On September 27th, Chief Counsel for Advocacy Winslow Sargeant and I had the opportunity to visit with the founders of the Jerome Brown Barbecue Sauce Company in Jacksonville, Florida. Jerome, JoAnn, and Katrina Brown welcomed Dr. Sargeant and me to their new 36,000 square foot manufacturing facility. Their new expanded home allows them to manufacture, bottle, and package shipment for retailers around the country. Walmart has begun carrying their products in several test markets, and expansion to the entire chain and other retail companies is anticipated in the near future.
The Browns were recipients of a $2.9 million SBA loan and a $250,000 loan from the city of Jacksonville to expand their operations. It is expected that up to 56 people will be hired by the company by the time the manufacturing facility becomes fully operational in the spring/summer of 2013.
And did I mention that their sauce is delicious?
—Mark Berson, Region 4 Advocate
Mark Berson is the regional small business advocate for region 4, which consists of Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.