"The lab is our kitchen," says John Garrad-Cole.

When he and his wife Leah had their first child, they weren't satisfied with the baby food that was available, so they got to work creating their own. Manufactured in Toronto, Lovechild Organics is one of many food products vying for the organic-lover's dollars. As a young company, there wasn't much of a marketing budget. That's partly why Gerrard-Cole applied for a spot on CBC's The Dragon's Den. In the episode, which aired this November, the co-founders asked for $300,000 in exchange for a 10% stake in their company. Dragons Arlene Dickinson and David Chilton ended up investing more than $300,000 in Lovechild Organics (and taking more than a 10% piece of the business).

Why does John Garrad-Cole think the Dragons bought into his idea?

For one thing, the organic food market is growing so steadily that there's even room for a healthy amount of competition. In the UK, organic baby food has actually overtaken conventional baby food, with more than 50% of the market. In the U.S., organic is still hovering around 20% but Gerrard-Cole says it's trending upward. "It's competitive, but I'd rather compete in a growing market," says Gerrard-Cole.

Gerrard-Cole also believes that his company's careful attention to package design gives it an edge over other organic baby foods.

Staffing the company with moms has been one of the company's smartest moves, says Gerrard-Cole. "There's a huge amount of talent in the pool of women who've had children and are looking to get back to work." And it doesn't hurt to have the influential "mummy blogger" contingent on your side, especially if you're looking to raise your social media profile.