User:KatherineReed/sandbox/Big Spoon Roasters

Background/Overview
Big Spoon Roasters was founded in Durham, NC in January 2011 and has been providing delicious nut butters to the triangle ever since. Recently, they have expanded to national locations working to expand their brand. The philosophy behind Big Spoon is that food matters. Their mission elaborates, “It matters to our health, our happiness, and the well being of our planet. Food should be delicious, nutritious, and good for all those involved in producing it.” They produce a unique variety of nut blends, their most popular seller is “chai spice.”

History
Husband and wife entrepreneurs Mark and Megan Overbay launched the artisan peanut butter company after an inspirational visit to Zimbabwe. After graduating from Davidson College, Mark moved to Zimbabwe as a peace corps volunteer in 1999. While abroad, he learned from the locals about the art of making nut butter. After returning to the U.S. with a newfound appreciation for the craft of nut butters, Mark began making and selling his own peanut pecan butter at a local farmer’s market in Carrboro. It was supposed to be a side project while he worked full time as a marketer for Counter Culture Coffee in Raleigh, but the hobby quickly transformed into a passion.

Products
The process is elaborate--Mark uses unique mill equipment to mimic the texture of the Zimbabwe nuts. First, he roasts all the nuts on the premise and then grinds them with the special mill. Despite being a national brand, all the production occurs in Durham, North Carolina. Depending upon the specific flavor, Mark and team will add the corresponding additional ingredients. For example, chai spice is made of: peanuts, almonds, wild flower honey, cardamom, clove, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, black pepper and sea salt. Each handcrafted artisan nut butter costs $13.95. The entire list of flavors are: peanut, hot peanut, peanut cashew, peanut pecan, peanut cocoa, almond cocoa, mission almond, almond ginger, espresso, chai spice and vanilla peanut sorghum. Big Spoon has recently expanded into the bar market and makes two unique nut butter bars: cherry pecan and apricot pepita. You can purchase a six pack of bars for $21. For pairing suggestions, look at the following site.

Distributors
Big Spoon prides itself on selling to small, local grocery stores and eateries. For example, you can find Big Spoon at the Ferry building in San Francisco or Durham’s farmers market. Big Spoon sells to over 70 unique distributors/wholesalers and also offers a mail-order option. Mark emphasizes, “"I want to know who grew it, exactly where it came from [and], if possible, to even have it dried just for us."

Accolades
While Big Spoon operates locally, they are working on expanding their brand. Their national production is ever growing -- the company continues to receive references in the press and other renowned food publications. In 2016 they were recognized by Southern Living and in 2014 Bon Appetit did an in depth feature on the small company. Big Spoon has also been lauded by Spoon University, a digital food magazine targeting collegiate readers. Cooking light and Indy Week also have elaborate step-by-step instructions on how to replicate the nut butters inspired by conversations with the owner himself. Lastly, Big Spoon is a huge hit among the food blog community. “Get in my mouf” did a Q & A with Overbay in 2016.

Social Media
Instagram: @bigspoonroasters Twitter: bigspooners Facebook: facebook.com/bigspoonroasters

Fun Facts
Overbay’s favorite Durham list of restaurants: Toast, Pizzeria Toro, Scratch, Roses, Dos Perros. Company mantra: “How we do anything, is how we do everything. Which to us means that we strive to be present in every moment, to devote our full attention to creating quality, and that no detail in our process–from measuring salt to taping up a box–is too small to ignore.” (Get in my mouf). Megan and Mark have a Vizsla named Rioja

References

External Links http://thebigspooners.weebly.com/