Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I I N O. X X I V § 2 O C T O B E R 1 9 , 2 0 2 6 10 M A D E I N M A I N E F O C U S F or some Maine makers of pre- mium products, premium prices are part of the business model. Examples range from guitars that cost more than $10,000 to $200 tote bags. For Scott Barden, co-founder of Skowhegan-based Maine Oven Craft, the formula for staying competitive as a manufacturer of premium prod- ucts in a market filled with mass-pro- duced, lower-priced alternatives is rel- atively simple. "We're designing something that we know is going to exceed most peo- ple's budgets, but will always exceed people's expectations," says Barden, whose company produces wood-fired ovens for commercial and personal use. e concept may sound straight- forward, but it is a significant chal- lenge when the company's products can cost $10,000 to $30,000 more than competitors' offerings. Maine Oven Craft's least expensive model costs about $14,000, while a com- mercial oven with on-site installa- tion can cost as much as $70,000. At those prices, the promise to go above and beyond means more than delivering a premium product. For Maine Oven Craft and other Maine-based manufacturers of high- end products, business depends not only on product quality but also on personal relationships and connec- tions with customers. " We still try to make it really clear to clients that we're really about the connection with them," says Barden. "Yes, there's a financial transac- tion happening," he continued, "but at the end of the day, what makes us different is that we're not just a name. We're people. We're wanting to be available, and we're wanting to create a memorable experience." Brand cachet Beth Greenlaw, co-founder and CEO of Portland-based Sea Bags, says that the values that continue to drive the company's cachet were embedded into its founding. Greenlaw started the company 20 years ago with three cornerstones in mind: making and sourcing prod- ucts within the United States, and in Maine whenever possible; environ- mental sustainability; and giving back to the community. Sea Bags' line of tote bags and accessories is made from recycled sail- cloth that would otherwise head to landfills, which Laura Hnatow, vice president of marketing and e-com- merce at Sea Bags, describes as a key draw and marketing angle. "It's not that it's a product that Sea Bags added sustainability to," says Hna- tow. "Sustainability is the product." Likewise, she adds, "It's not a prod- uct that they decided to bring on shore; it was an on-shore product. And that storytelling really creates this brand following, brand loyalty that's really easy to talk about in places like social media, where customers can start to spread the word for us as well." Sustainability isn't the only reason customers pay the premium, Green- law says, "but it's a reason that they feel good about it." Garden products with an emotional tie Coast of Maine Organic Products, a Portland-based company that pro- duces bagged gardening soil and com- post, attracts a similar eco-conscious customer base. CEO Erik Drake says that com- pany founders Carlos and Jean Qui- jano noticed "a couple of things in Maine where they thought that there was a problem that needed a solu- tion ... and what that problem was, was that there was excess waste from the seafood industry." Lobster, oyster and crab shells and other seafood waste were regu- larly ending up in landfills, much like the sailcloth recycled by Sea Bags. Today, some of that seafood waste is funnelled into Coast of Maine's manufacturing line. Premium products, premium prices A number of Maine makers are finding their products command luxe prices B Y J A C Q U E L Y N V O G H E L Price ranges Bourgeois Guitars: $5,000 to $30,000 Sea Bags: Sea Bags typically range in price from $45 for small accessories and wine bags up to $495 for large specialty or limited- edition totes, with standard medium and large totes mostly falling between $160 and $230. Coast of Maine organic garden products range in price from about $8 for basic manure composts up to $37 for premium, nutrient- dense potting soils. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Scott Barden, co-founder of Maine Oven Craft

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