The

Story.

As told by Eric (the Sauce Guy)

Living in the Roscoe Village area of Chicago during the spring of 2020, I had just been furloughed from my full-time day job due to Covid and like so many others I found myself with a lot of free time on my hands. Fortunately, I shared a back yard with a good friend and neighbor Joe who had recently bought a smoker. BBQ became a great way for us to spend time outside and feel a little more normal. At first it was just a fun hobby, but quickly became an obsession... learning all things brisket, ribs, pork, and wings. We gained a lot of valuable experience and ate some really good food! And as the smoke rolled, our loyal dogs were always right there by our side. All things considered, it couldn't get much better.

Interior view of smoker in action with several different cuts of meat.

Backyard meat smoker with thermal wrap in place as smoke rolls.

Large piece of meat being grilled over open flame.

A whole lot of BBQ'd chicken wings ready to eat.

Various smoked meats shown after being vacuum-sealed for storage.

As my passion for great BBQ grew, so did the desire for an equally delicious sauce to go with it. Most store bought sauces just weren't cutting it for me. Some had a dose of this and others a hint of that, but nothing I tried had the full flavor profile that I was after. My quest for flavor eventually resulted in a condiment shelf full of half-used sauces.

I finally concluded that I had to stop looking elsewhere for the flavors I was seeking and begin the process of creating the flavors that I love on my own. That decision changed everything.

Large kettle of sauce cooking on a commercial stove top.

Several large kettles of different sauce flavors being cooked on a stove top.

Mason jar of sauce being pulled out of a canning bath.

Stacked mason jars of sauce with first version of labeling.

Hand holding a closeup view of sauce jar and label.

I started cooking in my small kitchen, batch after batch, experimenting and refining until I was satisfied with the first sauce and was ready to share it with others. People loved it and asked what I would name the sauce. It seemed logical to me that Jax, my loyal Beagle and constant BBQ companion, should become the namesake for the overall brand.... therefore, Jax Sauce. And that very first sauce? It is now known and loved as Jax Sauce Tangy Carolina.

Hand holding up a half full sauce bottle in front of a group of friends.

Four children wearing Jax Sauce t-shirts.

A cute dog on a leather chair with a full jar of sauce between front paws.

Hand holding full sauce bottle with BBQ'd wings in the background.

Four jars of different sauce flavors on display at an in-restaurant event.

Eric carving meat at an in-restaurant event.

From hobby, to passion, to a true labor of love... and very soon available to everyone... these are the flavors that always make me say, "Oh man..." I genuinely hope that the premium flavors of Jax Sauce will become a favorite of yours, too. We're looking forward to seeing all the ways that you "Jax Sauce" the foods you love. Here we go. Welcome to Jax Sauce!

Dale Janzen
‍‍The Brand Guy

The Jax Sauce Team

Outdoor black and white photo of the three men building the Jax Sauce company.

Eric Janzen
The Sauce Guy

Chad Fitz
The Numbers Guy

left to right
Dale Janzen The Brand Guy
Eric Janzen The Sauce Guy
Chad Fitz The Numbers Guy

Sauces incoming!

The

Story.