our story
Salvy Sousa is the concoction of Rob & Janet Carroll - successful entrepreneurs that were ready to start marking some items off the bucket list. In 2011, their first venture was a leader in the industrial blasting and coating industry. The couple was passionate about life. They didn't rest much between running a business, adding additional entities and making memories with their family.
Rob's mind didn't shut off much and constantly was thinking of the next dream. These dreams were brought to light with passion, excitement and creativity from Janet. These two are rare and unique in their balance of work and love. In 2011, they were at a place where they were empty-nesting, business thriving and ready to conquer a crazy vision that all started with Rob's legendary 'shrooms.
Janet began the legwork to figure out this new venture and this new world in the gourmet food industry to created handcrafted products with distinctive flavors. After lots of discussion, it was decided to bottle the product. But, first they needed a name. It was lots of brainstorming, designing and work but they decided to pay ode to couple that was full of spunk, gumption, passion, and #theoriginalfoodie-Rob's maternal grandparents.
a love story
It's the early 1930s in New York. Salvador 'Salvy' Bianchine is working as an Italian butcher in a Willoughby's Market right outside of the city when he meets Loudwina 'Lou' Sousa, a spunky Portuguese woman with a passion for life and food. The two wed in 1932.
In 1933, the two welcome their daughter #JoanMarie. She is half Italian and half Portuguese. She was a sweet little girl with a passion for cooking with both her mother, father and grandmother. Seven years later, they welcomed their son, Gerald, and the family of four builds a life. Life throws a curve ball when Salvy passes away at age of 39 living Lou with a high school daughter and young boy to raise. She lays her Salvy to rest in the famed Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, grabs her garter straps and heads West.
Lou hitches up with their son and makes her way to be with her family in California. Joan stays behind in New York to finish school and get her beautician license before heading West. Little did she know what California would entail.
welcome to kansas
She arrives to Oakland, CA and reunites with her mom and brother and settles in. She heads out with friends to a USO dance where she meets a red headed Kansas Sailor, Bill Carroll. They danced the night away before he shipped out to serve in the Korean War. The two exchanged love letters until he arrived safely back in California. They Wed and her honeymoon was making their way back to Kansas.
When they arrived to Kansas, she thought she had arrived to HELL. She was homesick for family, spices and her favorite foods. She came to love Kansas and the couple welcomed three children - Jerre, Judi and Rob. Family was everything to her and was celebrated around the kitchen table at Sunday Dinner.
Rob, the baby, affectionately called Robby was an ornery, mischievous child constantly building, engineering and tinkering. He loved to create - even in the kitchen. When he wasn't tinkering...he was starting a little business.
planting roots
Flash forward to 1981, Rob is making his way through Arkansas City High School when he sees a girl at a water fountain. In that moment, he knew she was the one - Janet. Janet was a creative brain with a fun and quarky spirit. The two together were unstoppable and full of ambition. In 1986, the high school sweethearts married and planted roots in their hometown - Arkansas City, KS.
In 1987, the couple established their first business Rob Carroll's Sandblasting & Painting, Inc. While laying the foundation for an industrial sandblasting & coating business, they kept busy raising their three children - Mallory, Molly, and Jeb.
The couple has opened many successful entities as they diversified through the years with their entrepreneurial spirit. They honed their skills and capabilities. In 2011, they were ready to for their next big move with Salvy Sousa.
an evolving brand
Salvy Sousa is without a doubt an over the top, bigger than life fictional character but so is this story with twists, turns, ups and downs but through all of the chapters of life was always love, family, passion and moments gathered around a table.
With a name like Salvy Sousa, the brand evolved by adding additional handcrafted products to the gourmet sauce line - all with robust flavor profiles and over the top memorable names. With each new product the goal remained to always create a quality product with a distinctive flavor. The brand has won 34 national and international awards with the quality gourmet products.
With almost 10 years, the business is family-focused and oriented in all facets. They now have passed the spoon to another generation. Day to day operations are ran by their oldest daughter, Mallory. There are many exciting things in the coming years to come as Salvy Sousa evolves with multi-generations of food lovers and ode to the #theorignalfoodie- Salvy Sousa.
