AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. — Six years ago, the corner of U.S. Highway 29 and Alabama Highway 139 south of Andalusia, Alabama, was a blank canvas. Friends Jennifer Bradley and Rosemary Guilford saw potential in the spot. Motorists headed for popular Florida beaches travel both thoroughfares, making it the perfect location for a boiled peanut stand.

“We were both nurses, and in 2019, I had just had my fourth child,” Guilford said. “We wanted to be with our children more and also wanted to find a way to make some extra money. So that’s what got us started on boiled peanuts.”

They named their business Sweet South Market.

Cottage Food Law

Heavy traffic led to steady growth. The market now includes a café with a full lunch menu, outdoor seating, gift shops, a plant nursery and outdoor games. Throughout their expansions, Bradley and Guilford have relied on expert advice from Alabama Extension.

“At first, we didn’t know the laws and limitations on what we could sell,” Bradley said. “We wanted to make sure we were doing things safely and legally, because orange is not my color. Bridgette Brannon with Alabama Extension is a familiar face. We’ve known each other since high school, and we reached out to her early on.”

A food safety and quality agent with Alabama Extension at Auburn University, Brannon first guided the new business owners through the Cottage Food Law training.

“This training and certification allows people to sell certain nonhazardous foods from their home,” Brannon said. “Because of the Cottage Food Law, people can produce foods in their home kitchens and the health department does not have to come out and inspect.”

After passing the Cottage Food Law training, Bradley and Guilford added cakes, muffins, brownies and other baked goods to Sweet South Market’s offerings.

ServSafe Certification

Friends Rosemary Guilford, left, and Jennifer Bradley, right, wanted to do things the right way when they decided to start a boiled peanut stand. So they called on the expertise of long-time acquaintance and Alabama Extension Food Safety and Quality Agent Bridgette Brannon, center.

Within a year, Bradley and Guilford called Brannon again.

“They wanted to expand the menu to include temperature-controlled items,” Brannon said. “They needed to advance to ServSafe certification, which we also offer through Extension. With that training, food permit holders learn how to handle foods that need to be kept hot or cold in order to be safe. It’s for anyone in the food industry serving temperature-controlled foods.”

ServSafe training was one of the final steps that helped Sweet South Market blossom from a boiled peanut stand into a full-fledged tourist attraction.

“I am a person who believes if you build it, they’ll come,” Bradley said. “I always hoped the public would respond, and they have. There really is a family environment here. You can bring your children and your animals, eat lunch, have some ice cream and enjoy yourself.”

A Booming Business

While it required a lot of hard work and determination, Bradley and Guilford agreed their business has expanded quickly thanks, in part, to Extension’s expertise and programming.

“I always had visions of what we could do, but I never expected us to grow into what we are today,” Guilford said. “This would not have been possible without the help of Alabama Extension. They helped us reach and exceed our goals.”

Driving by the bustling business brings a smile to Brannon’s face, knowing she was able to assist long-time friends.

“All three of us grew up here in Andalusia,” Brannon said. “We came back here, and we’re raising our families here. Jennifer and Rosemary have put our small town on the map in a good, positive way. To know I helped play a small part in that, it gives me a sense of pride.”

Extension Does That!

Want to create your own food business venture? Read the Extension publication, “Alabama Cottage Food Law: Basic Rules and Regulations,” at aces.edu to get started. There, you can also find web calendars of upcoming Cottage Food Law and ServSafe trainings.

While Extension does trainings for ServSafe and the Cottage Food Law throughout the year, that’s just scratching the surface of all the resources available through Alabama Extension. To discover even more about what Extension does, visit aces.edu/discover.