“You’ve just got to sell this.”
Those flattering words have helped many food entrepreneurs make the decision to start a business. In 2019, they inspired Lisa Killorin to launch Columbus-based Sassy Mustard, based on a mustard recipe she had developed 30 years earlier as a newlywed in search of affordable gifts for family and friends.
By the time she launched her company, Killorin said, “things were changing. My children had grown and left home, and all of a sudden, life was pretty quiet. I have always loved being busy, and I knew I wanted to do something. My friend Eric Arceneaux is a chef, and he told me I needed to go into business.”
Arceneaux said Killorin’s mustard was different from any other he had tried. “He said it wasn’t cloyingly sweet like honey mustard and felt it was the perfect blend of sweet and a little heat,” she recalled.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
As she looked into turning her mustard into a business, Killorin realized there was much she had to learn and do in order to scale up from producing it in her kitchen to a business making a product for sale to the public.
She said she took classes at the University of Georgia “to learn how to make a food product safely. I became certified as a copacker so I could make the sauce and put it in jars. I spent a year finding a source for the mustard seeds I use in the sauce.”
Her original, hot and onion sauces use three different proprietary blends of mustard seeds, and she needed a source that could provide those blends with consistent quality.
“I had companies send me samples of the blends, and I would make up 100 jars with each sample to see how the ingredients reacted together,” Killorin said. “And then I’d give those samples to good friends and neighbors and ask, ‘Which one do you like better?’”
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
She sold her first jars in 2020 by walking into four Columbus shops that sold gourmet foods. “I’d go in with a little gift bag that had a container of mustard, some pretzels, and information on my wholesale pricing and my background,” Killorin said. “I’d tell them it was a gift, and I’d be thrilled to have them carry my products in their store if they’d have me. This allowed the mustard to speak for itself.”
She would then follow up a few days later. The shopkeepers seemed pleased to receive a no-obligation gift and responded positively. “All four are still selling Sassy Mustard in their stores,” Killorin said.
She also began producing recipe cards so potential customers would understand this wasn’t just a condiment for sandwiches or hot dogs. “It’s really great for cooking,” she said. “It’s fabulous brushed on any protein before grilling, and it holds a dry rub beautifully.
“The mustard helps protect the protein during cooking, keeping it moist. It’s great in salad dressings and marinades. When you add it to a dish, it brings both mustard and sweet elements that really elevate the dish.”
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
The three flavors of mustard are sold in 12-ounce jars. While she made every batch by hand when she started Sassy Mustard, within two years, she felt her time was better spent getting out, meeting people and talking about the mustard. She found a co-packer to produce and package the mustard, and she went on the road.
“I realized I needed to use my gifts for selling the product,” Killorin said. “Really, I can stand there all day and talk to people about mustard.”
In July 2021, she said, her friend Margaret Amos of Southern Straws cheese straws insisted she sign up for AmericasMart Atlanta (a wholesale marketplace for gourmet food, gifts and home decor).
“I have never been so terrified, but it was wonderful, and I’ve been at the Mart ever since,” Killorin said.
Through contacts made at AmericasMart, her mustard is now sold in 22 states, from California to North Carolina. Atlanta area residents can find Sassy Mustard at West Paces Ferry Ace Hardware and Casabella in Marietta.
With her co-packer making and packaging the mustard, Killorin is focused on expanding the business — increasing her product’s presence in gourmet and higher-end grocery stores, as well as adding new flavors and jar sizes.
“I am grateful for everyone who shared their knowledge and experience with me,” she said. “What I love is that my story shows you’re not too old and it’s never too late to start a business.”
Sassy Mustard, sassymustard.com
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