Business

A Variety of Scrumptious Food Products Is Made in Johnston County

Jan Matthews-Hodges has perfected pound cakes and now ships them out to retailers across the country from her company headquarters in Benson.

It took Jan Matthews-Hodges 12 years to develop the perfect pound cake recipe‚ but her efforts are finally paying off.

As owner of The Pound Cake Co. in Benson‚ Matthews-Hodges is one of several Johnston County entrepreneurs who manufacture food products that are distributed and sold nationwide.

“I started the company in 2003 after I won a blue ribbon and Best of Show for my pound cake at the North Carolina State Fair‚” Matthews-Hodges says. “It grew from a retail business into wholesale the following spring‚ and now my cakes are carried in Fresh Market stores in North Carolina and Virginia. We also do a huge amount of corporate sales during the holidays.”

The company’s cakes are “true pound cakes‚” made with only four ingredients: butter‚ eggs‚ sugar and flour. The trick‚ Matthews-Hodges reveals‚ is using the correct proportions.

“If a chef looked at the recipe‚ they would say it isn’t right. The proportions were difficult [to get right]‚” she says. “We don’t even use flavorings. When you bite into our pound cake‚ you get a very clear taste of butter and sugar.”

They may sound simple‚ but Matthews-Hodges’ pound cakes are really turning heads. Southern Living magazine featured The Pound Cake Co. on the cover of its “North Carolina Living” section in January 2006.

“The fun part of this is providing customers with a handmade cake‚” Matthews-Hodges says. “In this industry‚ there’s very little handmade left. But ours truly is.”

The Pound Cake Co. is housed in the former Benson Elementary School cafeteria and employs 18 full- and part-time bakers. Together‚ they turn out between 5‚000 and 6‚000 pound cakes for Valentine’s Day and Easter orders and more than 10‚000 during the holidays. (For ordering information‚ visit www.thebestcake.com.)

Johnston County Hams in Smithfield is another local company that’s attracting attention. The business produces mouth-watering country hams‚ spiral-sliced honey hams‚ smoked turkey‚ prosciutto‚ and dry-cured and hickory-smoked bacon.

“Our country hams are aged more than most. We use a longer curing process‚” says Rufus Brown‚ “Cure Master” and plant manager at Johnston County Hams. “They’re also less salty than most country hams. People like that because they can taste the salt‚ but it’s not overwhelming.”

Johnston County Hams was started in 1946 by Smithfield resident Richard Edmonson‚ who owned a commercial freezer locker business. But it wasn’t until 1967‚ when Brown’s father‚ Jesse‚ joined the business that the hams started flying off store shelves.

“They brought my dad down from Virginia to be the plant manager‚ and he changed the curing process‚” Brown explains. “That really got things turned around.”

Jesse Brown died in 1996‚ but Rufus has continued his legacy of producing flavorful hams.

“A lot of ham companies have faded out‚ so it’s an artisan trade now‚” he says. “Curing is a unique process.”

Johnston County Hams have been featured in publications such as Esquire and Southern Living‚ and Men’s Journal has named them among their “100 Best Things to Eat in America.”

The hams are sold online (www.countrycuredhams.com) as well as in specialty markets‚ delis and catalogs. The company also operates a retail store called Smithfield’s Ham Shop that sells hams and gourmet food items such as jams‚ jellies‚ peanuts‚ chocolates‚ cheese straws and coffee.

Sweet potatoes are a tasty compliment to ham‚ and Johnston County knows all about those‚ too. In fact‚ the county is the largest producer of sweet potatoes in the state.

Lee Farms in Four Oaks is a third-generation‚ family-owned farm that has been producing sweet potatoes since 1993. The Lee family is committed to improving sweet potato handling in the industry and preserving quality‚ storage time and nutrition.

Additional food products produced in Johnston County include sausage and other pork products by Carolina Packers and Stevens Sausage Co. in Smithfield; shrimp raised by DJ & W King Prawn Farm in Kenly; biscuit‚ cornbread‚ hush-puppy‚ breading and coating mixes produced by House-Autry Mills in Four Oaks; and breading‚ biscuit and pancake mixes and grits made by Atkinson Milling Co. in Selma.

Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Ian Curcio

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