Seasoned business woman takes on spicy venture

Having owned a ceramics and woodworking business, Pat Dibble knows all too well the challenges of the retail world. But nothing could prepare her for the obstacles she faced launching her own seasoning business.

"It's much harder. Anytime you are involved with anything that involves inspections, food, labeling, it's so complicated and takes so much time," Dibble said.

The idea for her business dates back four years, when a friend challenged her to come up with her own Bloody Mary mix. An avid cook, Dibble embraced the challenge. When she presented her final creation to her friend, he told her it was the best Bloody Mary he'd had. Soon, he was urging her to sell it.

At first, Dibble ignored the suggestion. Over time, though, she realized she could capitalize on her love of experimenting with seasoning, dresses and rubs. Her husband, Barry, and family members backed her decision.

"We just decided it is a good product, and we need to take the chance because I don't want to end up one day saying, 'What if? What if I had just tried a little harder?'" she said.

Her quest to make Howling Helga's Mixes and Dressing a reality proved difficult. The work began three years ago, with Dibble reading through Minnesota Department of Agriculture regulations and a book called "So You Want to Start Your Own Food Company." At first, she wanted to bottle her Bloody Mary mix, but state regulators told her it would be virtually impossible to meet the strict requirements. So she went to companies to see if they could dehydrate some of her mixes.; none could do it to her satisfaction.

"Then I realized that I was going to have to learn to become a manufacturer," Dibble said.

The Kasson resident developed a way to store liquid dressings and mixes in sealed bags. First, though, the products had to undergo three to four months of lab tests just to make sure nothing would grow. Then came the product names. Originally, she called the Bloody Mary mix "magic mix." However, state regulations require the product's name to reflect what is in it. So she settled for magic marinade and Bloody Mary mix.

Once her products won final approval, she began renting kitchen space at Prairie Meadows Senior Living to make her seasonings. She also worked with a graphic designer on the product line's unique symbol -- a howling Viking woman. Dibble said the name Howling Helga came to her in a dream.

"I'm Norwegian and Swiss and so (the name) sounds good to me," she said. "I wanted something people would remember."

Dibble's hard work finally appears to be paying off. Cooking Pleasures magazine has requested 4,000 samples for their taste testers for a review in the magazine. So far, Dibble says, the feedback has been positive, with a boost in online orders. Her products are available for sale at A Flower for You in Kasson and Riverside Gifts in Mantorville. Whistle Binkies restaurants in Rochester also carry her Bloody Mary mix.

Dibble's next goal is to renovate the building next to the family-run Dibble's Funeral Home into a kitchen for her business. She has also started offering cooking classes each month.

Her advice to would-be entrepreneurs is to do the research, be patient and dive in.

"You can't be afraid to fail," she said. "What's the worst that can happen? It doesn't turn out. At least you tried."