Video: Small Lee County Company Gets Tasty Product On Wal Mart Shelves

[syndicaster id=’5877214′]

EGGVILLE, MISS. (WCB) – A local business is getting its foot in the door of the world’s largest company.  WCBI’s Allie Martin tells us how a family recipe captured the attention of economic developers who helped get the product to consumers.

For two days Tina Wilburn, along with friends and family , have been working extra hard.

They’re packing boxes of choclate gravy, made by Tina’s company, “The Cowgirl Gourmet.”

“When I was 11 my mom worked at night, and if I got anything to eat, late at night, at dinner or for breakfast, I had to cook it, so I learned early on, I tampered with that recipe,” Wilburn said.

In 2007, Tina began selling the choclate gravy mix through her other business, Country Road Furniture, and online.  Last year, the Mississippi Development Authority came to her , offering to help get “The Cowgirl Gourmet” choclate gravy into Wal Mart.

It was a long process filled with many challenges, that only increased her faith.

“I got to step one and I lost my son in law,  I got to step two and I lost my mother and I got to step three and I lost my brother, so all of this is for them,” she said.

Wal Mart’s first order is for 25 stores throughout Mississippi and Alabama.

The Cowgirl Gourmet choclate gravy mix will start hitting the shelves this week and for Tina Wilburn, the work really starts, she will visit all 25 Wal Marts meeting with the managers.

“I have to really hustle, those were the words, they said, it’s fast and furious,” Wilburn said.

Tina’s friends and family helped prepare more 5,000 boxes of choclate gravy mix for shipment.

“I’m praying we get lots of orders,” said longtime friend Carolyn Rutledge.

Cousins McKenna and Marley Hutcherson folded recipes and put them into each box.

“It just tastes like old fashioned gravy and it tastes really good and I like the choclate and stuff,” Marley said.

Tina and her helpers are hopeful the choclate gravy will be such a hit that they will need to hire more workers.

The first two weeks are critical for new products on Wal Mart shelves.  For more information on “The Cowgirl Gourmet” www.thecowgirlgourmet.com