RALEIGH – Ford’s Gourmet Foods, the master distributor for North Carolina-produced brands including Wine Nuts, Fire Dancer Jalapeno Peanuts, Earth Family Organics and Naturals and acclaimed Bone Suckin’ Sauces, was recently awarded the 2024 North American Agricultural Marketing Officials (NAAMO) Marketer of the Year Award.
Nominated by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Got to Be NC program, the annual award recognizes an agribusiness company in North America who has demonstrated industry leadership, stand-out creativity and innovation in brand development and marketing.
“Phil Ford and his family have been bringing quality products to market since 1946 at the old city market of Raleigh,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Their gourmet line really took off in 1992 when the entire family got involved and they began selling Bone Suckin’ Sauce at local retailers and at the State Farmers Market.
“Ford’s Gourmet Foods was built on hard work, service to customers and quality products. They embraced international marketing and worked closely with our staff to broaden their customer base. You can now find their products in over 80 countries,” Troxler said. “International markets hold tremendous growth opportunities for food businesses and farmers and we are committed to helping them get there.”
Ford’s Gourmet Foods is a fourth-generation, Raleigh, North Carolina-based family business with a focus on making and distributing only the best. “The harder you work, the luckier you get,” said Patrick Ford, vice president. “This isn’t a journey you can do on your own, you have to nurture your relationships both with your customers and with government agencies. You need both to make it work and be successful.”
The North American Agricultural Marketing Officials (NAAMO) is an international organization of the State and Provincial government agricultural marketing officials who provide both domestic and international marketing services to the agricultural and food industries in their states and provinces.