Andy’s Seasoning, Inc. – a local, minority-owned family business – recently announced the debut of two new products: Golden Fish Batter and Shrimp Tempura Batter.
“We are excited for the new batters to hit the shelves,” said Rev. Larry W. Lee, Andy’s Seasoning president and CEO. “Our priority is creating high-quality, reasonably priced products for consumers to enjoy.”
The company now produces a total of 13 products, including breading for fish, chicken and vegetables; seasoned salt and seafood tempura batter. It was Andy’s Seafood Tempura Batter that led to the creation of the company’s latest products. When Lee first used the batter, he (like many people) had issues mixing it properly, so the company improved the recipe by making it simpler to use.
“When you start tinkering around with things, you come up with new things,” Lee said.
He felt it was time the company came out with something new and different. It had been several years since the company released any new products. Lee said that consumers can expect the debut of at least two more products by early next year. Consumers can also expect new packaging graphics for all of its existing products to “spice things up a bit,” he said.
“This is simply a new look for the same great products. No changes are being made to the products themselves,” he said.
Retail Sales Manager Mike Jurkiewicz recommended the change, Lee said, to give the company’s existing products “a more impactful look on the shelf.”
Lee took over the company after his mother, Katherine Anderson, died in November 2011. Katherine and Lee’s step-father, Reuben “Andy” Anderson (who died in November 1996), founded Andy’s Seasoning in 1981.
“I didn’t think that I would be sitting in this office this quick,” Lee said.
He had no interest in running the family business, he said, and it was a decision he agonized over for several weeks after his mother passes. Lee knew that it meant he would have to split his time between the family business and his main duties as pastor of the Agape Christian Center, 2410 Gardner Dr.
Remnants of his ministry are scattered throughout his office, like the wooden plaque on his wall bearing scripture from Proverbs 29:18. It reads: “Lead with vision. Where there is no vision, the people perish.”
As president and CEO of Andy’s Seasoning, Lee’s vision for the company is to continue expanding the brand as his mother did before her death. His wish is for the company’s products “to be on the shelves in every house in the country and known world-wide for having the best-tasting fish and chicken breading that there is,” he said.
Being a progressive company with a great product is why he feels the multi-million-dollar business continues to flourish, he said. It’s the reason why people from parts of the country where the products aren’t sold stock up before leaving town. Like the eagle statue on display in his office that he said symbolizes a source of strength, power and motion, his goal is to saturate the international market by first expanding into Canada and Mexico.
Currently, the company’s products are sold nationally. He said within the next two years the company will focus on targeting the East Coast, particularly where his older brother, Michael, lives in North Carolina.
“God’s hand has been on us,” Lee said, “and that’s why we’ve survived through many storms.”
