Now nearly 20 employees strong, SPARQ is poised to hit 30 employees by the end of 2013, says English. “We're definitely on the hiring fast track.”
The company's catalog of refrigerator-to-oven-to-table products are based on the non-porous, temperature-retaining and food-safe nature of soapstone and includes griddles, trays, shot glasses and ice-cube substitutes.
The company's Whiskey Stones, made of soapstone scraps from cutouts for sinks and kitchen corners and other assorted leftovers, took off. They retain heat incredibly well and do not dilute or melt top-shelf booze.
“We're trying to keep going in the direction we've been going,” says English. “Christmas was great. We launched a new product called Wine Pearls.”
The new product emerged as a result of feedback from white wine drinkers who were using Whiskey Stones to chill their vino.
“My designer cringed,” says English.
The resulting stainless steel Wine Pearls “went really well” in a soft holiday launch. English traveled to the
AmericasMart Atlanta show to officially launch the product earlier this month.
Most of the manufacturing is done in Denver at SPARQ's facility near Alameda Avenue and I-25. While the company has diverted “tons and tons” of soapstone scraps from landfills, it now relies on irregular soapstone from quarries all over the world.
“The quarry can't sell it, so we take all of their off-color, off-thickness product," English says.
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