Fill up your grocery cart with Oklahoma-made products

Have you ever wondered what products on grocery store shelves are produced locally? There may be more than you’d expect. Here’s a list of some Oklahoma-born companies that make products that you’ll want to bring to the checkout line at your next shopping trip. 

Shawnee Mills Products

Popular for their pancake and waffle mixes and their country gravy, Shawnee Mills has been family-owned and operated and serving Oklahoma since 1906! That’s right, they’ve been making flour and other baking products for 115 years!

“I’m from Shawnee, and the mill has played a huge role in this community for a long time. When I was given the opportunity to come here, I was eager to take it. They treat their employees like family, and the environment is a wonderful place to be,” said Sarah Haselwood, vice president of food sales.

“We have so many wonderful products that are made with a lot of love. My favorite is our pepper gravy. You can’t go wrong with the brownie mix either,” said Haselwood. “We just came out with a pumpkin spice muffin mix and you should see it in Crest, Homeland and other local stores soon.”

The pumpkin spice muffin mix is the first new Shawnee Mills product developed over the past 20 years. It will be seasonal, on the shelves surrounding the holiday season, but is expected to be a big hit.  

“We really take pride in serving our local community and Oklahoma itself. It’s important that we’ve been able to step up and serve our consumers, getting them products throughout the pandemic, despite all of the challenges with what’s going on in the world,” said Haselwood.

Griffin Food Company Products

If you grew up in Oklahoma, you know Griffin’s syrup drizzled over waffles and pancakes simply tastes like home. With a manufacturing plant in Muskogee, their products can be found in grocery stores throughout Oklahoma--and in 15 additional states around the country. They’ve been in production since 1908 and have found great success with manufacturing in our state.

Their top sellers include blackberry preserves, butter-flavored syrup, butter pecan syrup, elderberry jelly and more. You can’t go wrong with any of their products. They pride themselves on creating high-quality, timeless items. Consider their waffle syrup, which has been a hit since its release in 1930! Not many food items can stand the test of time like theirs.

Lopez-Dorada Products

Lopez-Dorada Foods is one of the leading protein-processing companies in the United States. They supply beef, pork and poultry products to some of the largest restaurant chains and retailers, yet they remain committed to safe, quality products, and to "doing things right from the beginning."

Their products are not only delicious, but they also are committed to environmental responsibility. This summer, they entered a long-term virtual power agreement to use solar power to offset greenhouse gas emissions.

“Lopez-Dorada Foods is passionate about providing the highest quality protein products while remaining deeply committed to preserving the environment through sustainable business practices,” said Ed Sanchez, CEO of Lopez-Dorada Foods.

In stores, you may recognize their sliced deli meats, fresh and frozen ground beef or pork, sausages, and bone-in poultry. Their products are perfect additions for your family gatherings as we continue with the holiday season.

OKC Soda Co.

Michael Crowder and two of his friends, Michael Noonan and Patrick Krencicki, were tasked with coming up with an alcoholic soda recipe several years ago when they were working together downtown at the Bricktown Brewery. Through the process, they discovered their talent for soda-making and decided to start their own soda company, OKC Soda Co.

Though the alcoholic soda idea never came to fruition, they still make the root beer at Bricktown Brewery, and you can purchase their sodas in grocery stores around the metro.

“We decided from the very beginning that we wanted everything in cans and not bottles. We wanted sustainable packaging and wanted to bring everything about our product into the modern-day,” said Crowder. “We use pure cane sugar and natural flavors, which makes it a much more refreshing soda than you may be used to.”

Crowder and the OKC Soda Co. team are conscious of making their product sustainable in order to reduce waste. Instead of using plastic rings to hold their cans together, they use 100% recycled holders.

“Our six core flavors, we all came up with together. From the get-go, we did not want to be boring. Our newest flavor is pineapple cream; it’s a collab between us and Social Capital. We have a lot of new stuff coming for 2022,” said Crowder.

The OKC Soda Co. manufacturing plant is near I-40 and Meridian and is where all of the sodas are formulated, created and packaged.  In addition to making their core flavors, the team is always planning their next creative release.

Organizations and individuals can reach out to OKC Soda Co. for collaborations. Whether you’re interested in branding one of their core flavors with a special label or creating an exclusive release, they are willing to work with you to support your soda dreams. Check out their Scissortail Park-branded soda water, sold at The Perch, or their Pineapple Cream Soda created exclusively for Social Capital.

“We want to remain local and stay an Oklahoma company, always,” said Crowder. “Oklahoma City is a growing place, and we love it. We’re such an up-and-coming city, but yet our property values still stay low. It’s a great place to both raise a family and start a business. The pandemic was tough for us, but the idea of succeeding--and succeeding here in Oklahoma City--got us through it.”

Be on the lookout at Homeland for OKC Soda Co. releases of custom flavors this spring.

Stone Sisters

The Stone Sisters, Traci, Tami, and Sheli, began their business after Sheli lost her husband to cancer. Following the tragic experience, Sheli earned her certification in traditional nutrition and was soonafter joined by her sisters in creating food that’s both nutritious and tasty. They collectively developed a recipe for organic sprouted spelt dough and pizza sauce, opened a kitchen and began making a positive impact in Oklahoma City.

While their pizza kitchen remains open to dine-in and enjoy, they began selling their pizza crust and cheese pizza in the freezer section of grocery stores in order to give individuals an option to enjoy their creations from the comfort of home.

They claim to make food that is always pure, always unique and always “happie.” Their grocery store products can be found under the labels of “Happie Pizza Crust” and “Happie Cheese Pizza.”

KiZE Bars

Kize Bars are one of the newest products that you can find on Oklahoma’s grocery store shelves. Their product is unique because with the purchase of every bar, you help feed, support and transform the lives of those in need in our immediate community and throughout the world.

They primarily offer help to people living in hunger in a community of 1,000 children in Haiti and for individuals in Oklahoma City through the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. They have a 100% product satisfaction guarantee, so you’ll have no regrets about making this purchase.

V2O Sparkling Balsamic Water

V2O began after CEO and founder Maggie Peterson began experimenting with splashing white balsamic vinegar into sparkling water. One evening, Peterson was making a mixed drink and was out of mixer, so she decided to mix in a bit of balsamic with her vodka soda. The creation was an immediate hit. Her family and friends enjoyed the taste so much she decided to take it to the next level and begin manufacturing a product so that more people would have access to enjoy her happenstance creation.

“Coming out with something brand new in a marketplace is a blessing and a curse. There’s been a learning curve in bridging the gap for people in distinguishing our product from regular sparkling water and kombucha,” said Peterson.

Peterson also owns and runs local shop The Oil Tree. She said that many of the V2O flavors are inspired by the best-selling balsamic at the store. Right now, you can purchase Sicilian Lemon, Honey Ginger, and Cranberry Pear flavors. Orange and Vanilla will be out in 2022.

“We created it so that it could be simple and transparent. It has two ingredients and is healthful,” said Peterson.

In addition to being sold at local grocers, the V2O product is also used in a cocktail at the Bradford House. It’s a must-try for health-focused individuals and anyone who enjoys a crisp, refreshing, and unique drink.

We know this list is not exhaustive in sharing the variety of quality Oklahoma-created products that you can find at the grocery, but we hope it inspires you to taste and enjoy some of the best drinks and food items available. Though they can be found in more places than one, Chamber member Homeland does a great job of highlighting Oklahoma-made products. Most of their stores have a section dedicated to local food items.

If you are interested in learning more about items you can find at the grocery store that are made in our state, check out Made In Oklahoma’s website.