It all started in the home kitchen; same song with a new verse. Holly Kurzhal’s and her husband loved their father’s homemade pickles and asked for jars so often that he finally suggested they start making their own. So they did. And after sharing with family and friends and getting requests for more and more jars, they decided to take some jars to the local Farmer’s Market, where they sold fast. They took more jars the next time and still more the next time until it became obvious they were on to something. They originally marketed the Jalapeno, hot spicy pickles but kept getting requests for milder flavors. That’s when the product laddering began and they branched out into other pickled vegetables and brines. After the birth of her second child, Holly decided to quit her job and take Kurzhal’s Kickin’ Pickles to the next level of production. They started in Holly’s kitchen for the first five years or so, then moved to a home commercial kitchen where the cooking and warehousing now take place in the additions to their home. Holly’s favorite recipe is Jalapeno Bread and Butter pickle, flavored in what Holly calls the bread and butter brine, a sweet brine with garlic, chiles and other spices. Most of the cucumbers are grown on the family’s property. They are not certified organic at this point, but the company picks, puts on ice and process them within 24 hours to ensure freshness and nutrition. There’s more to the family story as well. The original pickling formula comes from Holly’s husband’s mother, so it really is Gramma’s old-fashioned formula. And the genuine touch of a hands-on crafted food comes through in the irregular, non-corporate sizes and shapes of the cucumbers themselves. The company pickles asparagus, beans, carrots and other vegetables in a wholesome but delicious variety of flavors. The product offering is quite extensive and impressive and is sold online and in multiple grocery stores currently in the western Oregon area. They can’t keep up with demand either; everything they make is sold almost immediately. So with a home business working very well family all together in one place, they are livin’ the life and definitely kickin’ it.
"Masoni and Marshall the meaningful Marketplace" with your hosts Sarah Masoni and Sarah Marshall
We record the "the Meaningful Marketplace" inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.
Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil
Show logo was designed by Anton Kimball of Kimball Design
Website was designed by Cameron Grimes
Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster
10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes
Thank you for listening to The Meaningful Marketplace Podcast with your hosts, Sarah Masoni of Oregon State University's Food Innovation Center and Sarah Marshall, owner of Marshall's Haute Sauce. Connect with us on Instagram @meaningfulmarketplacepodcast.
Call our hotline with questions for Sarah and Sarah at 503-395-8858. If you want to support our show, write us a review, share episodes with friends, or subscribe to our Patreon.
Producer: Sarah Marshall of The Joy of Creation Production House
Audio engineer, mixer, and podcast editor: Haley Bowers
Show logo design: Anton Kimball of Kimball Design
Production Coordinators: Dave Drusky
