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Brothers' Pancake Trade On The Rise
June 20, 2000
DAVIS COUNTY CLIPPER
FARMINGTON - Two young entrepreneurs, whose ancestors were among the founding fathers of Farmington, are now in the process of founding a new company marketing, of all things, pancake mix.
But this isn't just any pancake mix, it's Kodiak Cakes and, through four hard years of work it looks as though it's finally attracting a very loyal, and growing following.
Joel and Jon Clark's great grandfather was Ezra T. Clark, who settled Farmington in 1848. A very enterprising man, he started many businesses throughout Utah and did a lot of farming in Davis County. With his son Amasa, he founded the Davis County Bank, which was later sold to First Security. There is now an area In Farmington called Clark Historic District and the street where he and his family lived is still called Clark Lane.
Now the brothers are following in their great grandfather's entrepreneurial footsteps, albeit with some urging from their mother Penny. It was their mother's father who came up with the original recipe for what would become Kodiak Cakes.
The first attempt to market the product came when Joel was eight years old and Penny sent him out into the neighborhood loaded with paper sacks of her recipe. He sold all she made, but for some reason, the effort died out after a few months.
Twelve years later Penny turned to her other son Jon, asking him to see if they couldn't sell the mix in grocery stores. Jon got Joel involved again, and four years later the marketing effort, which had begun in small gift shops, involved every major grocery chain in Utah - Smith's, Dan's, Harmon's and, in May, Super Target. Albertson's and Associated Foods came on board in April.
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