Making a Grocery List & Checking it Twice

Every Christmas I make a peanut butter-glazed ham. When we think of peanut butter, most of us associate it with jelly — is there anything better than a PB&J? But peanut butter goes exceptionally well with salty and savory food, too. So peanut butter and ham makes sense, at least to me. Of course, I use our very own Rouses Markets Peanut Butter.

We established our own brand in 2008, but our focus on expanding our product range began in earnest in 2017 — which is when we introduced our peanut butter, by the way. Today, we offer almost a thousand items, or SKUs (pronounced “skews”). SKU stands for stock keeping unit, and it’s how we identify and manage our inventory, or stock.

Our brand offers the best quality at the best price, and you won’t find it anywhere else. It has a dedicated following, and not just because of the price, which averages 18% lower than the national brand but has the same quality. Customers have their favorite products, just like they have their favorite stores. (Our Spicy Ketchup has a cult following; it’s great for cocktail sauce.) I’m a big fan of our Sour Power Belts — they’re sweet and stretchy and chewy candy with a super-sour crystal coating that will make your mouth pucker.

There’s a difference between dressing and stuffing — not just how they’re cooked but who cooks them. When we select items, we always consider what our customers love to eat, not what a national audience would prefer. We collaborate with local suppliers whenever possible because local companies understand the

flavors of the Gulf Coast. Our rice for your dressing is from Louisiana, and so is our sugar for your baking. Rouses brand Frozen Shrimp and Gumbo Crabs are certified Louisiana seafood.

I encourage you to try our Mac and Cheese blend for your holiday casserole; it’s made with Cheddar, Swiss and American cheeses. And our Eggnog, which is based on my grandmother’s recipe — well, customers wait all year for us to put it out during the holidays. Our refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is a break-apart dough that we’ve carefully tweaked for larger, plumper cookies (which Santa will appreciate).

It takes a lot of effort to earn our seal of approval. That's why we say if our name is on the label, you can trust that it’s good. Since my name is on this peanut butter ham, you can trust that it’s good, too.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays,

Donny Rouse

CEO, 3rd Generation