These three words have followed Lauri Jo’s since the beginning, and we think they still fit pretty well.
We love hearing someone say, “That tastes like my grandma used to make.” But we love giving those familiar Southern flavors an unexpected twist, too.
It’s where tradition meets flavor, like Southern Pecan Jalapeno or Honey Bacon Horseradish. Where an old-fashioned jar of pepper jelly can still find a seat at the table.
From Norman Park to Ocilla… From Lauri Jo’s first jars to this newest chapter with Fourth & Cherry Foods, a lot has happened since 2009.
And there’s still plenty of the story left to tell. We’re glad you’re here for it.
My recipes, your inbox 🍲
Meet Lauri Jo
Some businesses start with a business plan. This one started with family recipes, local produce, and a love for preserving both.
Long before Lauri Jo’s name could be found on shelves far beyond our small-town Georgia, Lauri Jo Bennett spent hours in the kitchen with her husband’s grandmother, Nita. Together, they canned fruits and vegetables grown in the farming community around them.
After Nita passed, Lauri Jo and her husband, Mike, moved back to her hometown of Norman Park, Georgia. There, while settling into her childhood home, she discovered the recipes of her own grandmother, Loyce.
What began as a connection to the women, recipes, and traditions before her quickly became something more.
A Leap of Faith
In 2009, Lauri Jo left her career as a Special Education teacher and stepped out in faith to begin canning full time.
Lauri Jo’s began with just a handful of products, but each one was rooted in the same Southern traditions and flavor she grew up with. Before long, those jars were traveling far beyond South Georgia.
The company grew to reach 45 states, earn multiple awards, and was featured in numerous publications for her traditional products. One memorable honor was Lauri Jo’s being chosen and served by a chef at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to be served in 200 private suites during the Super Bowl — paired, of course, with fried chicken and buttermilk biscuits.
But no matter how far the jars traveled, the heart behind them stayed close to home.
For Lauri Jo, canning has always been about more than what goes into a jar. It’s about preserving the work of local farmers, the recipes passed from one generation to the next, and a piece of Southern heritage that deserves to be carried forward.
When One Chapter Closed
In May 2019, Lauri Jo’s made the difficult decision to stop production.
For a brand that had grown from family recipes into something that had quickly outgrown her kitchen, it was the end of a very special chapter for Lauri Jo.
But thankfully, it wasn’t the end.
A New Chapter with 4th & Cherry
Lauri Jo’s came back stronger than ever through a partnership with Fourth & Cherry Foods in Ocilla, Georgia.
The partnership created an opportunity to bring Lauri Jo’s back at the scale needed while carrying forward the story, recipes, and Southern traditions that made the brand special in the first place.
It wasn’t about starting over.
It was about taking something worth preserving and giving it a new chapter.
Today, Fourth & Cherry Foods helps carry the Lauri Jo’s story forward from right here in South Georgia. The kitchen may look different than it did in 2009, but the heart behind the jar hasn’t changed.