# Manufacturers Week -Dodo Juice The insight



## WHIZZER (Oct 25, 2005)

*Can you start by telling us a little about yourselves and your department?*

We are Dodo Juice, specialist manufacturers and purveyors of handmade detailing products. We are one of the original specialist brands, almost as old as Detailing World itself. Department? Department of Correction, of course!

*When did you start working for Dodo Juice ?*

Dodo Juice was created in 2007 so it will be our 8th anniversary in June. The first products had been in development for about a year before then. Competitors at the time were really just Zymol, Swissvax and Meguiars - with perhaps a little Chemical Guys, Victoria Wax and Poorboys thrown in. Now there are dozens of companies trying to compete.

*How did you get to work for them ?*

The company I was working for went through a merger and I thought I could make a more competitively priced 'boutique' car wax on my stove at home. We were the original home brewers, I suppose. There were only furniture wax recipes available back then. We got professional chemists involved before launch, to maximise quality and performance of our products instead of going it alone. We're proud to see how home brewing has taken off and we're glad to have done the world's first home brew wax kit and to be able to provide dedicated home brew supplies (like our fortified solvent, Spirito di Dodo).

*Where are you based ? and where can we buy products from ? *

We're based in Elsenham, Essex, home also to Molton Brown. Spiritual home is Mauritius. You can buy our products online in 40+ countries from Iceland to Australia.

*What are you day to day responsibilites?*

Running the company, dealing with customer care queries, developing the brief for new products for our chemists to make - and keeping an eye on current technologies to ensure we always offer high performing and relevant products.

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Tell me about your first product that your company Sold ?*

Rainforest Rub carnauba wax. This was in a 250ml glass jar that retailed for 29.95 GBP. We're pleased to say that after 8 years the recipe has improved three times, the price has stayed the same and that an orginal unopened glass jar is worth about 80-90 GBP on ebay to a wax collector. That's not a bad gift to our early customers!

*What's the best selling product on the shelf ? *

Born to be Mild shampoo is our best selling product. It's won four Detailing World awards in the wash category. When we first launched it, people didn't really get the fact it was four times more concentrated than regular shampoos and didn't contain gloss agents like silicone. It was unlike most other shampoos around. Now it sets the standard for detailing shampoos.

*Which are the Staff's favorite products ? Why ?*

On a daily basis, it's simple stuff like our Captain Canoodle wash mitt and Orange Plush drying towel, because these are our wash day essentials and need minimum maintenance. On a personal level, everyone has their own favourites. Mine is probably Ferrous Dueller. It had to beat the market leader, which performed amazingly well, rather than just being a 'me too' product. It's a custom formulation and had some clever development behind it to increase dwell time etc. This made it perform especially well as a wheel cleaner. If we can beat a leading product at its own game, then we have done well.

*What piece of detailing kit do you think every detailer should have in their arsenal? (excluding the obvious stuff like wash mitts, etc.)*

A decent pressure washer is what I miss the most if one isn't available. People forget that waxes and sealants need cleaning after application, and often customers think a wax layer has failed when it is just dirty. A good contactless clean is essential, followed by the correct spot cleaning regime.

*How much testing goes into making a product or choosing one to sell?*

Some products are developed/tested over 2-3 years, others may be ready in 6 months (if based on an existing formulation). It is annoying to come up with a concept for a product and then find it rushed to market by someone else, but we still manage to innovate more than most other companies. Long hair wash mitts, foam finger mitt applicators… these are all commonplace now, but introduced by us initially.

*If you could make a new product what would it be ? *

In detailing terms, a properly machinable ceramic coating would be interesting. They are too thin and unstable currently, so application and levelling has to be perfect initially. In wider terms, we'd like to make a time machine so we could get hold of a real pet dodo for the office.

*What are the main Values that drive the company ?*

To make the best products we can from the most expensive ingredients we can find. People get the products they deserve. There's a lot of cheap products that are hyped enormously or packaged attractively. People sometimes assume ours are just the same, but our raw ingredients are often 200-300% more expensive than they could be for a similar product. Few people notice the difference, and some even prefer how cheaper products are applied. We just keep doing our own thing. We also drive transparency and education in the industry. There's a wealth of misinformation about and we do try to counter it if there's a moment in the day.

*What are the main Challenges the company faces ? *

Dozens of new brands/products that don't really offer anything different, being sold to a public hungry for the 'next best thing'. For every twenty new brands, we only see 2 or 3 really doing something interesting at a technical level. The others are just rebottling old technology and few people even realise what's going on.

*Can we expect anything new from you ?*

Always. New products. New formulations for existing products. New packaging and labelling. Too many things to mention.

*Whats different about the company ?*

We could be making the same stuff as anyone else, but don't - and never will. We make what people should be buying, not what they want to buy currently. It takes people a while to realise this.

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Where will the company be in say 10 years ?*

Well, we'll still be around, which is most important of all. We've seen a lot of upheaval in the market in the last 8 years and seen brands come and go. Ultimately, quality and individuality will give the company a long shelf life.

And a bit about you - (Quick fire - One Word/Short answers)

Do you detail cars ?

Yes, but not daily.

Whats your dream car? Why?

F40 - because it is still the best looking car ever made IMO.

What do you do when you're not selling detailing products?

Writing a book has taken up a lot of time over the last few years.

What do you drive and how often is it detailed?

Mercedes C250. It gets detailed fully about once a year, and properly washed every 2-4 weeks.

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet?

My maternal grandfather who was into detailing years before I even realised what it was. He died when I was in my early teens. His car was immaculate to the point that a new owner thought it was 'too good to be true' and that it must have been a ringer. He would have loved what I do now, and would have loved our products. At the time, when I was a teenager without a car, I didn't really get what he was up to!

If you could witness any event past, present or future, what would it be?

The big bang, so I could help Stephen Hawking out with the missing bits for his next book.

If you won the lottery, what is the first thing you would do?

Write an email to random strangers saying that they had been selected for a bountiful blessing by a deposed dictator and if they place 200 GBP in my bank account I will send them a million pounds - and then actually do it. Just for a laugh.

What's the best/worst gift you've ever given/received?

Best gift received, a print by Mr Brainwash. Worst gift received, Oddbins vouchers that I failed to cash before they went under.

What is something you learned in the last week?

Even if you go all-in with aces, you can still lose.

You can find lots more about Dodo juice at www.dodojuice.com


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## WHIZZER (Oct 25, 2005)

Thanks to Dom and Pj for answering the questions for us


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