Smorgasburg darlings BonChovie have teamed up with new crowdfunding platform Smallknot to raise capital to expand their anchovy empire. While ultimately they want to open up their own storefront, owners Neill and Renae Holland realize that this unstable economy might not be the best expansion environment. (Then again, Brooklyn does have a store devoted entirely to mayonnaise.) But BonChovie has expanded its food fest presence since we spoke to the couple last year, and is in desperate need of a cargo van to transport the fishy offerings between the kitchen, Smorgasburg and their new residency at the Brooklyn Flea.
Rising anchovy prices are something the company is coping with—BonChovie imports their fish from Turkey—and there was a "spare anchovy harvest " last year. (Renae tells us the food cost "doesn't really have anything to do with the Smallknot campaign.") The couple is hoping to raise $6,000 through donations from devoted anchovy fans and in return are offering rewards for donations of specific amounts. A donation of $10, for example, earns you an order of Chovies, a side dish and a BonChovie sticker, a great deal when you consider that a regular order of anchovies now costs $7.
If you have a little more money to kick in, the Hollands will give you a cooking lesson (groceries included) plus a wine pairing with a donation of $175, perfect for future dinner parties where you can impress your friends with your awesome anchovy abilities. So far BonChovie has raised $1,495 for their campaign but still need more support if they are going to reach their goal when the fund drive ends in 18 days. You can access their donation page here, where you'll find this adorable and informative video from the Hollands as well as more details about the donation rewards program.
