Cider Bellies to Open New Location At Sawyers Dairy Bar!
 

I think that some of the talk or chatter in a previous tread could be about a new "Cider Bellies Doughnuts" location that is going to open at Sawyers Dairy Bars in Mid May! If you like fresh doughnuts then this will be the place to be! Enjoy! I do see that trailer for fried dough sitting across the street from Patrick's Pub but I believe it just is a space to park it for now!

Outstanding! We love cider bellies donuts!

http://i44.tinypic.com/1499wms.gif Rob1221, I just noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

Thanks for the info. I'm sure that will get a lot of Lakers attention.:)

http://i54.tinypic.com/2e56yqf.gif

We ran into Patty and Larry (owners of Sawyer's) last December, and she told us that she was thinking of doing this. So glad they decided to go for it!

From Cider Bellies facebook page
 

"Cider Bellies is now accepting applications for cashier positions in both our Moulton Farm location (Meredith) and our Sawyers Dairy Bar location (Gilford)! Wages are negotiable, must be available weekends and early mornings. No experience necessary."

Cider Bellies is Here!
 

Just wanted to touch base and let everyone know that Cider Bellies Doughnuts has arrived and they really are looking forward to sharing this mouth watering doughnut experience with all of you! They will be open Thursday thru Sunday 6-11 at Sawyers Dairy Bar! They will also have a great high end coffee from Carpe Diem in Portland Maine! Stop by to say hi to Jess the owner and also grab a doughnut! It gets even better inquire about the business delivery service! Enjoy all!

Thank you . . .
 

and there was a coupon in today's batch of junk mail. :)

Was the coupon in the Simply direct mailer? I love cider bellies!


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Bumble,

That's where I just saw my coupon for them.

Sawyer's location not open today, but soon
 

I just got off the phone with someone from Cider Bellies, and was told that there's a temporary hold up as someone filed a complaint about their plan to operate out of Sawyer's parking lot (or something like that), and they're waiting for the town to rule on the complaint and, hopefully, give them the official OK. That is why they were not open today (Friday, June 6).

Yeah, "that someone" is beans and greens. Absolutely pathetic.


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I've had a run in with the "lady" who owns beans and greens, she isn't very customer friendly or accommodating. Perhaps someone should complain about the sanitary conditions there in her store and in the dirty kitchen or perhaps the fact that she bags customers food in used bags from the supermarket because she is too cheap to buy new ones to provide to her customers.

I agree that she is not very friendly or customer-oriented. She can be downright rude and abrupt. I know people who avoid Beans & Greens at all costs. I can't imagine why she objects to Cider Bellies in Sawyer's parking lot.

Isn't it just cliché that I post a very short comment about this business and boom...I'm not alone.


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She objects because cider bellies used to sell their product at beans and greens. One day somebody discovered that beans and greens was posing as a business that was still selling cider bellies product, when In reality they had tried to copy the recipe and sell a copy cat. Cider bellies then pulled out immediately from beans and greens. As they should have.

Now look what's happening....


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Sawyer's
 

any word on when this location will be open? I have driven over the last two weekens with no luck....

We have a planning board meeting tonight and if all goes well with this meeting and with no other objections we should be open this Thursday - Sunday 6-11! We wished we were here sooner to share our products with all of you but we had a few bridges to cross! Thank you all for your patience and understanding! We look forward to seeing all of you soon!

Much thanks, Cider Bellies!

Never been to Beans and Greens. Sounds unpleasant

Cider Bellies to open @ Sawyer's TODAY
 

Approval by the Gilford Planning Board was last night, so they should be open this morning from around 6 AM until 11AM.

Because of very tight parking, they can only be open in the mornings before Sawyer's opens for business at 11 AM.

Been to Beans and Greens a few times
 

Never had a great selection as far as fruits and vegetables. I think they are concentration on the flowers for planting.

The bakery at one time was to die for. They replace a great bake with young inexperience crew and the bake shop went down hill.

There are other places to go that are far better! Moulton's to name one.

We no longer go to Beans & Greens.....aside from going downhill, the women who runs the place is a nightmare to deal with. Not surprised she pulled this stunt.

Corn
 

The only reason I go to Beans and Greens is the fresh picked corn. Can you get it anywhere else in the area.

We've stopped going, too
 

We go over to Moulton Farm now. The selection and quality at B&G isn't as good as Moulton. And the fact that you get your food packed in someone else's used Hannaford bag kind of weirds us out.

I think I have got good corn there once in the past 5 years and yes there are numerous other local farm stands that sell GREAT tasting local corn in season.

Honestly, I would rather buy the Florida corn at Hannaford's that you can get right now than Beans & Greens tasteless in season corn!

Dan

Yeah, we are coming from Alton so need something a little closer

We like Moulton's too. There's also Picnic Rock farm in Meredith.

Isn't there a healthy food market in Alton? I can't recall the name.

That's good to know. My wife and I were looking for another place for the same reasons. Just not the same as in past years. A longer drive from West Alton but looks well worth it checking their website. We like Picnic Rock also (great pies!) but Moulton's looks much bigger.

Corn
 

As an Ohio country boy, I have a great interest in what we call "midwest lobster" (sweet corn). Like lobster, corn must still be alive when it hits the boiling water. [There is science that supports this view.] The locally-grown corn from Beans & Greens is pretty darn good, if expensive. I am sure that there are many other places to get good local corn. Just be sure that the husks are still on the corn and they aren't dried out. The picked ears should be kept cold and cooked (not overcooked) the same day. Mmmm.

Right now, all the corn is coming from Florida. Soon, it will be from Georgia, etc, on up the map. Some of this corn isn't very good as it takes too long to ship, although recent hybrids have a lot more sugar (less starch) and remain tasty for up to a week.

In my experience, the price of the corn is not an indicator of quality. I'll try a few ears from pretty much any source. If it's good, I'll be back. When I find a good local grower, I try to support them so they'll stay around.

As for Cider Bellies, my mouth is already watering. Donuts, like corn, must be fresh.

Cider Bellies
 

Are they open mornings now?

Cider bellies will be open this Thursday June 19th each week thru Sunday from 6 to 11 thank you and we look forward to seeing you soon. We know you will be happy to try our fresh hot warm doughnuts


Thanks

Cider bellies

I'll be that guy
 

I'll be the one guy that supports B&G.

But first - I feel some of the pain. I agree that -

1. The produce selection can be slim at times. But they offer what they have that is fresh......nature doesn't always comply.
2. The pricing on some items can be a bit high, but that is true of all area farmstands.
3. I just dont get the meat and dairy sections. The items must sell, I have just never seen the point (or anyone buying them).
4. Seasonal help is present (with accents, meaning they are imported) - you lose me there, I worked on a farm for 4 summers during high school, there must be local talent to draw from.
5. Re-used plastic bags - Ok, that needs to end.

But for the +'s :

1. The koi pond rocks, never saw a dead fish :)
2. The pickle barrel / jug is always full and is still 99 cents. Yum.
3. The bakery makes mean choc chip and M&M cookies, and baguettes. If they have fallen I missed it.
4. The petting zoo animals are a treat - this year Crazy the cow is great (and loud).
5. Their own produce is labeled pesticide and spray-free, and while pricey is always of great quality.
6. Disagree on the corn, when in season it is great.
7. Early season lettuce and greens are great so far, we've had a healthy amount and it's all good.

Over 15 years of going there and I know what to expect, and they are within my expectations almost every time. I call that a win.

If you have yet to go or have not yet been I would say go one time. Buy nothing (no-buy a pickle) - but at least check them out. And feed the Koi..

Moulton Farm


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Good donuts AND coffee!
 

I tried their Sawyer's-location donuts this morning, and they were indeed pretty good! Smaller and not as greasy as a comparable "Dunkin," with a unique, good-tasting dough'iness. Their coffee, from Carpe Diem Coffee Co. (Maine), was also unusually good. :liplick: Sawyer's owner was there, and he said they (Sawyer's) would be serving the same coffee soon.

Yes,there is Fiddleheads but there is nothing like buying the corn right from the source.

Laconia has a Woodshed Roasting company. They should be buying local if they want the locals vote.

Any coffee is better than 'Dunkin's'. You should see the ingredients in the Dunkin's bakery products! Many people head the other way!

I'm With Big Stan On This One
 

Me, too.

I have to agree with some of Big Stan's points, but I also disagree with one or two as well.

Some of the seasonal help are foreign co-op students from the University of Ohio agriculture program. Others are not. Some workers are from the local area. Some are not. Why there is a mixture is something you'd have to address to the owners of B&G.

In regards to the cider bellies and the permitting at Sawyer's, because it was a change of use and was not under the existing permits or site approval plans held by the owners of Sawyer's they had to go before the Planning Board to get approval. Heck, Sawyer's had to get approval to put up tents at their location for their own use, so why wouldn't they have to get approval for new vendor space run by someone else?

I'm new to cider donuts. I assume they are made with apple cider -- yes? And are they made on site in Sawyer's parking lot or made elsewhere and just sold there? Thanks!

I think they make them on site, at least that's the impression I got from an article in the Laconia Daily Sun about their new location.

Perhaps the state motto should be "Follow the rules or die" :)

Seriously, I have heard that many businesses --not just Beans & Greens-- must "import" seasonal workers because there aren't enough residents in the Lakes region to fill all the jobs.

And this isn't even a Lakes Region problem. I know first hand that Cedar Point amusement park's need for seasonal workers far exceeds the 80,000 people living in the Sandusky area. They recruit in most midwest states and internationally.

As to the caliber of Beans & Greens employees... While I've not encountered the "owner lady", every person I have encountered has been polite, pleasant, and helpful. I don't usually buy their "imported" vegetables, but the stuff they grow themselves is first rate.

Seven days until I get to try a Cider Bellies doughnut.

I think you hit the nail on the head, there aren't enough off season jobs in the area to support all the workers it takes to support the on season. I don't particularly like it, but that is just my small town viewpoint :D

Sometimes a post here on Winni.com gets a little lopsided. I think this may be one of them.

First off, the cider donut has been around for a very long time. Google "recipe for cider donuts" and you will get "about 496,000 in .27secs". So any idea that Beans and Greens stole someones idea is simply wrong. They were making donuts and other baked goods long before "Cider Bellies", showed up in the parking lot of Sawyers.

The "owner lady" has a name, she is Martina Howe, she and her husband Andy are, IMHO, a wonderful part of Gilford. She is not in the Public Relations business, she is a business owner and actively runs the actual farming part of the business.

I understand that sometimes she may seem to be a bit abrupt, but I suggest that if you were interupted 100 times a day when you were trying to do your job, you might get a little testy also. I've done it myself, I have a question like " Do you have any more red impatients... " and I spot Martina actively working on some "farming" and just walk over and start asking questions that the staff at the cash register could have answered.

I would suggest that you take a look at the Beans and Greens Facebook page, take a look at the charity and educational programs they support.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beans...stream&fref=nf

They provide our church fair with all sorts of Veggies for our Summer Fair luncheon. They run educational, health awareness programs, and all sorts of things.

Beans and Greens is a great business to have here in Gilford, and the Howe family is a great example of how hard work breeds success. :)

JMHO..

While I liked the rest of your post, a business owner IS in the public relations business whether they want to be or not. The only option is to stay away from the public and let others speak for you. That's probably not a great idea for most owners. There have been several posts taking businesses and its owners to task for exactly this failure. You can be the best there is at your job but if you cannot interact well with others, it will cost you. People may even put up with an "abrupt attitude", but they don't like it.

It was good to hear the other side about B&G

Reading your comments got me to rethink what I typed. I see your point and agree, I worded that part of my comment poorly.

Cider Bellies to Open New Location At Sawyers Dairy Bar!
 

My previous post...


She objects because cider bellies used to sell their product at beans and greens. One day somebody discovered that beans and greens was posing as a business that was still selling cider bellies product, when In reality they had tried to copy the recipe and sell a copy cat. Cider bellies then pulled out immediately from beans and greens. As they should have.







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A Little Off Topic...Maybe
 

One thought: From reading what some of you have posted, it seems some think that Cider Bellies is a trade name or trademark. But that's what we've always called cider doughnuts since I can remember (almost 60 years), and in fact I recall my grandmother calling them that when she made them.

None of this means that a business can't call themselves "Cider Bellies", just that it's not an exclusive name.

Ok great. Thanks for the history lesson on cider doughnuts. But the lesson here is that you don't, as a business, blatantly try to replicate a product that is being sold at your place of business, by another business, who originally perfected it. This is cut throat, etc, etc, etc......


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Perfected by whose definition? As someone else mentioned, there are hundreds of cider belly recipes available on the 'Net. Heck, I can probably get my grandmother's recipe from my mom or one of my sisters, and she made some of the best cider bellies I've ever tasted.

That being said, if B&G recreated the recipe by trial and error, so what? If it was acquired by nefarious means, then that's a different story. Has anyone claimed they used inappropriate means to recreate the recipe? Not that I've seen.

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm nitpicking, but do you think other businesses haven't tried to recreate successful products or services provided by a competitor?

This how Cider Bellies Doughnuts are cooked:

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CFvvuntv04g?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Cider Bellies is an incorporated business name
 

Cider Bellies IS an incorporated business in the state of New Hampshire. As far as I know, NO ONE can sell products labeled with an incorporated businesses name except for that business and it's representatives. No one can sell copied products under the name of the business. I cannot sell dolls that look exactly like Annalee dolls and call them "Annalee" dolls. If the dolls themselves are patented I can't even sell dolls that copy them.

In this case I doubt there is any patent on making cider doughnuts because it is so common. However, if B&G was selling other cider doughnuts under the NAME "Cider Bellies" it is, I believe, illegal and also sleazy business.

I don't know exactly how they were being represented at B&G. If they were simply being called cider doughnuts there was no infringement although there may have been some bad feelings if Cider Bellies was dropped for another brand. I rather doubt this because brand swaps happen all the time. That's normal competition.

Well, it may not be that clear..

It's easy to see how easy it is, in reality, to "copy" a product.

Example: WalMart sell the "equate" brand of all sorts of products. They simply have a disclaimer on the packaging. They sell knockoffs of just about every type of OTC medicine made.

"Compare to NyQuil (R) Cold & Flu Active Ingredients*"

The little * leads you to this in tiny print on the back of the bottle..

* this product is not manufactured or distributed by Proctor&Gamble, distributor of NyQuil(R)

I would bet, that if Walmart wanted to "copy" Annalee Dolls, and I doubt they would, they could.

And that seems to pretty much sum up the information everyone here is operating on.

If somebody has some specific examples, it would be helpful.

If B&G decided to sell their own cider donuts because they thought they could make them better, cheaper, faster, whatever, that is all part of doing business.

I have no personal connection to B&G or Cider Bellies (but, I *do* like donuts), but so far this sounds mostly like stuff that goes on every day in retail. Sellers are looking for cheaper/higher-margin alternatives to popular products.

Yup, if the dolls themselves are not patented I could put a statement saying, "Compare to Annalee dolls". Compare but NOT the same thing. The reason that Walmart, and many others, can make knock-offs is that the components are so common (like cider doughnuts) that they cannot be protectively patented, or the patents have expired. So all sorts of people can sell Acetaminophen, but only McNeil can label it "Tylenol". And if there is a problem with Walmart's knock-off brand, McNeil has NO liability. The public has to decide if a knock-off really does "compare" to a Name Brand.

As I expressed, we don't know if this was a vendor, B&G, switching brands or a vendor falsely labeling their products. The first case is normal business. If someone is upset about it, it's silly. The second case is illegal and a sleazy business practice.

Quite a difference and we on this forum just don't know.

Message from Cider Bellies Owner
 

Hi everyone,
I've been reading all the posts that have been written and thought I would reply to a few of the comments.
First, I want to thank everyone for their continuous support! My business has seen so much success in the past four years and I am so grateful to live in an area where people are so supportive and genuinely want to see small businesses succeed. Also, I wanted to especially thank the community of Gilford who have been nothing but welcoming and downright excited about our arrival these past few weeks. It truly makes some of the early mornings easier to adjust to when there are smiling faces ready to greet you each day.
Second, as much as people would love to create rumors or rivalries to make life a bit more interesting I'm here to squash many of these, sorry! Yes, a complaint came into the town about the Sawyers site plan and yes, I have heard that Beans and Green initiated that complaint; however they were well within their right to do so! Since then the town has approved the site plan and we are now up and running, leaving the past as just that, the past. We have no ill-will or grudge with Beans and Greens over this matter and you will never hear me or my staff speak poorly about Beans and Greens. They too are a small business trying to find their way and success in this area and I respect that.
Finally, Beans and Greens did sell Cider Bellies Doughnuts last year. However, I made a business decision to stop wholesaling my product to them, the reasons behind that decision will remain between Beans and Greens and I. I have heard that they are now selling cider doughnuts and I welcome the competition. We live in the United States where our economy is founded on this very idea. I in no way own exclusive rights to cider doughnuts and would never deter anyone from creating their own version of this product! I simply own my name and my recipe, thats it.
For me, it's great that so many people love my product and I love hearing all the compliments that stream in throughout the day but I also appreciate the fact that if someone doesn't like my product there are other options out there for them to choose from. I'm in this business to make people smile and provide the best doughnuts I know how to make but I understand that I cannot please everyone and hopefully my competitors will succeed in pleasing the people that I may not be able to.
Our community it just that, a community, and its important to stand together, support one another and work together so this is a great place for everyone to live and find success in.
Thanks again for all your support you have no have no idea how fun and exciting this journey has been for me! If you have further comments or questions for me specifically please feel free to contact me at ciderbelliesdoughnuts@yahoo.com. Please do not write me on this forum as this is my husbands account and I may not get the message or he may not be able to respond to topics that concern Cider Bellies.
Jessica Stephens, Owner, Cider Bellies

and that, folks, is how it is done!

The Lady has Class
 

And Great Donuts. Good luck to you Jessica. You've addressed this to perfection

VERY well said! I wish you luck with your business. It sounds like you know what you are doing.

What he said!!

tried a cider belly
 

the other day and my opinion the donut was small and the price was high. I would rather arrive early for a Goody Good donut! Better than Brothers!

Not!


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Wonderful response Jessica! Classy..

Best of luck..!!!