Today we’d like to introduce you to Janice Davis.
Hi Janice, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
We (my business partner Ray and I) live on 100+ acres in rural Buffalo, TX. We always entertained family and friends who enjoyed the foods we made and encouraged us to do something on a professional basis. In 2013, we set up the LLC, initially to manufacture a sausage sold in my home town New Orleans. We decided to expand our product line after Ray taught me to make jelly much as his mother had taught him when he was a little boy. I have an excellent palate, honed by my years of watching and helping my caterer mother. We proved very adept at creating new flavors, especially spicy ones. In 2014 we both retired. We are both CPAs who have worked together for more than 30 years. We used our vacation payout to build a commercial kitchen on the property, midway between our homes. We started working farmers’ markets in Houston and Dallas (Buffalo is midway between Houston and Dallas.) We’ve added products and changed packaging to address market needs. We’ve earned quite a few awards, and in 2020, we were one of Oprah’s Favorite Things.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been easy. As a new business, we weren’t sure what to do to promote the business or how to develop a market. Revenues were meager in the early years, but expenses were high. We had to supplement the business from our personal funds. The pandemic caused logistical problems with packaging materials and production supplies.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We are a small-batch manufacturer of jams, jellies, and a New Orleans-style remoulade sauce. In addition, we also do tomatillo salsa. Our spicy products are our area of specialty. They’ve been recipient of awards in every year since we began submitted them to competitions in 2018. We are known for our unique flavors and flavor combinations; and our exceptional custom. The number of flavors we carry and our customer service set us apart.
How do you define success?
Leaving our customers satisfied and coming back for more and bringing their families and friends with them!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rockinjr.com
- Instagram: @rockinjr
- Facebook: @RockinJR RanchKitchen
