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Believe it or not, he learned about me by reading one of these articles in The Beaufort Gazette. It turns out Satchell White is an entrepreneur who was given an idea and a fledgling business years ago by his father and has spent a good part of his life since then fanning the flames of his dreams.
White contacted me after reading my column a couple of months ago about the Lady's Island Business and Professionals Association.
He was interested in our organization and perhaps getting his message out through our megaphone.
I met with White (it just so happens he also works right down the street from where I work ... we were meant to link up), and he gave me the short version of his story. What a compelling personal story it is!
And so was hatched the topic of this month's piece.
Satchell White is the humble and unassuming president and chief executive officer of White's Bottling Inc. The headline product is the White Family's Blackberry Drink, a refreshing, non-carbonated, caffeine-free, blackberry drink. I've taste-tested it, and it's good stuff.
In 1958, Satchell was in high school and his father, Rudolph White, was working for Coca-Cola in the old bottling plant that used to be downtown, near the Fordham Hardware building. Rudolph bought the trademark from Coca-Cola for the blackberry drink ingredients.
He experimented with different
blends until he came up with the formula that has remained unchanged since
then. White's Blackberry Drink was born.
In those early days, the main sales season consisted of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's. For many years, the business operated basically as a cottage industry because Rudolph was not much of a risk-taker and therefore did not make the leap to a larger production facility.
His main concern was to provide for his children, and he did not want to risk a big loss. Back then, Satchell and his sister, Ruby Mae Holmes, picked blackberries on their family land to help with the business. The family locked arms, but the business experienced only meager growth.
Rudolph passed the mantle of leadership to Satchell, who incorporated the company in 1976. Satchell has kept the fire of this dream burning in his heart ever since.
He spent long hours in the Beaufort County Library researching business plans and then developing one of his own.
Satchell persevered through countless life obstacles but was able to obtain his approval from the health department, was assigned a UPC number for the product and purchased equipment to bottle the drink.
He delivered the drink in small shipments to stores throughout Beaufort County and up to Charleston in his old truck. He worked other full-time jobs in addition to the time he spent in the bottling facility so he would have added capital for the business.
White's Bottling Inc. operates today in a portion of the Central Development Corporation facility in Frogmore. The label on White's Blackberry Drink reflects the jingle, "Nectar of the Sea Islands," with images of a sandy beach, a lighthouse, a sailboat, palm tree, a seabird and, of course, a blackberry. Ruby Mae is his chief production officer.
The equipment they use is still hand-operated, but they can turn out the drink when they need to. One of Satchell's proudest accomplishments, as seen in his huge smile, is the fact that he
provides good employment for four people.
His drink is used as a communion beverage in many local churches. With some word-of-mouth marketing, Satchell is hopeful that his product will spread far and wide.
Then he'll be able to update his equipment or sign on with a larger facility and provide more jobs while making his dream come true.
White's commitment to developing and sustaining the family business is nothing short of admirable. His hard work and dedication set a great example to anybody who has a daring entrepreneurial spirit. Just ask him, and he'll tell you that he sees the light at the end of the tunnel. He can feel a breakthrough coming.
So where can you get some of the Nectar of the Sea Islands? White's Blackberry Drink will be featured in a booth at the Gullah Festival in May. Come on down and meet my neighbor.
But get there early. He's had folks come in and buy out his entire supply to take home with them.
Jon Rembold is a project manager at Ward Edwards and president of the Lady's Island Business and Professionals Association
