| How It All Began...
Spring 1996: Juan's passion for peppers and making gourmet salsa turns into part-time business.
Sean Sullivan’s hobby and passion for raising peppers and making gourmet salsa took on a whole new dimension when his employer filed for bankruptcy.
At that point, Sean and his wife Becki started selling their homegrown peppers and gourmet salsa at the Des Moines Farmers Market to help support themselves and their two young children.
The initial response to our salsa product was overwhelming, so-much-so, that within a few short months, the Sullivan’s began receiving unsolicited phone calls from dozens of loyal customers throughout the state of Iowa. They not only raved about Juan OSullivans Salsa, they were placing repeat orders for themselves and family and friends.
Summer 1998: Demand for the Sullivan’s gourmet salsa is so overwhelming that the Sullivan’s draft a business plan.
Sean and Becki's passion for making Juan's Gourmet Salsa grew in direct proportion to their customers' growing demand. Customers began placing orders for Christmas and other gift-giving occasions. Some were ordering a case at a time.
The Sullivan’s continued to expand their garden and their customer base. And they were prize-winning exhibitors in the Iowa State Fair competition on several different occasions.
Says Bill Turner, superintendent of agricultural and horticultural crops at the Iowa State Fair: "Sean and Becki have achieved something that I've been trying to convey to Iowa growers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs for years. Just because you live in Iowa, doesn't mean you have to raise and/or rely on traditional Iowa crops. The opportunities for developing new products and markets are limited only by your innovation, creativity and imagination."
Spring 1999: the Sullivans reach a great milestone when their product labelling is approved.
The Sullivan’s received their Food Processing Plant license for their home-based commercial kitchen which they built in 1998. Granted by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, the license enables the Sullivan’s to sell their trade-marked salsa through retail outlets in Iowa and throughout the United States.
The Sullivan’s have since introduced their salsa products to several Iowa gourmet retail outlets in Iowa.
And in June, they reached yet another milestone when they began offering Juan O'Sullivan's Gourmet Salsa on their new web site.
Meanwhile, they say all the signs of spring are pointing to a favorable year for another bounty of peppers and tomatoes.
Currently Juan’s, now in business for over ten years, maintains a policy of strictly adhering to their foundation principles of growing and grilling their own chile and making Juan’s salsa product in their small commercial kitchen.
Special Report: Juan O'Sullivan's Gourmet Salsa Company celebrates 10 Years in business with Juan O'Sullivan's Customer Appreciation Days / Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico and Presidential Candidate Is Guest Of Honor
On the 18th of August 2007, Juan's celebrated our 10 Year Anniversary. Thinking of those early days when we were illegally schlepping fresh salsa in plastic containers and carrying 20 qt containers to the market in coolers, it seems like those days of covert operation were just yesterday. But here we are with a great web site, great business at the Farmer's Market now where we are also roasting chile and a vibrant retail base, it really makes us feel blessed.
We celebrated that great success with a party attended by over 200 of our best customers. Most important in that bunch are the great neighbors that we have that help us manage and pick the produce, help us at the market and also helped us prepare for this party.
The guests of honor at our Customer Appreciation Days were Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico and Democratic candidate for president, and his lovely wife Barbara. Here in Iowa we get an early look and early participation in presidential politics and we are not shy about getting the goods on the candidates. Bill Richardson was at our party, right here at Juan's Chile Farm, for three hours. He met everyone here and was very gracious to all. He gave a speech and hit the highlights of his positions, and was his usual entertaining and comfortable self. We really like Gov. Richardson's plans and support him 100%.
Governor Richardson Opens Green Chile Season At Juan O'Sullivan's: The highlight of the event was the Opening Green Chile Season Ceremony where Bill Richardson cranked the Chile Roaster. We saved the biggest and best quality chiles to roast for this ceremony and sacrificed them to the Chile God's hoping for a great green chile season. Seriously though, it was great fun having the governor here and all who attended were impressed with him and had great fun, food and entertainment. 
Over Twenty Musicians Play At Juan's Customer Appreciation Days: I would like to thank the many musicians who came out to celebrate with us. We started with old timey and folk. After Governor Richardson's speech my bluegrass band, Both Sides Of The Mississippi played. Next up was my blues band Cousin Eddie where we rocked the place good. Some special musical guests were Terry Feldott on banjo and dobro from LaSalle IL, Tommy Shadonix fiddle player from Ottumwa, Bettie Swarts and Dan Pease from Indianola and Tina Hasse a local blues singer from right here in good old Des Moines. I would like to especially thank all the members of my bands for helping me out; Willy McKnight, Alan Smith, Joe and Lori Koelling, John Conyers, Tommy Shadonix and Terry Feldott. Thanks to all for your efforts.
Juan’s may not grow to be the biggest salsa company, just the best.
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