The creation of the Doug Jeffords Company began in the home basement of Mr. Jeffords himself. After the invention of home refrigeration in the mid 1940’s and the demand of rented freezer lockers in decline, he found himself in a position to create something new. During the peak of his career, he had worked with a variety of meat companies, and found the popular need for a good, reliable, local Sea
soning Company. Alas, the development of Doug Jeffords Company, the reliable seasoning company those locals had been waiting for. Jeffords worked with sausage companies around Nashville and with then small chains, Captain D’s, Shoney’s, & Local Grocery stores, which at this time all made their meats in the back of house delicatessen & butcher shops. DJC was originally started the company in the 50’s and would frequently use his family as taste testers. In the 1960’s,after becoming incorporated, DJC moved into his first official, although very small, building, located in the 100 hundred oaks area, all while still personally delivering all of his products in his own Station Wagon. The stay in that building was short lived, he moved the company to 504 Arlington Ave in Nashville after the building burnt to the ground mid-decade. What made DJC was special was that they weren’t a large chain, but a family business with only four employees. These employees would ground, crush and sift their own spices from the whole, original state. Due to rising costs, it became more cost effective for the Doug Jeffords to focus purely on custom blending and providing the highest quality pure spices. Although we no long grind our own product, we continually search out the best suppliers domestically and abroad to provide these for us, so there is never a question about the quality of the product we or our customers receive. Often times when we put in an order for ground product, it is yet to be ground from its whole form, as spices retain their Essential Oils content longer while in its original form. Of course, we do offer whole spices of all types to our customers, as many wish to grind their own, in house.
“My father John Mack Thomason worked for a Soy supplier to Mr. Jeffords in the late seventies and early eighties “says current president James McKinley Thomason, also known as McKinley. “After having senior management criticize his personable form of selling one too many times, The soy company lost their highest paid and most productive salesman, to an offer made by Mr. Jeffords to not only come on and be in charge of sales but to have partial ownership in the company.” Known as Mack to his employees, soon took full ownership when Mr. Jeffords passed away and moved it to what was a beautiful livestock pasture and corn fields, what is now known as Cool Springs.
