimented in the kitchen. During this time we lived for three months in California while my husband was on a short sabbatical with the US Geological Survey. This was 1974 and crock pots were very new. It seemed that every newspaper and magazine I picked up was extolling the virtues of this new wonder appliance and I really wanted one. But we simply had no spare money. Crockpots were quite expensive and we needed an adaptor to enable it to work in New Zealand. I remember being very disappointed, but in 1979 the Ralta Crockpot, the first New Zealand manufactured crockpot, became available and I bought one. It was a love-hate relationship for a while; casseroles awash in a sea of liquid, stews with tender pieces of meat and rock hard vegetables, soups not cooked after 18 hours of very gentle simmering, or with a lot of liquid and little flavour. WW: How would you describe the defining essence of the Joan Bishop brand? Stylish, simple and uncomplicated recipes that are quick to prepare (although the cooking times may be long) without compromising flavour or quality. WW: How have you differentiated your brand in a competitive market through marketing and the product you offer? There were no New Zealand recipe books for crockpots, and quite a number of the overseas ones were very poorly researched and the recipes did not work. With lots of trial and error I adapted my conventional recipes to suit the crockpot and I became aware of the foods it cooked really well and those best cooked another way. Around about this time I joined Sunbeam as a demonstrator. It was the early 80's and food processors, electric frypans and crockpots were making their debut here. People flocked to demonstrations to find out how to get the most from these appliances. Talking to the women who came to these demonstrations, and there were many, I realised that I had the knowledge to write a book about food processors. So I did! I wrote it sitting at the kitchen table with pencil and paper. This is the ideal place to write a cookbook as I was almost always cooking something, and of course the children were usually close by. The NZ Food Processor Cookbook was published by Whitcoulls in 1984 and reprinted the following year. The Electric Frypan Cookbook followed and then in 1985 the NZ Crockpot Cookbook. It was the first New Zealand slow cooker cookbook. I have continued updating and rewriting this book and have sold in excess of 125,000 copies. WW: What was your initial set-up capital and how long did it take for your brand to become profitable? No money involved, just time. WW: Once you became a recognised name, in which areas did you mainly reinvest to develop your brand? In 1987 the Otago Daily Times asked me to write a monthly food column for them. I was delighted but very apprehensive – what to write about Kumara, Coconut and Spinach Soup Serves 5–6 Although the vegetables I have used here are available year round, I tend to think of this soup as a warming winter brew. Chilli and coconut cream as always make for a winning combination and I think a super-tasty one. The colour, a deep orange heavily shot through with the intense green of the spinach, is both dramatic and cheerful. This soup can be prepared ahead of time and frozen once puréed. Add the coconut milk and spinach just prior to serving. 1 tablespoon neutral oil (like rice bran) 1 large red onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1½ tablespoons finely chopped root ginger ¾–1 teaspoon prepared chilli (from a jar) 600g orange kumara (2 medium), peeled and cut into 2cm dice 4 cups vegetable stock 1 cup low-fat coconut milk or cream 200g fresh spinach leaves, finely sliced and stalks discarded salt and freshly ground black pepper extra coconut milk to garnish Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli and sauté, stirring frequently, for 4–5 minutes. Add the kumara and vegetable stock. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20–25 minutes or until the kumara is soft. Purée in a food processor or use a stick blender. Gently reheat the soup. Add the coconut milk and spinach, and barely simmer for 3–4 minutes or until the spinach has just wilted and the soup has heated through. Do not boil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the soup into heated bowls, swirl an extra teaspoonful of coconut milk into each bowl and serve. WHO'S WHO 2012 | 21