 Vice President of Operations Reed Malekovic describes Country Bob Inc.’s products as “a little bit of both” steak and barbecue sauce. 
Much has changed for Country Bob Inc. in the last 25 years, but the company says its integrity and quality have stayed consistent. Based in Centralia, Ill., the sauce manufacturing company says it maintains a “relentless pursuit of product excellence.”
Country Bob’s roots go back to 1968, when founder Bob Edson created the company’s trademark All Purpose Sauce, which has a variety of applications, including hamburgers, steak, chicken and fish. Vice President of Operations Reed Malekovic describes the sauce as a mixture of steak and barbecue sauce. “[It’s] kind of a little bit of both,” he says.
A ‘Learning Experience’
Edson initially gave the sauce to family and friends, but he began selling it in 1977. Five years later, Country Bob Inc. was formed with his son, President Terry Edson, along Vice President of Operations Reed Malekovic and Vice President of Marketing Al Malekovic.
At the time, the Edsons and Malekovics did not have any experience in food or retail. Instead, Bob Edson was in fuel oil distribution, while Terry Edson and Reed Malekovic in home construction. Al Malekovic was in the banking business. “It’s [been] a long learning experience,” Reed Malekovic says.
Today, Country Bob’s products include its All Purpose Sauce, Spicy All Purpose, barbecue sauces and its seasoning salt. Additionally, “We have a plastics division, where we manufacture plastic bottles for ourselves and [others],” Malekovic says, noting that the company produces bottles for “sauces and dressings.”
Commending Country Bob
Since Bob Edson’s death in 2001, Terry Edson and the Malekovics have managed the company in his absence. Its All Purpose Sauce remains the company’s most popular item, and comprises 80 percent of Country Bob’s sales. “We get e-mail after e-mail, commending us on it,” Al Malekovic says.
He notes that the family involvement benefited Country Bob, as the members of the Edson and Malekovic families worked together to take the company “from nothing and make it into something.” In addition, Malekovic says, the families have integrated their Christian faith into the business.
This is reflected in the company’s slogan, “Christ is our CEO.” “We have [received] a lot of great comments and support on that,” Malekovic says.
An Evolving Business
Country Bob has watched its industry change substantially, Malekovic says. When the company initially started, Country Bob primarily served “small mom-and-pop grocery stores,” Malekovic recalls. “They would take 10 or 15 of our cases and put them on display.”
Today, he says, more major retailers, including grocer Kroger and Wal-Mart Supercenter, carry the company’s products. “A lot of the independents are gone now, just because that’s the way the market is nowadays,” he says. To keep the word out about Country Bob, the company attends food shows and markets itself via the Internet. At its Web site, net surfers can sign up for a free bottle of its All Purpose Sauce, Al Malekovic says. “We try to use the Internet extensively,” he states.
Working Together
Country Bob often gives to local charities, including cancer funds. In addition, the company will give to U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq and elsewhere overseas. “If people send [us the soldier’s name] and address, we’ll send them a case of the sauce,” he says.
“We just love people and we love working together,” Malekovic states.
Reed Malekovic adds that the company also shows similar generosity with when dealing with complaints from dissatisfied customers. “If an individual calls saying ‘they’re not satisfied with our products’ we don’t question it,” he explains.
Instead, “We just go ahead and send them a [new bottle],” Malekovic continues. “We just try to make everybody happy, within reason.”
Keeping its Integrity
Looking ahead, “We just want to make sure we have a good living for all of our employees and our family members here,” Al Malekovic says. “[We] always want to make sure [we are] a company of integrity.”
He notes that this has not only applies to Country Bob’s relationships with its customers, but also with its suppliers. Malekovic says the company has maintained relationships with some vendors for more than 20 years that are willing to take Country Bob at its word.
The company has nurtured these relationships with long-term suppliers through mutual respect resulting from honesty, integrity and fair competitive pricing.
“They just know that we’re not going to be dishonest,” Malekovic says. |
