At 8 years old Kari Yarbrough was messing around in the kitchen, grabbing some spices, blending together a seasoning. Little did she know this seasoning would soon become an all-Alabama made product sold across the state.
KEY'S Southern Spice, which is a registered trademark, is a seasoning that’s all natural, has no preservatives, MSG or artificial fillers and is gluten free. Kari’s dad, Chad, said it’s key is the simplicity of the product, which also makes it so versatile.
Kari said it’s good on all types of meats, seafood and vegetables. Some people have replaced it with their salad dressings and others use it as popcorn seasoning. Kari also recently made it with a roasted pecan pie for a sweet and savory dessert.
When Kari first jotted down her recipe, her family started by testing it out on some friends. Her sister played softball at the time, and Kari used the seasoning for cookouts at the field.
“They started asking, ‘Where can we get this?’ And we realized they wanted to buy it,” she said. “We hadn’t even thought about people actually wanting to buy it and that is where we began to think, ‘OK, how can we do this and make it a business?’”
Once production got too big for their house, Chad got in contact with a high school friend who worked at a co-packing company, and it went from there.
Now, Kari is 18 years old and going into nursing school, but she is still keeping KEY’S Southern Spice alive. Chad added they are looking to one day branch out into other seasonings, BBQ sauces and seasoning packets with recipes on it for dips or marinade. Currently KEY’S Southern Spice is also sold in bulk with 5-pound bags so restaurants or delis can use it as well.
Her mother Melissa noted it was important to Kari that KEY’S Southern Spice support organizations that align with her values. As such, KEY’S is a sponsor for Culinary Fight Club’s Fight2Feed, which works alongside local restaurants and chefs to supply food to those who are hungry. The company also sponsors Huntin The Truth Ministries’ show, whose mission is restoring people's “relationship with Jesus through hunting and the outdoors,” according to the website. KEY’S Southern Spice has sponsored the Oklahoma City Gun Club Archery state tournament.
“It’s important to Kari and has been since day one that we are promoting wellbeing, our faith and then of course patriotism,” Melissa said.
While KEY’S started in Troy and the Yarbourghs now live in the Fairhope area, Chad’s family has ties to Tallapoosa County. And KEY’S Southern Spice can be found locally at Lake Martin Grocery Store, and are currently looking for a carrier around Alexander City.
To learn more about KEY’S Southern Spice, visit the website at mykeysllc.com.
