Today we’d like to introduce you to Troy A. Bolden.
Troy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Our dream started on a Louisiana working sugarcane plantation in the late 1970s. Our journey from two little boys running on a Sugarcane plantation transformed into two adult men running a successful Cajun seasoning operation is the result of an amazing story. After leaving the plantation in the early 80s, we move to a small community on the Cajun Coast called Glencoe. Growing up only a few miles from the Morton Salt plant on the Cajun Coast provided us with access to an abundance of fresh seafood and wildlife. At an early age, we were introduced to outdoor Cajun Cooking during our family boucheries. We watched our mother (The Home Chef) in the kitchen prepare the perfectly seasoning Cajun meals. The aroma of the food would travel throughout the house and escape to the outdoors. We can say that life on the Cajun Coast provided us with the vision to create the Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning Company.
What is the Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning Company? It’s a Louisiana-made seasoning and spice company. The vision was to create a low sodium Cajun seasoning to address Hypertension within our community. Hypertension has been an issue throughout our family for years. We experience the negative effects of high blood pressure that resulted in a major change of diet beginning with the seasoning. The objective was to create a flavorful combination of Cajun spices that is low in sodium and contains no MSG, so that our family, friends, and neighbors could address their hypertension concerns without giving up their flavorful meals. Like our grandmother used to say, “I just want a taste of salt.”
We started experimenting. After several blend attempts, many opinions, and countless prepared meals, we achieved our goal. We created our first product, the Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning blended especially blended for the home chef. Our community confirmed that by purchasing one, two, three, and sometimes four cans at a time. It has become a staple in their cabinets. As part of our strategy, we wanted our customers to be known as the Cajun Nation Home Chefs and have them to photograph their prepared meals with the Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning can included in the picture. We Did not want the magazine look. We wanted “Real People Cooking Real Food.” It has been successful. Our Cajun Nation Home Chefs prepare their meals and post them daily as if it’s a contest. Their photos and videos are shared through social media outlets by the customers and our company. Last, we created the phrase “GEAUX GET THE RED CAN” which clearly identifies our product that is packaged in a RED can. We will continue our grassroots approach and brand building with no end in sight. Our Community built us!
The goal of Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning Company is simple, to share our Zesty Louisiana Cajun seasoning and spices around the world. We feel confident that once your try Cajun Nation Cajun seasoning and spices, you will become a fan. Don’t believe us, believe what others are saying on social media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Twitter, Tumblr, Tik Tok, etc. Our products are as followed: Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning, Cajun Heat Hot Sauce, Cajun Heat Garlic Pepper Sauce, Red and Green Cajun Heat Chow Chow and Cajun Coast Spicy Citrus Seafood Boil. Our slogan for all our products is, “WE GOT THE SPICE. YOU BRING THE RICE!”
Although, the Cajun Nation brand is a new brand. The Cajun Nation community has supported and has continued to help us build the brand. The Cajun Nation brand success reflects the community’s belief in our brand and products. We believe in our dream, so it is worth the risk and challenges us. If we don’t build our own dream, then someone else will hire us to help build their dream. We want to build the Cajun Nation brand into a national brand being a part of the family, food, and fun of every community. Let’s Geaux!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it has not been a smooth road. Some of the struggles along the way were getting stores to accept a new brand of Cajun seasoning, learning the distribution process, creating content to keep the community following the brands as it grew, learning the seasoning business, and building relationships in relation to the seasoning business and marketing the brand.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a Register Nurse. I have been a registered nurse for about 25 years, all in the psychiatric arena. I was the only black in my nurse class of 96 students. I overcame my challenges through the wisdom of my deceased grandmother, Mabel Sigur and my stepfather, Merlin “Merlock” Roberts. I have learned that life is life and just enjoy it despite the challenges of life, because life is a challenge. My brother, Alfonzo D. Bolden is the other half of the company as Co-Founder/Owner/CEO. We have been dreaming since living on a working sugarcane plantation from late 1976 until today. We have been in business together for about 16 years. He’s been working in the industrial platform as a manager and supervisor for about 25 years, as well. He has a degree in safety. Never Stop Dreaming is our message to the world. We never stop dreaming from the sugarcane rows to the Cajun Nation boardroom. We wanted to provide an alternative low sodium seasoning to our community in relation to Hypertension because just about everyone in my family, everyone in my community and everyone that I know has Hypertension.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Know your product and be confident in your mission. Stay in the game no matter what, because the longer you stay in the game you will attract fans to your product and/or passion for the business. Do good business. I do good business and kind no matter what the other person or business is doing. People will believe in your product based on how much you believe in what you are doing. Never Give Up!
Pricing:
- $4.99 Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning
- $5.99 Cajun Heat Hot Sauce
- $5.99 Cajun Heat Garlic Pepper Sauce
- $5.99 Cajun Heat Chow Chow
- $7.99 Cajun Coast Spicy Citrus Seafood Boil
Contact Info:
- Email: info@cajun-nation.com
- Website: www.cajun-nation.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cajun.nation.seasoning.co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CajunNationCajunSeasoning
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/CajunNationCo
- Youtube: Cajun Nation Cajun Seasoning Co.
Image Credits
Jonathan Hawkins of Shots By Snikwah for the headshot and product shot .
