From Concept to Coop, Bringing the Coop Scoop to Life

CASE STUDY: Bee.Jeweled.Coop

In the growing world of backyard poultry and modern homesteading, practicality often sparks innovation. For Alysha Whitfield, that moment came while cleaning her chicken coop, realizing that existing tools weren’t just inefficient, they were completely inadequate. As a longtime chicken owner, she saw a major gap in the market: there was no dedicated tool designed specifically for chicken waste removal.

So, she built one.

From that spark came the Coop Scoop™, a patented 2-in-1 scoop and rake engineered specifically for sifting bedding materials and removing waste from chicken coops. Durable, ergonomic, and highly effective, it’s quickly becoming a must-have for backyard chicken owners across the U.S.

But bringing that idea to life took more than a prototype, it required the right manufacturing partner. That’s where Blue Ridge Industries (BRI) stepped in.

The Challenge

Alysha came to the table with a clear vision. A longtime CAD designer by trade, she had developed a functional prototype of her tool, sliced and glued together piece by piece, and even validated market interest through a successful Kickstarter campaign. But she knew that moving from prototype to production would require deeper engineering support, design refinement, and manufacturing experience, especially with injection molding.

Her goals were ambitious but clear:

• Expert refinement of her mold-ready design

• Maintain ergonomics, comfort, and usability for the consumer

• Align with sustainable materials and packaging

• Partner with a domestic manufacturer who offered transparency and technical collaboration

Despite her CAD background, Alysha knew she was entering new territory, and needed a partner who wouldn’t just take her design and run but help her elevate it.

 That partner was Blue Ridge Industries.

“It was intimidating stepping into manufacturing,” Alysha recalls. “But when I met the team at BRI, I felt supported from the start. I didn’t even contact another company after the trade show—I just knew this was the right fit.”

The Collaboration

Once the partnership was established, Alysha began working closely with Kevin Fitzpatrick, Project Engineer at BRI. Together, they turned her prototype into a product ready for scalable production.

“She came in with a solid concept,” Kevin shared. “We focused on optimizing it for injection molding, without losing what made her product special.”

That optimization included:

• Refining the handle receiver to ensure a snug, comfortable fit and improve user grip

• Adjusting wall thicknesses and part geometry to align with injection molding best practices

• Creating a repeatable process to minimize production variability and ensure long-term tool life

• Collaborating on end-of-line quality checks and mold revisions based on field use and customer feedback

 This wasn’t a “hand it off and wait” relationship. Alysha remained deeply engaged through every step, reviewing design updates, testing early samples, and maintaining alignment with her values and vision.

 “Working with Kevin was incredible. He didn’t just execute the design, he helped improve it.”

The Results

On November 1, 2024, Bee.Jeweled.Coop officially launched the Coop Scoop™ for sale. Within six months, the results spoke for themselves:

• 18,801 units shipped by April 30, 2025

• #1 New Release in two Amazon categories

• Ranks consistently in the Top 5 for chicken coop accessories

• Direct-to-consumer sales via Amazon and her website continue to grow steadily

What started as a pain point in Alysha’s own backyard turned into a rapidly scaling business, fueled by market demand, smart engineering, and a collaborative manufacturing approach.

“Seeing the product come off the line for the first time was surreal,” she says. “After months of refining, it was finally real. And perfect.”

Sustainability Built In

For Alysha, building the right product wasn’t enough—it had to be built the right way. Sustainability plays a central role in Bee.Jeweled.Coop’s values, and she knew her manufacturing partner had to support those goals, not just accommodate them.

BRI didn’t hesitate.

Together, they ensured that the Coop Scoop™ would be:

• Molded from 100% post-industrial recycled resin

• Produced using scrap reprocessing, further minimizing waste

• Packaged using 65–85% recycled materials, with recyclable hang tags

“They didn’t just say yes to sustainability, they leaned into it with me,” Alysha said. “That matters more than people realize.”

The Impact

For Alysha, the impact goes beyond units shipped. The Coop Scoop™ is about making backyard chicken ownership easier, cleaner, and more accessible—especially as interest in homesteading continues to grow. In 2018, 5.8 million U.S. households raised backyard chickens. By 2025, that number had grown to over 11 million.

With the right tool in hand, Bee.Jeweled.Coop is helping thousands of households care for their flocks more efficiently and sustainably.

“I wanted to empower people to live more self-sufficient, compassionate lives,” she says. “And BRI helped me turn that goal into something real.”

Advice to Other Founders

Alysha’s advice for anyone with a product idea?

“Don’t cut corners. Find a molder with in-house engineers who will help you refine your design. I thought I was ready to go, but working with BRI showed me just how much better my product could be.”

She also warns against the lure of fast, low-cost prototyping firms.

“There were moments when I almost chose speed over quality. I’m glad I didn’t. I’d get anxiety thinking about what could’ve gone wrong without the right partner.”

A Scoop Worth Sharing

From idea to prototype to a patented product distributed nationwide, the story of Bee.Jeweled.Coop is a testament to what happens when creativity meets collaboration. For Alysha, the Coop Scoop™ is more than a tool, it’s a movement.

And for Blue Ridge Industries, it’s proof that small businesses deserve world-class manufacturing support, too.

Together, BRI and Alysha didn’t just build a product, they launched a business with purpose.

“I couldn’t have done this without BRI,” Alysha says. “They’ve been more than a manufacturer; they’ve been a true partner in bringing the Coop Scoop™ to life.”