Being married to your business partner could be a tough situation, but Craig and Toni Brown make it look easy.
After raising their children, they began a new journey together making Millie’s Sweet & Tasty Barbecue Sauce in 2007.
“Since my childhood, I can remember my mother, Millie, cooking so many delicious Southern dishes using her famous sauce,” Craig said.
“Millie’s memory still lives on in our family, as she has inspired my wife and I to re-create this one-of-a-kind sweet and tasty barbecue sauce.”
To go commercial, they formed Craig & Toni Quality Products and connected with the BEGIN New Venture Center at the St. Patrick Center’s small business incubator, which provides early-stage and start-up small businesses with the resources needed to grow.
After making the sauce at home for years, they had to adjust to a business mindset. “We didn’t know anything about business. All we knew was cooking,” Toni said. “This program has helped us with every aspect of running our business.”
Next they connected with St. Louis-based Arcobasso Foods, a custom sauce manufacturer that agreed to help them with their recipe and mass-produce their product. In addition to making sauce, they also are working on a breading and a spice rub to season meat before barbecuing.
Millie’s Sweet & Tasty Barbecue Sauce, which has won awards at competitions in Douglas, Georgia and Kansas City, is available at Straubs, Local Harvest, Goeke Produce, Figuero’s and Soulard Market in Missouri and at Cionko’s and Wenneeman Market in Illinois. Craig and Toni said they are overjoyed to see their product on store shelves.
Now they are working with the BEGIN New Venture Center to formulate a marketing strategy. In addition to adding more stores, they hope to sell their sauce to school systems and hospitals. They intend to expand their business, Craig & Toni Quality Products, and provide employment to people who will help them continue to grow.
“When we get ready to distribute, we will be able to hire staff and have them help with our catering business,” Toni said.
Every second Monday, as a gesture of thanks for the help they receive from the business incubator, Craig and Toni feed homeless women at St. Patrick’s Center with their Women’s Night Program.
Toni said, “We want to be a blessing to other people too.”
For more information, visit http://www.milliesbarbecuesauce.com/.
Momma Millie’s Pork Steaks
Here is a recipe courtesy of Momma Millie, which should be fulfilling for a family of four.
Ingredients
– 4 pork steaks
– Montreal Steak Seasoning
– Paprika
– Granulated onion
– Millie’s Sweet & Tasty Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
1. Wash the pork steaks in cold clean water and pat dry.
2. Season both sides of the steaks well with Montreal Seasoning, paprika, granulated onion.
3. Grill pork steaks on medium coals for a period of 40-45 minutes until done (or bake pork steaks at a temperature of 350 degrees for a period of 50-60 minutes until done).
4. Baste with Millie’s Sweet & Tasty Barbeque Sauce during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
5. Serve.
