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The Passion and Intention
Mary Paulson and Surinder Goode's personal missions are to begin a
new journey within San Diego community's craft breweries, wineries and ciders,
to become one of the leading cider-makers, and utilizing their status as an
advocate and volunteer for dog rescues, primarily with Labradors and Friends Dog
Rescue Group by donating a 10% portion of profits from hard ciders to animal rescue charities.
Mary's business and life philosophy
stems from a core belief in possibilities, and in believing that
whatever you set your heart and mind out to do in life, you will accomplish
your goals. She has proven this to be true by following her passions. First, as
a touring and recording artist with two
albums, then as a fire fighter retiring after 26 years of service, and as a LPGA Class A Golf Professional, she has accomplished all
of her past career goals.
Knowing that when one journey ends,
another begins with new goals, new dreams, and new possibilities waiting to be
challenged and fulfilled. In 2015, Mary found her life transitioning towards
focusing on cider-making and volunteer work.
Now her passion is to create great tasting hard cider, volunteer to foster
rescue Labrador mixed dogs, and to become an active participant in her community in
the North Park district of San Diego, CA.
Senior Bonded-Pair Spot and Poochie: Picture taken just after being dropped off by their family at a High Kill Shelter in Los Angeles ages 8 and 10. by Fusaro Photography
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At the age of 50, all of Mary's past hard work took a toll, her past injuries caught up to her, and health issues became a priority. It was
time to take a time out and care for herself for a bit. Mary found herself in physical therapy for 11 months working on all her injuries and starting a new hobby making hard cider. She shared and tested each new recipe and flavor with her PT doctor and massage therapist until each flavor was perfect! Now her focus has
become fostering Labradors, rehabilitating from her injuries, and making hard ciders subsequently naming it, Poochie's Hooch!
Poochie's Hooch is named after a foster Labrador mix dog named
Poochie. She came to the rescue group as half of a senior bonded pair. Today, sadly, her mate, Spot, has passed on and Poochie is now 11 years old, alone, and most likely will
never be adopted. She will be considered a "Foster Failure". Mary
and her business partner, Surinder, plan to give 10% net profits to Labradors & Friends Dog Rescue each year
as a business charity, specifically to aid special funding for medical aid, medications, food and bedding for senior dogs.
This will be a contribution that will continue to give help to those in need.
These two hard working women guarantee that the money funded to aid in start- up costs
for Poochie's Hooch Urban Cidery will be used tenfold for years to come in paying forward
and giving to charities for animal rights, and specifically caring for senior
dogs who are dumped in shelters by their "families" because they are
too old or sick; moving away without them, or just don't want to be responsible for their pet any
more. Rescue groups, like Labradors and Friends, pull these dogs out of High
Kill Shelters and give them help, dignity, and hopefully, new loving families
and homes every day. In 2015, LAFDR rescued 401 dogs in need. But in the cases like Poochie, which are many, they are held in
boarding facilities, or hopefully a loving foster home until they are adopted, or sadly cross over the rainbow bridge in loving arms.
Surinder Goode has spent her entire career in the food
and beverage industry.
In 1988 Surinder joined Harlequin Leisure Group as a
manager of a chain of Indian restaurants in Scotland. From menu planning, décor, to hiring and training
employees Surinder’s job encompassed all aspects of the restaurant industry. In 1991, Surinder moved to the Middle East operating on
board private flights for His Royal Highness. Traveling the world and expanding
her knowledge of food and wines, she became involved in catering to an elite
clientele.
After moving to San Diego, despite reaching corporate goals, in 2002,
Surinder challenged herself by opening her first coffee kiosk to a demographic
of disciplined, hardworking, patriotic individuals ... the U.S.
Military ... a demographic that had not been catered to.
“After several months of operating,
one of my dearest customers paid me a tremendous business compliment by saying,
“Your coffee cart is known as the ‘water cooler’ on base”. The “Water Cooler”
became the model for business.
LOSE THE POOCH, DRINK SOME HOOCH
Mary created a healthy formula for her hard cider only
containing 8 grams of carbohydrates and 8 grams of sugar with 280 cal in 16oz servings at 7.35% abv. To say she was pleased with these laboratory results would be an understatement, since most commercial hard ciders on the market today contain 19-26 grams of sugar in 12 oz. servings! Poochie's Hooch is easy on the tummy and oh so yummy, because sugar-minded people are able to drink several servings without feeling any after-affects the next morning!
Using only natural and
organic ingredients, it quickly became clear that this cider was special! The
light, crisp, low sugar beverage was becoming a favorite at social events,
parties, and get-togethers with friends and neighbors. The perfect alcoholic beverage at a Renaissance themed wedding.... Spiced Apple and Jaded Apple!
With 20 different flavored hard ciders, the feedback Mary continued to receive
about her hooch from friends, neighbors, strangers, professional wine
tasters and brew masters all told her to take her product to the commercial
level with no reservations. Open a cider
house. Thus creating The Cider House, LLC DBA Poochie's Hooch Urban Cidery.
"The Apple Mojito is amazing! Perfect to sip on a hot summer day or evening."
Quoting Rusty Figgins, "Keep the Pumpkin Spice on tap year round. They will come back for this cider."
That was enough for Mary to follow yet another journey towards yet
another soon to be successful goal... Poochie's Hooch Urban Cidery.
The cidery will be located within the North Park District in San Diego, known as the Craft Brewery Mecca in the United States. Poochie's Hooch Urban Cidery will be the first cider house, not only among the high density craft breweries in North Park, but also in the entire city of San Diego. Those looking for something different other than beer while touring North Park establishments will now have Poochie's Hooch hard cider to enjoy! This business is set up for success! Great product, Great location, Great successful business owners, and great passion for charity and community!
To
quote Mary's past golf coaches and anyone who has worked with her on any
project, "Action" is the one word to describe Mary Paulson. She does
what she says she's going to do. She walks the walk, and talks the talk. With
all of her high goals and aspirations, she has never given up and always saw
each project to the end of every journey successfully meeting her goals. Poochie's Hooch will be yet another successful journey for decades to come.
What We Need & What We Are Asking
Mary and her business partner, Surinder, who has over 15 years owning and operating her current beverage business, are currently asking aid for $75,000 to help attain a location lease and order the fermenting equipment, in order to begin the Application process for Licenses and Permits, and ultimately, to open a hard cider manufacturing business. With the initial intent to start selling through a tasting room and manufacturing 520 barrels annually, then using annual profits to expand and open two more Tap rooms across southern California. Opening an alcoholic manufacturing business comes with more red tape and paperwork at the Federal, State, and Local governmental levels than most new small businesses. Costs for legal fees and hiring Attorneys who specialize in the Wine/Cider/Craft brewery will cost $10-20k. Taxes, Insurance, Licensing and permits, and professional fees will cost $50k. $100k will be spent on purchasing manufacturing equipment and supplies for a 20 Barrel fermenting system, building a customized cooling system, shipping and installing the system with professional training by the manufacturing company; and preparing the Cidery building itself for the fermenting tanks to meet regulations IE: Floor drains, cement weight-load platforms, electrical, plumbing, and Installing walk-in coolers and a freezer, will estimate a cost $30k. Our total Start up/Capital needs will be $200,000. But your help will keep the movement towards opening scheduled by March 2017, if not sooner.
In summary, The funding we are asking for will be utilized to get the actual Cidery up and running and producing, along with furnishing the tasting room and setting up a tap system for 10 flavors of cider available at one time year round. Because of the red tape in receiving licenses and permits from Fed/State/local governments, the most expensive cost will be Property lease and utilities. It will take at least 6 months from the time of the Federal TTB application process has started, 3 months for the fermenting equipment to be manufactured, 2-3 months for State ABC winegrowers permits to be approved, and a month and a day to make a batch of hooch until we can open for business. Yet another reason why many home cider-makers do not commercialize. You must have an address and location in the TTB application for wine manufacturing, as well as, show paperwork that the fermenting equipment is on order. This alone will cost approximately $100k for paying 6 months lease with a deposit and ordering equipment..
So what do we get out of it? $200k to show the Realtor, equipment manufacturer, and government entities we have enough funds in the bank to lease the property location we know we want within the craft brewery district of North Park, and to show TTB we are prepared to move forward to manufacture hard ciders. This will allow us to move forward with the rest of the business preparations by hiring contractors and professionals for building construction, permits, legal aid, etc. And to begin creating jobs in our community by hiring workers for the tasting room and Assistant cider makers.
What do you get out of it? Aside from the perks we will offer for smaller contributions, we are also in a position to negotiate with donors offering $50k+. This will be discussed privately, and those seriously interested in higher propositions may contact us for the Secret Perks and will be sent to you.
We are truly looking for a win-win-win situation.
We want the rescued and non-rescued dogs to win, we obviously want our new Urban Cidery to win, and for believing in our cause, our passion, Mary's great natural pallet and cider making skills, and our sense of adventure we want you, the donors, to win too! Whether it be a logo cap or branded flight board with glasses; a CD of Mary Paulson or a Private Professional Golf lesson;
A Private Personal Training session with
Surinder. A Private Tasting Party with your friends, or having your name recognized on the "Poochie" wall as a contributor for Dog Rescues; a good karma sticker, or just a heart-felt and grateful Thank You, knowing your contribution will be a gift that will continue to give and grow. We want you to feel as much passion as we do to serve our community and help animal rights.
Reaching our goal would be tremendous. But even if we only receive half of our needs, that still allows us to get the ball rolling. We can get into our building, get our applications sent in, get our manufacturing equipment ordered, and that will give us 6 months to find more funds to hire attorneys for unforeseen issues, And get the tasting room constructed and ready for a grand opening.
CHEERS!
Note from Mary:
As a retired firefighter, I have been looking to reinvent myself; to feel needed and a part of the community again. I want to help. I know I can do a lot of good for others who help needy animals every day. I got lucky and began making an incredible hard cider! The cidery alone will be a success because there are NO cider houses among the craft breweries in the North Park brewery district. There will be zero competition. A No-Brainer for this location and market. Your money will help us to make hard cider, so that we can pay it forward and help the non-profit charities who help those tossed and dumped beautiful animals, and hopefully connect them with new loving families. Thank you for allowing me to share Poochie's story, and explain why I'm so passionate about opening our urban cidery in San Diego.
Mary~