In the early 1950’s, J.J. Stratton began a business peddling his wife’s special salads at Birmingham-area grocery stores...Mrs. Stratton would prepare her famous recipes - such as chicken, tuna salad or pimento cheese – and her husband would deliver them to local stores, where they quickly became very popular with customers.

A few years later the Strattons sold the company, and by the early 1970’s, it looked doubtful that Mrs. Stratton’s would remain in business. The new owners had run into financial problems, and ultimately landed the company in bankruptcy.

That’s when Tom Bradford Jr. and his brother, John, whose family had been active in the food brokerage industry in Birmingham for many years, bought the company and put it back on the road to success.

Starting with five routes in Alabama in 1972, the company has grown significantly over the past 30 years. Along the way, the company began delivering consumer-oriented packaged meats under the Southwood Farms label, as well as flour and corn tortillas. Hams and fresh pizzas are also produced for distribution under the Mrs. Stratton’s label.

In addition to its traditional lines of fresh prepared wet salads, the company now produces a premium line of upscale salads, cheese dips, barbeque sauces, and soon-to-be introduced premium salad toppings. Additionally, the company also makes deli-style salads for restaurants, schools and other food service institutions.

Recently, Mrs. Stratton’s became the exclusive marketing and distribution company for the award-winning Big Bob Gibson brand of barbeque sauces and gift baskets.