Raleigh, NC (June 21, 2022) – Ford’s Gourmet Foods. today announced that Sandi Ford, Co-Founder of Bone Suckin’ Sauce, was inducted into the Specialty Food Association Hall of Fame, June 10, 2022 at this year’s Summer Fancy Food Show at the Jacob Javits Center in New York.
In 1992, Sandi and her husband, Lynn, told Lynn’s brother Phil they’d like to be his partners in bringing his sauce to market. Sandi came up with the name Bone Suckin’ Sauce for the incredible tasting barbecue sauce. She sold it at her two specialty stores that she grew out of a small section of the family’s fourth generation produce business. Sandi had the belief that locally crafted, high quality specialty foods filled an important role in the market. Lynn & Sandi’s sons, Vaughn and Patrick, joined the family business in 1993 and 1997 respectively. Thirty years later, the Bone Suckin’ Sauce product line has expanded and is now sold in over 80 countries around the world. But commercial success is not enough for Sandi Ford.
Sandi never shied away from being a woman in the male-dominated barbecue space. She feels a responsibility to teach and mentor others with ideas they want to take to market. Many of the Specialty Food Members have leaned on Sandi for help and support, which she offers freely and introduces them to distributors and stores whenever they ask. She is selfless with her time and knowledge. She has been recognized by several U.S. Presidents, the U.S. Commerce Department, Senators, Commissioners and even hosted the USA Secretary of Agriculture last year at the Farmers Market in Raleigh. The co-founder of NC Specialty Foods, Sandi is a much sought after expert, authority and advocate of specialty foods, agriculture and locally owned and operated brands.
Sandi is a true pioneer of so many things in the specialty food business that have benefitted all producers, creators, and makers. There is no one more deserving of the Hall of Fame honor.
The Hall’s Mission is to honor individuals whose accomplishments, impact, contributions, innovations, and successes within the specialty food industry deserve praise and recognition.
ABOUT FORD’S GOURMET FOODS
Ford's Gourmet Foods, a division of Ford’s Produce Company, Inc. is a fourth generation, Raleigh, North Carolina-based family business managed by Sandi & Patrick Ford. FGF creates and distributes some of the world's greatest tasting Non GMO, gluten free, Kosher Certified foods including Wine Nuts and Fire Dancer Jalapeño Peanuts and the internationally acclaimed Bone Suckin' Sauces – the ONLY barbecue sauces rated #1 by Newsweek, Food & Wine and many others. For more mouth watering recipes and information, visit Ford’s Gourmet Foods online at www.BoneSuckin.com.
ABOUT SPECIALTY FOOD ASSOCIATION
The Specialty Food Association, Inc. is membership-based trade association in the United States representing 3,000+ member companies. The SFA was established in 1952 to foster trade, commerce and interest in the specialty food industry in the U.S., worth $148 billion as of May 2020. (Formerly known as the National Association of Specialty Food Trade or NASFT.)