QVC Stirs Up Business For Shakopee Soup Company

SHAKOPEE, Minn. (WCCO) -- Some Shakopee business owners are busier than they've ever been.

Maggie's and Mary's makes soups and snacks -- some are family recipes. The namesakes are college buddies from St. Kate's. Their small business got a huge boost this weekend -- they have 48 hours to fill hundreds of orders.

Maggie Mortensen paused during the chaos Monday to tell the story of how she and Mary Dodds bonded.

"The first time we went on vacation together we made a pot of soup," she said. "That's true, I remember that."

That was a start of a beautiful thing -- a 25-year business and lifelong friendship.

"We're two parts of a formula," Dodds said. "Maggie's the foodie. I'm the not foodie, and so we make soups that are really good for people like me."

Apparently there are a lot of people like her. QVC featured their four-pack on Sunday night's primetime.

"Do I look like a deer in headlights? Because it was a big deal," Mortensen said. "It was exciting for us."

There's not much time for pause and reflection -- they've got work to do.

"Patsy for example, Sandy for example -- they come in when we're busy and they're here to help us," Mortensen said. "Sandy actually tried to retire, but she's back today."

They have to fill all of Sunday's orders in two days. They were able to get ahead of the curve, as they prepacked thousands of boxes before their soups were featured on live TV -- each one full of their $32.99 combo.

It seems people were sold on the four-pack deal, only one combination could be better.

The owners say QVC has talked with the pair about coming on themselves.

"The camera adds five pounds, I don't know! they keep encouraging us to go," Mortensen said.

"We'll see, good question," Dodds said.