Meet DeeDee and Mike Crook of The OKB in Central Phoenix

Today we’d like to introduce you to DeeDee and Mike Crook.

The OKB was first concocted in 1838 in a small BBQ shack in the hollers of western Kentucky. In the early 20th century, DeeDee’s grandfather Clarence was a dairyman in the area and her uncle, Mike, was a moonshiner of some repute locally. Over Sunday supper one day, Clarence and Mike began discussing how they got their respective products to market. Over that dinner, they recognized that they were delivering to the same customers. So, it made sense to combine their distribution methods. Mike suggested that each day Clarence load his wagon with dairy and stop by the still to add hooch. That way one driver could drop off milk, cheese and other dairy items along with a quart of moonshine. This worked very well for the brothers. However, when the Great Depression hit, many of the brother’s customers were unable to pay their bills. One of those customers was the Bowe’s (named changed for privacy reasons) BBQ shack. The owner of that BBQ shack loved his moonshine and his debt to the brothers was prodigious. Soon, the brothers found that they needed to pay personal visits to the delinquent customers to determine how they could recover the debts owed. The conversations the Bowes were not initially productive but the brothers came of with a solution. They proposed waving the Bowe’s debt in exchange for their locally famous sauce recipe. The Bowes was not amenable to such a trade because their recipe was prized and the family insisted it is protected. However, the brothers persisted and continued to press the Bowe’s. After many prolonged and, sometimes, contentious discussions. Although the family was not privy to what transpired in those “discussions”, the Bowe’s finally agreed to the proposal and DeeDee’s family obtained the prized recipe. The Bowes did wrest from the brothers their agreement to keep the recipe private within their family until all of the vested members of Bowe’s family had passed.

The OKB is dairy free.

DeeDee was an executive with Southwest Airlines and retired in 2009. Shortly thereafter Mike sold his company and the couple decided to retire. After trying retirement, Mike and DeeDee soon discovered that retirement was not all that is was cracked up to be. To put it succinctly, after taking all the travel, golf, hobbies, etc. they could take, they were sitting on the couch, looked at one another and mutually announced, “This sucks!” After all those years making things happen in business, it just did not seem that “life of leisure” was just not in their DNA.

They decided they needed to find a project to re-stoke their entrepreneurial fires. It seemed obvious, all the Bowe’s were gone, everyone that tried the 180 years old “new” and unique BBQ raved the dynamic and unusual flavors of her sauce. Thus, it was the genesis of the start of the company now producing and distributing The OKB. The name is an homage to the origin of the product and all that came before Mike and DeeDee.

As the company began to mature, Mike and DeeDee discovered and additional benefit to the sauce. It seems that in 1838 food products were created using only items that were pulled from the ground or raised on the plantations of the south. In 1838, artificial additives, dangerous drugs and ingredients were not available to those doing the cooking. Thus, Mike and DeeDee decided that they would stay true to the original recipe so that, not only, would everyone be able to experience the “new” and dynamic flavor of the sauce but have a product that they could be proud of and comfortable to put in their bodies.

The OKB is true southern BBQ; a real “taste of the south”. Sauces of this style and character are rarely found west of the Mississippi River. Mike and DeeDee moved west and brought the recipe with them.

The OKB contains no MSG or high fructose corn syrup. The OKB is gluten free, soy free, peanut free, oil free and fat free. The OKB is paleo, keto and diabetic friendly.

The OKB contains extremely low levels of sodium, sugar, carbohydrates and is an all natural vegan product.

It seems that Mike and DeeDee’s judgment was correct. Customers have become regular purchasers and came to demand larger quantities that the 14 ounce net weight bottles originally provided. As such The OKB is also available in gallon, half a gallon and five gallon pails for those that enjoy The OKB and frequently BBQ.

However, The OKB is more than just a BBQ sauce for meats. The OKB is used as a light glaze on fish (particularly fabulous on salmon and shrimp) and a marinade. The use of The OKB is limited only to one’s imagination. The company has customers that use The OKB in salads, as a dipping sauce for chicken fingers, fresh vegetables and french fries. The OKB, when added to mashed potatoes, makes unbelievable mashed potatoes. Used as a condiment, The OKB adds great flavor to hamburgers, sandwiches and even a topping to give cottage cheese great flavor. The OKB even has a recipe on its website for BBQ deviled eggs. Mike and DeeDee continually get recipes and ideas from our regular customers on concepts for new recipes and uses.

Vegan and vegetarian customers use The OKB to create Jack Fruit tacos, grilled Portobello mushroom burgers, baked eggplant and as a topping for steamed vegetables and all sorts of potatoes.

The OKB is becoming a staple in the pantries of households across America. Mike and DeeDee are proud to be able to introduce the pleasures of true southern BBQ.

The OKB is available at fine retail grocers throughout Arizona, San Diego. Orange County and Los Angeles, California. A list of retailers is available on the website: www.okbsauce.com. The OKB can be ordered on the website and is available at selected farmer’s markets in the Phoenix area.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road. as in all things, is fraught with pitfalls and obstacles. Convincing retailers to add a “pioneering” product to their shelves has taken persistence and the building of strong relationships and support systems. We continue to battle the “Catch 22” of distributors refusing to take the product until we have ordered from a large enough base of retailers to support their adding The OKB to their warehouse while retailers will not place orders until they have assurance that their distributors have the product in their warehouse to ensure full distribution to their stores.

Once customers try The OKB, the product, virtually, sells itself. The further challenge is to get The OKB out and into venues where new customers can experience the flavor, texture and character of The OKB. This involves a heavy investment in time, effort and the training of contractors to demonstrate The OKB. The greatest challenge remains to build retail and distribution networks.

Please tell us about your business.
The OKB, LLC was formed and started as the organizational vehicle to cook, bottle, distribute and sell The OKB in its three flavors; Original Recipe, Medium and Hot. Besides, The OKB is meant to serve as the vehicle through which brand awareness and recognition is to be established.

The OKB, LLC is closely held, owned and operated by DeeDee Crook as the majority owner and her husband, Mike. We are proud that The OKB, LLC has allowed Mike and Deedee the ability to continue the successful entrepreneurial spirit that has been a key component of their entire professional lives.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
Peter, Mike and Adam Kaufman, the owners of Exotic Sauce Packaging in Phoenix have been instrumental in guiding through many pitfalls in new and confusing business for us. We, also owe a debt of gratitude for all of our regular and ongoing customers for their encouragement, enthusiasm and support for The OKB.

Finally, all of the staff at our distributors, DPI Specialty Foods in Ontario, California and S&S Gourmet in Phoenix have bee critical in providing us with the distribution channels and support necessary to convince our retailers to add The OKB to their shelves.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.okbsauce.com
• Phone: (602) 908-2580
• Email: info@okbsauce.com

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