Jones Scones is a company founded by the entrepreneur J. Jones. He gave the background of his scones and explained how he had been perfecting the recipe since his life in England, where scones are all the rage.
Jones Scones are exactly what it sounds like. It’s a company that sells scones carefully curated by the owner J. Jones. During his time in England and Scotland, he thought the scones were too dry and lumpy. He wanted to create scones that were easy to eat and moist enough, like cakes.
The product stands out because most scones are tough and challenging to eat, so their sweet and soft nature makes them more popular. J. Jones essentially put an American twist on a British and Irish classic, and it was a massive hit with everyone around.
The company also stands out because, for Jones, the product isn’t just about the profits. It’s a passion project. Jones was diagnosed with colon cancer and survived in 2012, after which he turned his attention to pursuits in the pastry industry.
Unfortunately, Jones Scones is no longer an active company.
- Jones entered the Shark Tank with hope in his eyes. He distributed his scones for the Sharks to sample before he began his pitch. He asked for $100,000 for 25% of the business. He stated how he had been working and perfecting the recipe for a very long time, and the products were selling like hot cakes.
He mentioned to the judges that he had a significant rate of growth of around $5000 per month, which was great for a company of his size. He had been studying to be a lawyer for a long time, but when his business took off. He didn’t feel the need. The scones were available at six whole food stores, meaning they had a significant business going on. He also mentioned that they were creamy scones which set them apart from the other scones in the whole foods section. During the time, there was also a substantial British invasion due to the popularity of boy bands like One Direction, and edible, yummy scones were massive deliverables.
He also mentioned miscommunication with a co-packer that put a significant dent in sales, which used to be $113,000 a month. This effective dive made the Sharks quite apprehensive. However, Whole Foods was still backing the scones up as long as Jones could deliver. Jones needed the capital so he could build the brand back up again.
All the Sharks are the scones. However, Daymond John didn’t like them. He stated that J. Jones himself was pretty convincing as the face of the operation, but he wasn’t willing to provide an offer. Robert Herjavec seemed surprised by the fall in the sale and asked for solutions on how to bring them back. Jones stated that he had an excellent team which wasn’t the correct answer and caused the Sharks to call him out. Mark Cuban also said he didn’t believe in that sentiment as a practical answer.
In the end, Lori Greiner felt that dropping sales faults meant something was amiss. Robert Herjavec felt that there would be more significant problems as he didn’t have time to be part of the team and was out too. Kevin’ O Leary didn’t think there was anything proprietary about the whole shindig, and he couldn’t commit with an offer either.
At this point, Jones thanked the Sharks for seeing him and left.
Our Review of Jones’ Scones
Like any other product, each product has good and bad aspects. Here, we will look into the pros and cons of the scones.
Pros of Jones Scones
The Pros of the business are that he started the company all on his own. He managed and put everything together as a one-person operation. He perfected a recipe native to another continent and brought it to America with its twist. He popularized scones in his home town Denver and could even gain the capital to sell them to wholefood sellers all on his own. The product wasn’t something the Sharks preferred, but there was a market for it since he was gaining as much as $113,000 in sales.
Cons of Jones Scone
Jones Scones didn’t have a proper strategy for its growth. They didn’t know how to create fruitful supply chains, and the product didn’t show any significant growth from being cream cones. No product differentiation catered to the changing trends in baked goods, which meant that sooner or later, the product would go obsolete.
- Jones should have collaborated with other people in his niche of business so that he could gain further market share.
Who are Jones Scones for?
It is for anyone who wants to share a scone at tea-time. These are baked goods like any other, but they are cream scones. They are different from muffins or cupcakes, which means that if you’re looking for an additional type of baked good to eat or simply craving a scone, then this is what you should be eating. Jones Scones bring you a British interest in Denver, which is exciting.
Are There Alternatives to Jones Scones?
There are many alternatives present to Jones Scones. The biggest would be Starbucks which now offers scones on the menu in Denver. However, if you’re looking for something only known for scones, then the women’s bean project also provides cream cones to all its customers. Women majorly own it, hence the name.
They also provide you with the recipe in case you want to create a batch on your own. These are cheap and easy to buy, so you likely won’t have to use the recipe.
Our Final Thoughts
Jones Scones had a lot of heart since J. Jones himself was going through a particularly difficult moment in time. However, the execution lacked, and there was no growth to support the initial success. If J.Jones had dedicated time to getting better supply-chain dealings, his business would have had an easier time at it. However, in the end, his problems intermingled with the business’s success, and it closed its door in 2018.
