Palmetto Cheese facts for kids
Palmetto Cheese is a popular brand of pimento cheese. It comes from a company called Pawleys Island Specialty Foods, which is based in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. The cheese is made and packaged at a place called Duke Sandwich Productions in Easley, South Carolina. You can find Palmetto Cheese in three different flavors: Original, Jalapeño, and Bacon.
History of Palmetto Cheese
The special recipe for Palmetto Cheese was created by Sassy Henry. She first made it for tailgating events, like before Atlanta Braves baseball games. In 2006, the cheese was officially sold to the public. The first 20 packages were sold at Independent Seafood in Georgetown, South Carolina.
Growing the Business
As more people wanted Palmetto Cheese, the company needed to make more of it. They worked with a producer in Simpsonville, South Carolina to help with manufacturing. In 2011, the cheese became available in many more stores. It started selling at places like Giant-Carlisle, Giant-Landover, Stop & Shop, and Albertsons.
In April 2012, Palmetto Cheese became available in a huge number of Walmart stores – 699 of them! This big increase in demand meant the company that made the cheese, Duke Sandwich, had to build a large new facility. This new building was 80,000 square feet, just to keep up with making enough cheese.
Popularity and Sales
By 2013, Palmetto Cheese was very popular. Customers bought 4.1 million containers of the cheese that year. The original flavor was the most popular, followed by the jalapeño and bacon varieties.
A Challenging Time
In 2020, Palmetto Cheese faced a difficult situation. The owner, Brian Henry, who was also the mayor of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, made a comment about Black Lives Matter. This led to some people choosing not to buy the product. Mr. Henry later said he was sorry for his comment. He also explained that a boycott could hurt the workers who make the cheese.
