Carnes Foods is a family owned and operated business dedicated to making quality sauces, rubs, and seasonings for the retail and wholesale market.
 

The Story of How Carnes Foods Started

          Carnes Foods began with a backyard, a grill, and a big dream. It all started when Stephen (my Dad), Leighann (my Mom), and I (Riley), lifelong food lovers and weekend grill masters, began experimenting with homemade rubs and sauces to impress family and friends at cookouts. What began as a hobby quickly turned into an obsession — perfecting the balance of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors that made people come back for seconds (and thirds). As popularity grew and working out of home became difficult, we decided we needed to make a change. 

The Restaurant (MO Wings)

          It started with a close nit family, a shared love of wings, and a wild idea: what if we opened a wing spot that actually did wings right? Stephen was the flavor guy — always experimenting in the kitchen with bold sauces and dry rubs that made your taste buds dance. Riley was the builder — a hands-on problem solver who could turn an empty space into something incredible. And Leighann? She was the one who kept everyone happy and not a surface unclean. We didn’t have investors or a fancy kitchen. What we had was an empty building, a used fryer we bought at an auction, and a lot of determination. We painted walls, built tables by hand, and tested sauce after sauce late into the night — each one bringing us closer to a menu that felt right. Word of mouth spread fast once we opened. People came for the wings, stayed for the atmosphere, and kept coming back for the flavor. MO Wings was a huge hit and we expanded twice over the course of 2 years. 

The Bottling Facility

           Customers didn’t just want wings on the weekend — they wanted Carnes flavor in their kitchens every day. Riley, Stephen, and Leighann saw an opportunity: if people loved the sauces this much, why not bottle them and ship them nationwide? We started small, buying a small steam kettle to make 10 gallons at a time, hand pouring bottles and manual labeling everything. We handcraft new recipes and improved others, pushing the boundaries with sweet, spicy, tangy blends like Honey Sriracha, Mango Habanero, and Memphis Heat. As word spread, Carnes Foods transformed from a local wing favorite into a brand shipping all over the US. With grit, teamwork, and relentless hustle, we expanded the lineup to 13 standout products — a bold mix of sauces, rubs, and brines — each one perfected for flavor and crafted with care. Today, anyone in the country can enjoy the taste that started in a small-town kitchen, thanks to a close family who believed in good food, hard work, and doing things their own way.

Thank You to Our Amazing Customers

          At Carnes Foods, we wouldn’t be where we are today without you — our incredible customers. From the first wing orders at our little restaurant to shipping sauces and rubs across the country, your support has fueled our journey every step of the way. Every order, every tag on social media, every word-of-mouth recommendation means the world to us. You’re not just customers — you’re part of the Carnes family. Thank you for believing in bold flavor, small business, and the heart we put into everything we make. We can’t wait to keep bringing the heat to your table.