An old-fashioned taste with a new twist
STILLWATER, Okla. – An Oklahoma food company is adding a new twist to the old-fashioned taste of traditional food items.
Wes Higgs, a 1999 graduate of Oklahoma State University and owner of Red River Gourmet Food Co. of Stillwater, Okla., has developed a food product that incorporates raspberries.
"My vision is to create a line of products that are simple yet sophisticated and create a taste sensation that wows consumers,” Higgs said.
The company currently offers mild-, medium- and hot-flavored raspberry salsa, raspberry chipotle salsa and original- and spicy-flavored raspberry barbeque sauce.
"Our long-term goal is to build a value-added food processing facility in Stillwater that will not only produce our products, but would also take up the capacity for other local products in North Central Oklahoma," Higgs said.
This goal not only helps the Red River Gourmet Food Co., but it will create new jobs for Oklahoma.
Higgs was first exposted to rasberry salsa in the early 1990s when someone in his family received a jar as a gift. Thirteen years later, armored with experience int he food service industry and his love for the culinary arts, Higgs set out to reproduce the taste.
The first few batches of raspberry salsa were made fresh from ingredients out of Higgs’ garden. Higgs was so excited by the reactions from his family and friends that he began to share it with others. The positive response from those who sampled it was overwhelming.
“At the suggestion of a friend, I attended a workshop at the Food & Agricultural Products Center in Stillwater on how to take a homemade food product from the kitchen to market,” Higgs said. “Much of our success is a result of our relationship with the Food & Agriculture Products Center.”
The FAPC assisted Higgs in the development of his final formula and helped answer questions about processing, packaging, image and store placement, said Corey Stone, business and marketing specialist for the FAPC.
"Wes has taken a very entrepreneurial approach to his new business," Stone said. "He identified a market and found a product that was under-represented in that market, and then proceeded to develop his gourmet line as extensions from the original product."
Higgs provided samples of his raspberry salsa to the FAPC to determine if the pH was low enough to sustain shelf-life stability in the market. After the product passed, the product was scaled-up to produce a mass quantity.
"This was very exciting because I was beginning to see the fruits of my labor,” Higgs said.
Stone said Higgs had the capacity to be flexible with his formulations, which expedited his venture into the marketplace.
"He now has a high quality gourmet product line that is safe and affordable to the consumer," Stone said. "The FAPC will continue to assist with market development as Wes's business grows."
For more information on the company and upcoming products or to get a listing of where the products are available, visit redrivergourmet.com or call 405-747-7807.
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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.
