By Kylee Willard
FAPC Communications Graduate Assistant

(Stillwater, Okla. – April 25, 2012) “One bite and you will be hooked,” said owners of Towhead Products, LLC, Kirk and Christy Kuhlman.

The fresh, all natural and oh-so delicious Towhead Salsa captivates one’s senses and spices up one’s palate.

“Towhead Salsa is one of the few commercially made, all natural with no preservative salsas available,” Kirk said.

The Kuhlmans use tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, salt, black pepper, vinegar and pectin to make their salsa. With four levels of “hot,” Towhead Salsa offers flavors for all tolerance levels.

“We have a mild, medium, hot and habanera salsa,” Kirk said. “Our medium and hot are a little warmer than the standard medium and hot but all four levels have a fresh, flavorful taste without the strong tomato paste flavor.”

In business since 2010, the mission of the Tuttle, Okla., company is simple.

“We want to provide the best products and service to our customers at the lowest prices possible,” Christy said. “We take great pride in our company, our commitment to customer service and in the products we sell.”

The spicy inspiration for a salsa company came from Kirk’s family and childhood experiences.

“I grew up around a family of gardeners, from my parents and grandparents to my great aunt,” Kirk said. “I watched them work their gardens summer after summer and saw the reward from their hard work, the freshest vegetables that couldn’t be bought at the neighborhood grocery store.”

Kirk’s childhood love for gardening grew with age. Christy suggested he express his passion for gardening and fresh products by marketing the salsa he has made recreationally for 15 years.

“My grandparents would make their salsa from the extra tomatoes and peppers that came from the garden,” Kirk said. “When I had a garden of my own, I decided to make a version of my grandparents’ salsa. I started canning and freezing left over vegetables to enjoy throughout the year.”

In October 2010, the Kuhlman’s advanced their salsa production when they attended Basic Training conducted by Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center. The workshop is for food business entrepreneurs, where participants address business planning assistance, market identification, strategies and food processing regulations.

“More than 975 participants have graduated from Basic Training and more than 100 new companies have been started,” Erin Johnson, FAPC business and marketing client coordinator and lead investigator on the Towhead Products account. “We were thrilled to have Kirk and Christy seek assistance at our workshop geared toward food business entrepreneurs like Towhead.”

In October 2011, Towhead’s salsa line was unveiled.

“After countless pounds of produce and hours in the kitchen, the salsa recipe was perfected,” Kirk said. “We wanted to make the salsa ourselves from start to finish ensuring that the freshest vegetables were being used to produce the most flavorful, authentic and highest quality salsa on the market.”

Johnson said the salsa product is unique in that it contains fresh ingredients while being shelf-stable.

“Since inception, Towhead has been passionate about making salsa from fresh not cooked tomatoes,” Johnson said. “Their desires have always been to produce a shelf-stable salsa product from fresh production ingredients.”

In addition to marketing the tasty salsa, the duo prides in helping stimulate the local economy.

“It has always been our passion to support and engage in local commerce,” Christy said. “We believe in buying local, selling local and bettering the Oklahoma economy.”

As members of the Made in Oklahoma Coalition, they purchase ingredients for their salsa concoction fresh from Vineyard Fruit and Vegetables and Franks Tomato House while using the Earth Elements’ kitchen, all Oklahoma City companies.

The FAPC Basic Training graduates have utilized the professional services, staff and facilities at the center.

“Towhead has traveled to the FAPC on several occasions for the scale-up process,” Johnson said.

Through each phase of business development, Towhead Products has received support from the FAPC.

“The FAPC has been a tremendous asset to our business,” Kirk said. “When we experienced issues of raw product supply shortage, the folks at the FAPC were quick to help us find a resolution, which prevented us from loosing money or experiencing production downtime. The FAPC continues to work with us to help us grow.”

The salsa gurus make appearances at various venues from farmer’s markets and craft festivals to local grocery stores and boutiques marketing their product. They also engage in social media efforts as part of their promotion strategy.

“We also push our products and share information about what show we are going to or new store locations where product is available on Facebook and Twitter,” Christy said. “For the most up-to-date information, like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter.”

The full line-up of salsas are sold online through the company website, www.towheadproducts.com.

“All of our products are available for sale on our website,” Christy said. “Our online store is designed to provide you with a safe and secure environment to browse our product catalog.”

In tandem with the salsa available for sale on the company website, the product can also be found in stores throughout central and southern Oklahoma.

“We distribute al the product ourselves mainly in central Oklahoma and south,” Christy said. “However, we are slowly making our way to stores in all parts of Oklahoma and have hopes of distributing the product throughout the United States.”

Since Towhead Products sought training and assistance from the FAPC in 2010, the company has experienced significant production growth and established strong brand recognition.

“Making great salsa is what we strive for,” Kirk said. “We believe once you try our salsa you will be hooked. We look forward to the future and success of Towhead Salsas.”

- ### -

Oklahoma State University, U.S. Department of Agriculture, State and Local Governments Cooperating. The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, disability, or status as a veteran, and is an equal opportunity employer.

• Go back to news release main page