After years of eating salsa that didn’t have that “WOW” factor, my wife and I decided to make a batch of our own. We were tired of salsa that tasted like “sauce”, and were just as tired of eating salsa that was so chunky that you could cut it with a knife. We knew what we wanted in a fresh deli-style salsa the problem was we couldn’t find it.
So we created our own.
We named it Stadium Salsa because after years of adding a little of this and taking away a little of that we started sharing our new salsa with our friends and family at tailgating parties and backyard get-togethers. We feel that we’ve come up with the best combination of freshest vegetables along with the perfect blend of spices making Stadium Salsa a great-tasting salsa.
We hope you enjoy the unique flavor of our fresh Stadium Salsa and make it a healthy part of your own gatherings.
"Stadium Salsa is one of the finest, freshest-tasing salsa that I've ever tasted. And I travel all around the country tasting various foods. Well done!"
Zonya Foco, RD
Zonya and owner of Stadium Salsa LLC, Greg Shepherd shown here at the 2007 Food Expo held in Bowling Green, OH
ALL IMAGES AND CONTENT ® 2008 STADIUM SALSA, LLC.
“I love supporting a local business, especially one
that helps keep Mud Hen baseball broadcasts on the airwaves!
I've always been a Pace brand salsa man, but your HOT salsa packs plenty of heat and with the fresh ingredients, I may just switch permanently! Good
stuff. Thanks for a great product and GO HENS!”
-David Hopson
via email
Buy Stadium Salsa T-shirts and apparel HERE
"The difference with Greg is that he's made it in to Kroger. That's the biggest store that any of our tenants have made it into," she said.
Stadium Salsa produces about 1,000 cases a week, sold in 50 locations in Bowling Green and the Toledo area.
Surprisingly, though, the Shepherds have yet to see a dime from their efforts, because Mr. Shepherd plows every cent back into the business.
A health fanatic with a marketing degree from the University of Toledo, Mr. Shepherd said his plan was to promote his salsa in multiple ways and establish it in the public mind before taking profits.
He created a Web site for his salsa before launching it, gave away lot of samples and got feedback at football tailgates in Ohio and Michigan, created a corn-chip icon named Chip, and even sponsored charity events where he gave away his product.
He and his wife came up with their recipe in 2002 after being dissatisfied with other salsa brands on the market that he said are too pasty or too chunky.
The product got noticed. The Toledo Mud Hens began selling it at Fifth Third Field in Toledo last year, and a Kroger in Bowling Green started carrying it.
The salsa is carried by Bassett's Markets, Monnette's, and area Five-Star Markets, and Mancy's restaurants began using it in some of their recipes last year.
Recently, The Andersons and Wal-Mart have inquired.
Meanwhile, the Shepherds haven't rested.
They have been developing new varieties of salsa, their own brand of corn chips, and a new salsa relish.
Still, the cooperative kitchen was great.
"They give you tough love there," Mr. Shepherd said. "Jenni was particularly good at this. She said, 'Greg, I'm going to challenge you. People like the salsa, but will they buy it?'•"
But, "I'm a competitive person. I like a challenge," he said.
