Today we’d like to introduce you to Donald Catchings
Hi Donald, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The genesis of Always in Season results from, what I consider, high praise from my family.
For Thanksgiving 2023, I prepared a rack of beef ribs with an original seasoning blend that I have used for years on my own food. I had no thought in my head other than making, what I thought to be, some pretty good ribs. I hoped my family would also like the ribs, but, if not, more for me. What I did not expect was the actual result. Not only did the beef ribs find favorable, wide-eyed bites of delight, followed by the smack of satisfied lips, but there were numerous inquiries concerning how the ribs were made. After the meal and day were over, what began to make its way to my ears was an adamant, rhetorical question, “You’re making those for Christmas, right?” Though I was unsatisfied that I was left little in the way of leftovers, I was happy about the thought that I must have something special hidden in my original rub.
Now, I don’t want that to be confusing. You see, in my family, praise starts with the lack of negative criticism, not with cheering applause. That means high praise, in regards to food, usually comes in the form of, “I’d like that again.” After receiving the request for another rack of ribs at Christmas, I knew that my original rub needed to be appreciated by more than my family. Thus, my wife and I bottled The Original Rub, created the Always in Season brand, and began to sell.
Always in Season’s reception from customers has been positive and enthusiastic. Since setting up with one product at our first local market in December 2023, we have spread our wings a bit and now have over forty products, most of which are organic, ranging from rubs and seasonings to sauces, marinades, extracts, and even fruit butters.
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?
Though there have been trials and errors in figuring out the market, the process of developing a seasoning company has been more rewarding than rough. I have enjoyed the challenges of mixing and blending flavors, wrangling my family members into taste testing, and nailing down the final products. One of the best parts of owning this business has been the surplus of our tasty blends in my kitchen, ready for use when I am in the mood to prepare something delicious for my wife and kids, which is pretty much every day.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Always in Season?
Always in Season is a family-owned and operated seasoning business that focuses on fulfilling the promise of our slogan, Great Flavor is Always in Season. Though we started simple with a single barbecue rub, The Original Rub, and progressed slowly to develop our best-seller, Gus’ Steak and Burger Seasoning, through rave reviews we soon discovered that we had a knack for generating great flavors. Thus, we have grown to include numerous seasoning mixes like The Vegetable Seasoning, French Fry Seasoning, Chili, Taco, and The Chicken Seasoning. In our pursuit of creating great flavors that are always in season, we have also taken to innovating outside of just barbecue seasonings to develop The Original Barbecue Sauce, Guilt-Free Apple Butter, Spicy Italian Balsamic, Tri-fold Vanilla Paste, and, a personal favorite, Chipotle Herb Hot Sauce, among other products.
As a brand, Always in Season is most proud of the well-rounded nature of our products. We believe that great flavor should not limit itself. The Chicken Seasoning is not limited to being used for chicken wings on a grill, but also chicken thighs in an oven, chicken breasts in a skillet, a whole chicken in a smoker, and, even, perfectly complements chicken soup. The Original Rub, specifically developed for pork ribs, also pairs perfectly with brisket, and might even be best on shrimp.
Our innovative endeavor to make great, well-rounded flavors, has produced barbecue sauces that need no extra seasoning to pop, hot sauces that make flavor primary without losing their spicy kick, and fruit butters made with natural sweeteners to please the sweet tooth with delicious, fruit flavor while being conscious of our consumers’ health.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Always in Season is available at farmer’s markets and events just north of Houston, specifically in Conroe, The Woodlands, Montgomery, New Caney, and the surrounding area. Our products are also available on our website, alwaysinseasontx.square.site, where customers can view product information and pre-order items to be picked up in person. Follow Always in Season on social media to stay updated on our event schedule, explore product highlights, and see how the Always in Season family enjoys our flavorful products.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://alwaysinseasontx.square.site
- Instagram: @alwaysinseasontx
- Facebook: @alwaysinseasontexas
