VALDOSTA — The theme of the evening was family.

Business owners descended up Kennesaw State University in February to attend the annual Georgia Family Business of the Year Awards hosted by the Cox Family Enterprise Center. 

Sunset Farm Foods, a company born and bred in Valdosta, was recognized as the year’s “Legacy Ultimate Honoree” to celebrate being in business for more than 100 years.

“It was a great honor to be named the legacy family business honoree by Cox Family Enterprise Center,” said Tom Carroll, president of Sunset Farm Foods. “Our focus on quality products has served us well over the many years we’ve been in business.”

The family-owned company has a long, rich history stitched into the fabric of Valdosta.

In 1918, Walter W. Carroll started selling two sides of beef a week to Flashers Meat Market on Ashley Street, according to the company’s website. In 1932, his son, James D. Carroll, joined him in the business. That same year, they purchased the land, 1201 Madison Highway, where the company sits today.

In 1935, construction of a facility was started on the site, the website states. In 1937, the company was given the name W.W. Carroll & Son. In 1938, the name was changed again, this time to Carroll Stockyards, because of the company’s involvement in cattle ranching.

In 1948, the name was changed again to Carroll Packing Company to emphasize the growing focus on retail and wholesale meats.

In 1965, James D. Carroll Jr. came aboard, the website states. His brother, Walter W. Carroll II, joined in 1971. In 1969, a sausage recipe was created by Jack Knight that would become the pride of Sunset Farm Foods – the same recipe that is used today.

The company went under federal inspection in 1975 enabling it to cross state lines with its products, the website states. The event dramatically increased the growth rate of the company as the “state of Florida was eager for the fresh products of the company.”

In 1980, the name was changed again to Sunset Farm Foods. In 1997, Walter W. Carroll II left the company as his son, James “Jimmy” Carroll, and Thomas “Tom” Carroll, James Carroll’s son, came aboard.

Today, Jimmy is retired and Tom is the president of the company and employs more than 140 employees in the community, said Andrea Schruijer, executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Development Authority.

The product is shipped throughout 20 states and is exported to the Caribbean Islands, Central America and to military commissaries around the world, she said.

“I think that’s a huge testimonial to Valdosta, to the product and to the Carroll family for what they have done over the years,” Schruijer said. “They are a huge asset to our community and we are so thankful for that and for the values they have here.”

At the company’s 100-year anniversary in 2018, Lowndes County Commission Chairman Bill Slaughter and Myrna Ballard, president of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the importance of having a business last 100 years in the community.

“This is such an incredible experience in our community,” Ballard said. “It is not usual to have a business celebrate a 100th anniversary of a fourth-generation, family-owned business. You can count on one hand, or fewer fingers than one hand, that fall in that category of lasting more than 100 years.”

Slaughter said Sunset Farm Foods is a testament to Valdosta and what it has to offer.

“The Carroll family has worked four generations to get to this point, and again they are one of those businesses that continue to put Valdosta on the map,” Slaughter said. “When you look at their product and where it is produced at, then you know where the community that it’s in is at. I know their employees, they certainly enjoy working here. There’s great management. The product, and I attest to it, is the best sausage in the world as far as I’m concerned.

“It continues to get better, it continues to improve, and you can tell there is a tremendous amount of pride, not just from the company and the owners, but the employees that are in the business of making sausage.”

As the fourth-generation Carroll to take over the business, Tom said he is proud of what the company has become and intends to continue to run a successful business as his forefathers did before him.

“We have had a long journey through these 100 years. As the fourth generation, I feel a lot of pressure to keep it going and to not be the one who messes it up,” Tom said with a laugh. “There aren’t many companies that make it to the fourth generation, and we have a great thing going here, great products.”

Along with sausage varieties varying from economic to premium, the company sells boneless ham and country items including chili and chitterlings.

In addition to supporting the community through taxes, Sunset Farm Foods donates food to all sorts of organizations around Valdosta with events and festivals led by churches, veterans, Moody Air Force Base and schools.

Now in 2020, Sunset Farm Foods remains vigilant in continuing production for hungry Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re open,” Tom said. “We’re part of the essential food supply in the U.S. We have instituted many new procedures to keep our team members safe so we can continue our supply into the retail stores. We’re running really hard and trying to meet the demand out there. The demand is unrelenting and it’s crazy. We were already doing enhanced sanitation in common areas but we’ve bumped it up so we can stay in operation.”