Starting with $20, Ganchudur Batgerel, a senior from Mongolia majoring in supply chain operation at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, with the help of her friends, earned more than $1,000 with her “tornado potato business” for the Great Ideas competition. A tornado potato elevates the potato with fried meat and sauce, all in a convenient stick form, she said.
“When I was pregnant with my third child, I had a strong craving for something delicious made with potato, but not French fries. “
While I was on the internet, I saw a picture of tornado potato. I wanted to eat it so badly, so I tried to make it by carving potato by knife and frying it. It satisfied my craving, so I wanted to share it. That is how I found this business idea.”
Batgerel is minoring in entrepreneurship and said she is taking a small business creation class. The class assignment is to create an actual small business and earn money, and she used her tornado potato idea to accomplish this.
Then she thought only a potato might not be that interesting, so she researched what people like to eat with fried potatoes. She found out people on the island like to eat bacon and sausage with their potatoes.
“I had an apple corer at home, so I took the middle of the potato and put sausage in it and fried it. It was even better,” Batgerel said.
X Llewel Angala, a senior from the Philippines majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said, “Everyone definitely needs to try [their potato]. They should keep selling it, and maybe do a food truck business.”
Suvd-Erdene Boldbaatar, a senior from Mongolia majoring in human resources, said, “I loved it. It was yummy, and the size was great for the price. The potato has its own special taste. I would definitely recommend as a quick grab-n-go lunch or snack.”
Munkhsaikhan Bayartsengel, a freshman from Mongolia majoring in hospitality and tourism management, said, “When Batgerel asked me to partner with her, I accepted the offer because cooking is my passion. I cooked for the last seven years many different kinds of Asian, European and fast foods. I have worked in many different restaurants and food venues.“
Our product is creative and delicious. We have two kinds, bacon and sausage potato. We also have four different sauces so far — ketchup, mustard, barbeque and cilantro. We make cilantro sauce freshly whenever we do sell. We are planning to have seven to nine different types of potatoes and sauces in the future.”
“Delicious food is expensive in Hawaii. People come to us with just $5 and go back with a lot of happiness,” he said.
