North Carolina

In late 2014, armed with strong dedication and a popcorn machine, Ginger opened shop and started Poppy. From the beginning she had a clear vision of what she wanted Poppy to be: simple, fun, well-designed and, of course, tasty, without commonly used ingredients found in popcorn brands. Their product is made with high-quality ingredients and popped and packaged in their kitchen outside Asheville, North Carolina. From local collaborations to packaging produced in the U.S., they're dedicated to keeping things as close to home as possible.

Charlie’s Soap, located in Mayodan, North Carolina, was founded when a chemist and engineer reverse-engineered a formula to break down oils in water. This chemist and engineer, Charlie Sutherland Jr., had learned the ins and outs of making oil from his father, Charlie Sr. Today, Charlie’s Soap is still family run, making detergent with consideration for the environment for generations to come.

They’re farmer-owned and they act like it — that’s the motto at Happy Dirt, based in Durham, North Carolina. Born in 2004, they cultivate an exquisite variety of organic vegetables through their many grower partners year-round. Eighty percent of the profits go directly back to the farmers.

MyThreeSons Gourmet was born out of retirement and newfound time for making a beloved pimento cheese spread. All of their cheese spreads are handmade in small batches with extra-sharp cheddar cheese, a little mayo and a few secret spices — and they’re not shy about the jalapeños, so get ready for a delicious kick of heat.

Using North Carolina–grown jalapeños and banana peppers (that they also roast), Winston-Salem, North Carolina–based Red Clay Gourmet is dedicated to producing the finest pimiento cheese around. Their mayo is even made weekly — all a part of what makes their pimiento cheese so creamy, delicious and dippable.