tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64483145843171730162024-02-20T09:09:45.171-08:00Crazy Uncle Jester's Inferno WorldCrazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-54583521904423908412010-03-29T06:23:00.000-07:002010-03-29T06:23:54.382-07:00Social Media and Viral Marketing<span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hello PepperHeads™,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: lime;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This year, I am working harder than ever to grow our loyal following. Aunt Jester, Cousin LeRoy, and I have added more Tour dates to the calendar than ever before. The Burn and Blister Tour is going global. We are excited about the progress we are making in growing the PepperHead Fan Club™, but have decided to take it to the next level.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: lime;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We are going viral. No, it's not any form of biological warfare. We are using Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube to reach would be PepperHeads™ that have not yet discovered Crazy Uncle Jester's on their own...through no fault of their own. The immutable laws of physics that prevent us from being in twelve places at the same time have prevented us from bringing the Tour to their locale. So, we have to reach them another way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: lime;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Uncle Jester has asked everyone for their help. We are always looking for, and rewarding you for, your referrals. Now we have solicited the assistance of the internet itself. Uncle Jester has hired the World Wide Web to help him grow the PepperHead Fan Club™. We are using a complex net of reverse search technology that scans the internet for potential PepperHeads™. It looks for them on Facebook. It scours all of the Tweets worldwide looking for Chilefiles everywhere. It pours through countless hours of YouTube video looking for that special person. And, when it discovers the perfect candidates, it alerts our crack team of internet recruiters to send them an invitation!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: lime;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">So, if someone you know receives an email invitation to join the PepperHead Fan Club™ don't be surprised. Just smack yourself firmly on the forehead and say, "I could have done that!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: lime;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information on Social Media Marketing Tools, Google "Social Media Marketing Tools" or check out these sites: </span><a href="http://tweetadder.com/"><span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tweet Adder 2010</span></a><span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://www.digeus.com/products/jetemail/email-extractor.html"><span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Jet Email Extractor</span></a><span style="color: lime; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> They are seriously powerful tools that will take your marketing to the next level.</span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-37741200502662555972010-02-21T07:36:00.000-08:002010-02-21T07:36:09.526-08:00Gluttons for Punishment Gather - 'Chili Hheads' Revel in Pain of Peppers at North Market<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">By: Holly Zachariah and T</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">om Dodge</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Chris Sharma and stepson Dave Graham, 11, of Columbus, drink milk to try to block the heat after tasting hot-pepper sauces at CaJohns Fiery Foods at the North Market festival.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Marc Turner licked the tiny drop of brown goo from the spoon and turned to the man standing beside him at the North Market's Fiery Foods Festival yesterday.</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He wanted to say that the hot sauce was good, but when he opened his mouth to speak, the sound that came out was something between a croak and a hoarse whisper.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Turner cleared his throat, then tried again.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"That's drop-kicking me in the pants right about now," he finally managed to get out.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"You know what's happening?" said Jeff Stevenson, the man who founded Crazy Uncle Jester's hot-sauce company out of Dayton. "Your vocal cords are spasming, that's what."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stevenson is the one who had just given Turner the sample of "The Jester," the hot-sauce concentrate he makes from habanero peppers.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stevenson says it takes 100 pounds of habaneros to produce 8 fluid ounces of the stuff. He says the concentrate rates 4 million units on the Scoville scale, which is used to gauge the hotness of a chili pepper. (By comparison, a typical green jalapeno rates about 5,000).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Turner, 41, of Westerville, wiped the tear from his eye and the sweat from his forehead, thanked Stevenson and made his way to the next booth to find more samples at the North Market's seventh-annual Fiery Foods Festival.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He was one of hundreds of people who couldn't seem to get enough. The hotter the better, it seemed.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And these lovers of all things hot -- chili heads, they are called -- are not shy about their obsession.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There was a grown man wearing a necklace made of plastic chili peppers, and a woman with red-pepper earrings that lit up and blinked. A 10-year-old girl sported a T-shirt with a chili on it that read "one hot mama."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Quite simply, it is an addiction. At least, that's what Columbus anesthesiologist Joe Levinson says.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"The love of hot and spicy foods is fascinating if you study the science of it. It's biological," Levinson said. He runs www.thehotzone online.com, a Web site for all things, well, hot. He also judged yesterday's amateur salsa and hot-sauce competitions.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He says capsaicin, the component in peppers that makes them hot, offers a natural high.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">John Dailey, a 47-year-old from the North Side, couldn't agree more.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He sampled "The Jester" sauce, too. He said his head tingled, and beads of sweat popped out on his forehead.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"It scatters the synapses in your brain," he said.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">What does that mean?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"It means it is ridiculous, crazy, insane. It's a buzz, man."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But wait, there's more.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"It's endorphins, you know. Like a runner's high without having to run. You don't even think clearly. Your mind just scatters."</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He went back for seconds.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: red;"></span></span><br />
<a href="mailto:hzachariah@dispatch.com"><span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">hzachariah@dispatch.com</span></a><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-22159195975134419562010-01-25T10:20:00.000-08:002010-01-25T10:21:23.685-08:0035th Winter Fancy Food Show<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hello PepperHeads,<br />
<br />
Aunt Jester, Cousin LeRoy, Cappy, Twister, and I just returned from the N.A.S.F.T. 35th Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. We, along with 1300 other gourmet food manufacturers, visited the Moscone Center for the four day event. What a rush!<br />
<br />
We met with fifteen different distributors and retailers on the day before the show. LeRoy and I had some wonderful discussions with a large national resort and casino, several fine grocers, and numerous gourmet kitchen and gift stores. We took orders by the pallet-full and truckload.<br />
<br />
We also met a lot of great companies and made some new friends. Aunt Jester and I got to visit with the CEO of Baconaise. What a cool company.<br />
<br />
You can look for Crazy Uncle Jester's at your local fine grocer this summer. If everything goes according to plan, we should be there.<br />
<br />
We are also adding some very interesting events to the Tour calendar. Look for us at the North Market Fiery Foods Festival, Peppers at the Beach, and at MGM Resorts wing eating contests.<br />
<br />
Have you tried Crazy Uncle Jester's new Wholly Smoking Jolokia or "The Jester"? They're our two newest products and their taking the Fiery Foods market by storm.<br />
<br />
We hope that you are staying HOT this Winter. We look forward to hearing from you soon.<br />
<br />
Check out Crazy Uncle Jester's version 5.0 at </span><a href="http://www.crazyunclejester.com/"><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.crazyunclejester.com/</span></a><span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">.<br />
<br />
Regards,<br />
Uncle Jester (Jeff Stevenson)</span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-31447828225398038702009-09-16T05:52:00.000-07:002009-09-16T06:13:29.272-07:002010 Fiery Food Challenge<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffff00;">Hello PepperHeads,<br /><br />This was an action packed, yet very rainy, weekend for Crazy Uncle Jester's in Fort Worth, TX. Aunt Jester, Cappy, Twister and I spent the weekend at the Will Rogers Center for the ZestFest 2009 and the 2010 Fiery Food Challenge.<br /><br />On Friday night, the results of the 2010 FFC were announced. Although we were not complaining, Aunt Jester and I were up and down more times than a catholic wedding. When the dust had settled Crazy Uncle Jester's had won seven medals, including two 2010 Golden Chile Awards:<br /></span><ol><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">Crazy Uncle Jester's AfterBurner Sauce - Golden Chile</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">Crazy Uncle Jester's Brush Fire BBQ - Golden Chile</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">Crazy Uncle Jester's Logo - 2nd Place</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">Crazy Uncle Jester's Product Labels - 2nd Place</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">Crazy Uncle Jester's Deluxe Gift Set - 2nd Place</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">Crazy Uncle Jester's Select Reserve - 3rd Place</span></li><li><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#006600;">Crazy Uncle Jester's Logo Skateboard Deck 7.75 - 3rd Place</span></li></ol><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffff00;">When we awoke the next morning, our faces and ribs hurt from all of the smiling and laughing we did the night before. Congratulations to all of our friends who also won awards at the 2010 FFC.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ffff00;">Have a great weekend. If you're out and about, come look for us at the Prebel County Pork Festival.</p></span><span style="color:#cc0000;">Regards,<br />Uncle Jester (Jeff)</span> <p></p>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-86790275859460482482009-08-14T13:08:00.000-07:002009-08-14T13:25:17.877-07:00Phone Call for Uncle Jester...Men's Health (UK) Calling<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;">Hello PepperHeads,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;">August has already been a busy month and it is not half over. In the last 30 days, Cappy and I travelled to Nashville, TN with Cousin LeRoy; spent Weekend of Fire with Jungle Jim, CaJohns, and Defcon Sauces; received Taste The Fear - Al Buddah's prestigous Product of the Year Award; and have begun selling our sauces throughout Europe. Bungholio and I expo'ed at opening day of The Ohio State Fair with the Ohio Proud Producers. Governor Strickland stopped by and became the newest addition to the Pepperhead Fan Club. He said that he likes his sauce "hot".</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;">Our youth exchange daughter, Florence, returned home to Belgium this month. Aunt Jester and I thought that things would settle down for a while this Summer as we prepared for ZestFest 2009 in September...boy were we wrong!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;">Last week, I got a phone call from the United Kingdom. It seems that Men's Health Magazine has chosen our Brush Fire BBQ as one of their Top 100 Products for Men. We will be published in the UK edition of their magazine next month. Men's Health has the largest distribution of any magazine in the UK. We scrambled to accept international orders on the website, signed up with FedEx Global, and have even found a retail storefront and distributor in England. It's official...Uncle Jester's has crossed the pond.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;">There are some new recipes on the website. There are some very creative things happening behind the scenes...new look and new products. Keep checking back to see if you can spot the changes.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;">Hope to see you at an upcoming festival or event. If there are some in your area that we should attend, please let me know. We appreciate your advice as we grow our business.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;">If you have an interest in owning your own Crazy Uncle Jester's franchise, please give Cousin LeRoy or me a call. There are new opportunities available for you and the start-up costs are minimal. This opportunity is not for everyone, but for the enthusiastic PepperHead with the entrepreneurial spirit...the sky is the limit.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#009900;">Have a great weekend.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;">Regards,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff0000;">Uncle Jester (Jeff)</span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-83967756681830463582009-06-09T06:33:00.001-07:002009-06-09T07:03:23.238-07:00Chile Pepper Magazine Loves Blazing Hot Mustard<div id="ms__id40"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Good Morning PepperHeads™,</span></div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#cc0000;">This weekend, Aunt Jester and I received a wonderful surprise. My June copy of <u>Chile Pepper Magazine</u> arrived. On the front cover was featured a story entitled "21 Must Have Mustards".</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /></span><div id="ms__id16"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div id="ms__id17"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><p><span style="color:#cc0000;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Being the mustard fanatic I am, I thumbed my way to page 66 of the magazine and began to read. When I reached page 69, I immediately knew why I love <u>Chile Pepper</u>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">In this month's issue, <u>Chile Pepper Magazine</u> chose Crazy Uncle Jester's ® Blazing Hot Mustard™ as one of the 21 Best Mustards in the country. They liked the heat, loved the earthy flavor, and named it as one of this summer's must-have-mustards.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"></span></p><div id="ms__id20"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div id="ms__id21"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div id="ms__id37"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">We are headed to the 2009 Yellow Springs Street Fair this weekend. Stop by and visit with us if you get the chance. We'll have Fresh Garden Salsa available for you to try and buy.</span></div><div id="ms__id49"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div id="ms__id50"><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></div><div id="ms__id38"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div id="ms__id24"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><div id="ms__id23"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"></span></div><p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#cc0000;">Regards,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#cc0000;">Uncle Jester (Jeff)</span></span></p>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-80601383197790255372009-03-15T18:21:00.001-07:002009-03-15T18:40:26.397-07:00<span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hello PepperHeads,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Aunt Jester and I just got back from our weekend-long roundtrip to Daytona International Speedway. No, we were not confused...we realized ahead of time that there was no race at Daytona this weekend. We were invited to participate in the 3rd Annual Toyota Skinner Roundup with our friends Mike and Angie Skinner.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Uncle Jester made some new friends along the way...he sort of developed a crush on Aunt Catfish's, but don't tell Aunt Jester. She'll burn his Jester hats.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This weekend, we met some great NASCAR folks...Uncle Jester got to catch up with his friend Ed (Angie Skinner).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">He and Cousin LeRoy (Paul) got to play golf and poker with some big names like: Randy Moss, Jim Kelley, Betty Jane France (owner of NASCAR), Edwin McCain, Robby Knievel, Betty Jane France, and NASCAR drivers A. J. Allmendinger, Boris Said, Rick Crawford, Ron Hornaday and Steve Park. Who knew poker was that much work.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yesterday, we took A1A up the coast. After lunch in St. Augustine, and sleep in NC, we headed for Ohio. We were prepared for cold weather, but were surprised with 63 F. March weather...who knew?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This weekend is "That Spring Thing," the Springboro Hometown Expo. We will be set up at Springboro High School to visit with our friends and sell jelly...oh how Aunt Jester just loves selling jelly! Stop out and see us if you get a chance, you can sample some of our new AfterBurner Sauce!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">See you soon,</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Uncle Jester (Jeff)</span><br /></span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-41070240377919003222009-02-09T10:48:00.000-08:002009-02-09T11:01:36.577-08:00Jackson County Telegram, January 2009<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">A taste for hot sauce, a desire to create in the kitchen and a succession of savvy business moves have former Jackson resident Jeff Stevenson making headlines as both a chef and an entrepreneur. Stevenson, the son of Dr. Steve and Aggie Stevenson of Jackson and a 1990 graduate of Jackson High School, now lives in the Kettering area and is gainfully employed as a financial planner. But that’s his day job.<br /><br />Stevenson has spent much of the rest of his time the past several years developing his new Dayton-based business, Crazy Uncle Jester’s Inferno World, which features a product line of hot and spicy foods, including salsas, hot sauces, barbecue sauces, jellies and mustards. He is the founder, president and chef/creator.<br /><br />A business that literally started in his own kitchen has grown to the point that his products can now be found in 500 stores, including many stores in the huge Winn-Dixie Stores grocery chain. Locally, his hot stuff can be purchased at Jerry’s Jamestown Market on East Broadway Street in Jackson.<br /><br />With the promising returns thus far and with a firm business plan in place, Stevenson’s ambitious goal is to be in more than 4,000 grocery stories by next June as he foresees a 500 percent increase in demand within a year.<br />Stevenson told the Dayton Business Journal for a recent story that he was on track for sales of more than $50,000 in 2008 and expects to hit more than $500,000 next year. Within three years, he predicts sales will surpass $1 million.<br />Stevenson was in Jackson on Tuesday, December 2, to give Jackson Rotarians a firsthand update on his blossoming enterprise and to visit with old friends. His father is a long-time Jackson Rotarian and Jeff was in the local club for a brief time before switching his affiliation to the Kettering Rotary Club, for which he recently completed a term as president.<br /><br />Stevenson revealed that the origins of Uncle Jester can be traced back many years to his culinary experimenting in Mom’s kitchen.“Everyday when I wake up, it’s hard to believe this all started with me messing around in my Mom’s kitchen,” Stevenson remarked, adding that he wasn’t satisfied to concentrate his creativity on the standard Midwestern-type recipes he grew up with.<br /><br />“I always wanted to find the hottest and spiciest thing -- the most intense taste,” Stevenson noted.<br />He had always had a taste for hot spices and took careful note of some of the tastes he was exposed to on his honeymoon to Jamaica. Still, he had a creative bent and began working on creating his own hot/spicy concoctions. About four years ago, he had produced his first creation, Jamaican Hellfire.<br />At first, Stevenson’s culinary workplace was his own kitchen and the products were for his own use and for his close friends and relatives. But the reviews were glowing and Stevenson’s sense of enterprise inspired him to consider the business possibilities of marketing his new products. Initially, he obtained a state license to distribute his products at fairs, festivals and farm markets. After 18 months, it was clear that people liked his products, but the relative return was small for the amount of work and time he was putting in to the project.<br />Stevenson took his enterprise to the next level by securing a federal license to ship his products across state lines and rented an industrial kitchen in Athens at the Appalachian Center for Economic Development so he could produce larger volumes. Several months ago, he struck up a partnership with Hinkle Food Systems of Englewood, which is also near Dayton. This association has enabled the young entrepreneur to mass-produce his hot stuff.<br />As part of his marketing plan, Stevenson has developed his own website, crazyunclejester.com., has personally contacted grocery store executives to get his products placed and has hit the road to do numerous demonstrations at events. Jackson Rotarians were given the opportunity to taste his products.<br /><br />Although the Uncle Jester’s mercurial growth is taking Stevenson on quite a ride these days, he remains grounded and carefully analytical about future moves. He has short-range and long-range plans and business projections, but knows he must constantly adapt to the market and be willing to change his business plan. He says he is committed to donating 10 percent of his net profits to charity.</span><br /><div id="ms__id78"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br />Stevenson told Dayton Business Journal that he has several basic recommendations for the would-be entrepreneur: One has to look at their venture and themselves and analyze the strength of their product and what the market will bear. But perhaps more importantly, one must love what he or she is doing.<br /><br />“If you don’t, it will eat you alive,” he said. “It’s all-consuming.”<br /><br />Meanwhile, his products are not only a business success, but they are a hit with the many food connoisseurs who consider themselves hot/spicy lovers.<br />Stevenson earned The Golden Chile award at the 2009 Fiery Food Challenge as well as two second-place awards. In the 2009 Scovie Awards, Stevenson racked up seven awards, including two first-place finishes.<br /><br />And to think, it all started in a kitchen in Jackson, Ohio.</span></div>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-7338524486729317782009-01-21T12:59:00.000-08:002009-01-21T13:02:16.527-08:00Crazy Uncle Jester's Becomes the Ohio Department of Agriculture's Newest Licensed Partner.We are proud to announce that Crazy Uncle Jester's has recently become the newest licensed partner in the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s “Ohio Proud program”.Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-78105458284106364612009-01-11T14:09:00.001-08:002009-01-11T19:51:21.720-08:00Every Day with Rachel Ray Magazine?!?!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Hello PepperHeads,<br /><br />Just a quick note from Inferno World. I got a phone call from Andrea at <u><a href="http://www.rachelraymag.com/">Every Day With Rachel Ray Magazine</a></u>. Crazy Uncle Jester's is going to be featured in an upcoming issue. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We can hardly wait. Every time we get good news, Aunt Jester and I think that it cannot get any better...then, we are proven wrong, again! </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Rachel Ray! Can you believe it? We can't!<br /><br />Regards,<br />Crazy Uncle Jester</span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-69956463670354325792009-01-06T12:19:00.000-08:002009-01-06T12:21:19.207-08:00Heat Things Up With Crazy Uncle Jester's in 2009!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Shop online at </span><a href="http://crazyunclejester.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Crazy Uncle Jester's Inferno World</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> until Jan. 15, 2009 and save 15% off your entire order. Use Coupon Code: PepperHead109.</span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-24396661869381405272009-01-06T12:15:00.000-08:002009-01-06T12:18:32.806-08:002009 SCOVIE AWARDS RECOGNIZES DAYTON COMPANY FOR PRODUCT EXCELLENCEWhen the results of the 2009 Scovie Awards, the world's leading recognition for hot and spicy products, were announced, Jeff and Lori Stevenson of Crazy Uncle Jester’s Inferno World were excited to get the call from the competition organizers. Dayton-based Crazy Uncle Jester’s, which manufactures gourmet hot sauce, pepper jellies, dipping sauces, salsas, and dessert sauces, has received eight 2009 Scovie Awards. In the industry's most rigorous blind tastings, a panel of the country's top culinary experts sampled hundreds of the world's most lauded gourmet foods, and the top scoring products each won a coveted Scovie banner.<br /><br />Crazy Uncle Jester’s Jamaican Hellfire and Brush Fire BBQ both took top honors in the 2009 Scovies. Their Bellyfire Pulled Pork and Inferno Cheesecake recipes were awarded second place finishes. The Stevensons’ Inferno Jelly and AfterBurner Sauce won third place. They also won medals for product packaging and logo design. Over 600 products from around the world competed for top honors. The Scovie Awards were created by Dave DeWitt, the nation's leading author on fiery cuisine and founder of the National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show. The awards are named for Wilbur Scoville who pioneered a rating scale for spicy foods. The Scovie Awards have become the industry standard for excellence in more than 60 categories of fiery foods.<br /><br />"This year's entrants really represented the cream of the crop in fiery foods products," notes Dave DeWitt, dubbed by The New York Times as the "Pope of Peppers." "Our 2009 winners represent some of the largest companies in the industry, such as Pace Foods, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Garden Fresh Salsa, as well as start-up companies just getting off the ground. The common factor is their commitment to excellence and the real quality of the products they produce."<br /><br />DeWitt was also pleased with the geographic diversity of the winners. "This year, our winners represent companies from 32 different states and countries and provinces as diverse as Panama, Australia, Japan, Antigua and Canada," lauds DeWitt. "Scovie winners truly exemplify the diversity and quality of this industry.<br /><br />"For the second year in a row, the Grand Prize winner was a sweet heat product. Bon Bon Bakery and Chocolates of San Diego, California, took the top composite score with their innovative Mayan Truffle, a delectable and innovative confection featuring sweet corn and chile verde ganache enrobed in rich dark chocolate. The top award in Advertising and Marketing went to Idaho-based Treasure Valley Salsa for their Black Bean and Corn Salsa Label. Both Grand Prize winners were first time Scovie entrants.<br /><br />Many of the Scovie award winning products, as well as thousands of other products, will be available to both trade buyers and consumers at the 21st Annual National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show, February 27--March 1 in Albuquerque, NM. For information on exhibiting in the National Fiery Foods Show, call 505-873-8680, or visit <a href="http://www.fiery-foods.com/">www.fiery-foods.com</a>.<br /><br />Contact information:<br />Jeffrey E. “Black Bull” Stevenson<br />Crazy Uncle Jester’s Inferno World, LLC.<br />PO Box 751953<br />Dayton, OH 45475-1953<br /><br />(937) 550-1025 Ext. 301<br />(888) 212-1519<br />(937) 550-1025 Fax<br /><br />http://www.crazyunclejester.comCrazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-32947744152390973582008-09-11T15:26:00.000-07:002008-09-11T15:27:35.830-07:00Crazy Uncle Jester's Inferno World Wins 2009 Fiery Food Challenge<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#990000;">On September 5, 2008, the most prestigious awards in the spicy food industry were distributed at a gala banquet in Fort Worth, Texas, and Crazy Uncle Jester’s Inferno World came out on top! Crazy Uncle Jester’s Spontaneous Combustion™ took home The Golden Chile Award. They also won 2nd place in Mustard with Crazy Uncle Jester’s Blazing Hot Mustard™, 2nd place in XXX Hot Sauce for Crazy Uncle Jester’s Spontaneous Combustion™, and 3rd place in XXX Hot Sauce for Crazy Uncle Jester’s Select Reserve™.<br /><br />The Fiery Food Challenge, a competition sponsored by Chile Pepper magazine, pits products against one another in more than 80 categories. Professional judges evaluate hundreds of sauces, salsas and other spicy treats and award first, second and third prizes in each category. Awards are proudly displayed at ZestFest, a spicy food event held the same week as the Fiery Food Challenge, at the Will Rogers Center in Fort Worth.<br /><br />Crazy Uncle Jester’s has won numerous national awards. They were recently invited to compete for the 2009 Scovie Awards.<br /><br />Crazy Uncle Jester's Inferno World is a certified Native American, family-owned specialty food manufacturer that produces a gourmet line of hot sauces, pepper jellies, dipping sauces, and fresh garden salsas.<br /><br />The company began when Jeff and Lori Stevenson made their first batch of garden fresh salsa in their kitchen. Although their products are available from many fine grocers throughout Ohio, all of their products are hand-made, all natural, trans-fat and preservative free.<br />Jeff Stevenson, President and Founder, said “We are extremely pleased that our products were so well received. It is very exciting to watch our PepperHead™ Fan Club grow!”<br /><br />Please visit our website: http://www.crazyunclejester.com for more information on our award-winning products. You may also contact us at: j.stevenson@crazyunclejester.com or (888) 212-1519 for more information.For more information on the Fiery Food Challenge and ZestFest, visit www.chilepepper.com or contact Editor in Chief Gretchen VanEsselstyn at </span><a href="mailto:editor@chilepepper.com"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#990000;">editor@chilepepper.com</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#990000;"> or 212-262-2247x325</span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-74172255895047187842008-07-14T05:40:00.000-07:002008-07-14T05:46:16.941-07:00Crazy Uncle Jester's™ Weekend Debut at Jungle Jim's International Market<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;"><span style="color:#cc0000;">Good Morning PepperHeads™,</span><br /><br />This weekend marked a momentous occasion for Crazy Uncle Jester's™. We made our product debut at </span><a href="http://www.junglejims.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;">Jungle Jim's International Market</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;"> in Fairfield, OH. Jungle Jim, himself, stopped by to welcome us to his store and to try some samples. He also invited us to participate in </span><a href="http://www.junglejims.com/images/home_images/2nd_WOF_Banner.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;">Jungle Jim's Weekend of Fire</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;">. Since Aunt Jester and I will be in NOLA, some of the new crew will be there. Stop by and say hello to them if you have a chance.</span><br /><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;">Jungle Jim's is a six acre grocery store and international market. They have purchased our full product line and are featuring us in their local foods section. They invited us to demonstrate our products to their loyal shoppers. We are excited to begin a wonderful relationship with the Jungle Jim's family. </span></p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;">Cappy and Twister drove across the entire state to witness our debut. They really are dedicated PepperHeads™! The Bungholio family stopped by to visit with the munchkins. Some of our fans from other shows stopped by, too.<br /><br />We recently received our initial order from Winn-Dixie. They have added Jamaican Hellfire™ and Brush Fire BBQ™ to their stores in the South. We are pleased with their reception of our product line and initial implementation, and look forward to growing with them this year. If you're passing through on vacation, look for us throughout the South.<br /><br />Crazy Uncle Jester's™ was recently invited to compete in the Fiery Foods Challenge, have solidified our invitation to the Fiery Foods and Barbecue Show in Albuquerque, NM, and will appear at the 2009 National Foodservice Expo. We are headed to the Louisiana Foodservice Expo in less than three weeks.<br /><br />Next weekend, we will appear at the SORG Opera House's local business expo. It should be a lot of fun in Middletown, OH. We are appearing with the local professional wrestlers...I wonder how Aunt Jester will do in the professional wrestling ring. She can be pretty vicious if someone tries to take her Wildfire Jelly™ away.<br /><br />The web developer is nearing the completion on our new website and internet sales hit an all time high this month. Chile-mania is spreading and the PepperHead™ fan club is growing. Sign up for exclusive PepperHead™ member offers. Keep an eye on </span><a href="http://www.crazyunclejester.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;">www.crazyunclejester.com</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;color:#ff6600;"> for the changes.<br /><br />That's it for now. I'm off in the Jestermobile. We've got jelly to sell and I love selling jelly. Stop by and visit us next weekend if you have the opportunity. Or, visit <a href="http://www.junglejims.com/">Jungle Jim's International Market</a> for Crazy Uncle Jester's™ when you feel the chile pepper urge.<br /><br />Until later...<br /><br />Regards,<br />Uncle Jester (Jeff)</span></p>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-5410722982747370762008-06-09T15:00:00.000-07:002008-06-13T18:58:04.326-07:00<span style="color:#33ff33;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:180%;color:#ffff00;">Hello PepperHeads™,</span><br /></span><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="color:#ff0000;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Last week was an amazing one at Crazy Uncle Jester's™. There were so many good things that happened, I am not sure where to start.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">We started the week with an invitation to participate in the 2009 National Fiery Food Challenge. We are submitting all of your favorites to compete this year. Keep your fingers crossed. We hope the judges are as favorable as our fans.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">We also received our initial order from Jungle Jim's International Market. We will be making our debut in their local foods section. We are demonstrating our products for their shoppers on July 12 and will be offering some specials that weekend. Be sure to come out and visit us.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">This weekend was the Troy Strawberry Festival. We set new records for sales each day. We also broke in some new PepperHead™ fans with our Crazy Uncle Jester's Select Reserve™...they'll never be the same once they tasted it. We made 40 gallons of Fresh Garden Salsa...and sold out. Luckily for me, Aunt Jester put back a few pints before we left for the show. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">This coming weekend, we are returning to Yellow Springs for the Street Fair. We cannot wait to visit our friends, old and new. Paul is coming from New Orleans...we want him to experience Crazy Uncle Jester's™ Peppermania before our national events.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Dave DeWitt, King of All Things Pepper, agreed to review our entire product line. Last week, I shipped him a special variety kit. We are awaiting word from Albuquerque. We hope that he has become a PepperHead™, too!</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Good things are in the works. We should have more news later this week or early next regarding our various certifications and contracts. We'll let you know as soon as we hear.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Until then, keep sending us your recipes. We are looking for the most interesting uses for our gourmet products.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">We realize that our products may be addictive, but we just love it when you come back to visit. Until then...take care.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Regards,</span><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;">Uncle Jester</span> </span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-14280546939384862602008-03-22T16:15:00.000-07:002008-03-22T16:32:39.467-07:00New Orleans, Here We Come!<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Welcome back, Pepperheads™!</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It has been a while since my last post and there has been a great deal happening. We have been working with our graphic designer on the new commercial labels and our tradesmen on a manual labeling machine. We have several thousand jars that need labels for our upcoming shows.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This week, we accepted an invitation to the Louisiana Food Service Expo. In August Paul, Lori, and I will be presenting our gourmet line of products to food service professionals, restaurant owners, and grocers from Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. We will be right next to Edy's Ice Cream...what a great location to introduce our new hot pepper chocolate sauce! Mmmmmmmm.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We have also been selected to participate in the National Fiery Foods and Barbecue Show in Albuquerque, NM. As a precursor to the show, we will be competing in the 2009 Scovie Awards. Keep your fingers crossed that the judges are as fond of our products as our Pepperhead™ fan club.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We begin the hectic show season in a few weeks. It starts with the Springboro Hometown Expo on April 5 and runs well into October. The warehouse is stocked to the rafters and we are excited to get back out on the circuit.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We are currently negotiating a few commercial deals. With any luck, we will have some BIG announcements in the next few weeks and months. Crazy Uncle Jester's™ is going national. We are even talking about crossing the northern border...Canadians want to join the Pepperhead™ revolution.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">As I hinted earlier, we have a few new products in development. There are a couple more in the back of my mind. Keep watching the website for new additions. Good things are happening.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Until then, thanks for your enthusiasm and support. As always, our products are garden fresh, all natural, trans-fat free, and delicous. We realize that they may be addictive, but we just love it when you stop by for another visit.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Crazy Uncle Jester.</span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-53278558017029594232008-02-26T18:40:00.000-08:002008-02-26T19:11:54.380-08:00Whew! Last Week was a Doozie.<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#990000;">Hello All,</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#990000;">Thanks for tuning in this week...it is good to see you back here.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#990000;">We have added some things to the website: a few new recipes, more product photos, and the shopping links to get the eStore back up and running. Let us know what else you'd like to see.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#990000;">Web traffic is increasing and internet sales, too. Our customer base is growing and going global. We sent our first international delivery. Crazy Uncle Jester's Jamaican Hellfire™ is on its way to Norway. Thanks "Cappy" for arranging our international contingency this weekend.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#990000;">Since the last post, we've added two new retail locations and met with a food distributor. Crazy Uncle Jester's™ will be a featured vendor at SunWatch. They are excited to add an Ohio-made Native American-owned product line to their store. We will also be a participating vendor in several of their events. We are also featured and available for sale at the Bourbon Street Grill & Cafe in Downton Dayton.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#990000;">The PepperHeads™ Newsletter subscription is growing. We are sending out a quarterly newsletter and including some show specials coupons for fans who come to visit.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#990000;">Saturday, we are back in the factory kitchen. We are scheduled to prepare several pallettes of our favorite flavors. Thank you, in advance, to our families, friends, and dedicated volunteers - Those who are "Will [ing] Work for Product Samples!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#990000;">That's all for now. Be sure to check back often...we'll try to keep you abreast of all of the changes. Things are moving quickly. Thanks.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#990000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Verdana;color:#990000;">Crazy Uncle Jester</span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6448314584317173016.post-75411473466882239072008-02-17T06:37:00.000-08:002008-02-17T06:56:40.638-08:00Hello Friends, Welcome!<span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;">It has been a long time coming, but I guess that we are here to stay. I knew that we had something special when the entire family got involved, but I never knew our following would grow this big this quickly. Sometimes it surprises me still. Thank you to all of our friends and loyal fans, for without you none of this would be possible.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;">We have settled into our new factory kitchen nestled in the hills and we like it here. We are able to manufacture your favorite products in less time, but with the same attention to quality. We still cook everything in small batches and package each one by hand, it's just less taxing to our bodies.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;">Aunt Jester (Lori) and I have made some new friends. They are becoming a part of the Crazy Uncle Jester's family and are helping us spread the word throughout the South. We are sharing our story with shop owners, grocers, food distributors, chefs and restaurant executives. With a little luck, and many prayers, we will soon be found on your neighborhood grocery store shelves.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;">We are currently finalizing the 2008 calendar. It has grown beyond the Ohio border. Check back occasionally to see where you can find us this year. We would love for you to stop by and visit. We may even post some coupons for our loyal fans. It is only through you that we are able to spread the addiction to Pepperheads everywhere. We'll see you soon. Thanks.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;color:#cc0000;">Crazy Uncle Jester</span><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;"></span>Crazy Uncle Jesterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15777681585126543117noreply@blogger.com0