Southern Supreme Fruitcakes & More – Garage Startup to Global Distributer

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“I don’t like Fruitcake”

Not a fan of fruitcake? Neither was Berta Lou Scott until she perfected her version in the 1980s. Her Southern Supreme Fruitcakes have been converting fruitcake foes to fans ever since.

Visit the Southern Supreme Fruitcake Online Store

A Sweet Success Story

Berta Lou Scott’s fruitcake started as Christmas gifts for her friends, family, and clients in their hometown of Bear Creek, NC. Mrs. Scott’s baked goods were always sought after throughout the holidays, but her fruitcake especially garnered attention for its ability to change the minds of those who claim to not like fruitcake. As demand for her fruitcakes increased Mrs. Scott’s late husband, Hoyt Scott, took out a small business loan to increase their production capacity. The Scott family tells their First Bank story like this:

“It all started around 1989 when our father/father-in-law “Hoyt Scott” wanted to take out a small business loan. At that time Mr. Jimmie Garner was who we went to see. The story that Hoyt liked to tell was, “I didn’t know who the bigger fool was: the man who wanted to borrow the money to start a Fruitcake business or the man who would loan him the money.” That is what started our relationship with First Bank.”

As it turns out they weren’t fools after all. Jimmie Garner went on to become the CEO of First Bank and Hoyt Scott (along with his family) grew Southern Supreme Fruitcakes from their garage to a 40,000 square foot manufacturing, distribution and retail operation where they attract thousands of tourists each year and ship their products globally.

Not your typical Fruitcake

Two big differences set Berta Lou Scott’s fruitcake apart from the rest. Her recipe favors nuts over candied fruit, and her method of slow baking and stirring the dough as it bakes keeps the cakes from becoming dry. In fact, Southern Supreme Fruitcakes will stay fresh and moist without refrigeration for 6 months to a year.

This unique baking method has posed a unique set of challenges that the Scott Family has overcome with hard work and ingenuity – something that is on display throughout their manufacturing facility. Thousands of guests tour their kitchen yearly to get a first-hand view of the one-of-a-kind operation which involves a rotating oven that allows trays of dough to move from baking to hand-stirring every 15 minutes until complete. Teams of seasonal workers begin fruitcake production in August and at the height of the Christmas ordering season, they will slowly bake and stir over 3,000 pounds of fruitcake per day.

Watch this video to see their kitchen in action >

A Multigenerational Banking Relationship

“First Bank has been very instrumental in helping us build Southern Supreme Fruitcake & More to what it is today. We have had a good working relationship with Mr. Garner’s grandson Matthew Powers as we continue to do business with First Bank. During this time we have constructed a 40,000 square feet manufacturing, retail and mail order facility. Thank you First Bank for believing in us and continuing to support us in where we are now.”
– The Scott Family, Owners of Southern Supreme Fruitcake & More

“It’s been a pleasure to partner with the Scott Family and Southern Supreme for the past 9 years. As their banker, I feel lucky to have worked alongside of them to collaborate and find our best financial services that fit their daily operational and growth needs. I’ve truly enjoyed being a small part of their continued growth and seeing their business adapt as needed. Through the years, we have not only been business partners but we have become friends as well.”
– Matthew Powers, Area Retail Manager, First Bank

A lot has changed in the 30+ years since First Bank funded Hoyt Scott’s small business loan in 1989. Southern Supreme has seen tremendous success and continues to expand their capacity and product offerings to include more than just fruitcakes. First Bank has grown from twenty-something branches in North Carolina to 118 branches and multiple support centers across both North and South Carolina.

What remains the same is the level of trust and support between First Bank and Southern Supreme. Whether they have needed payroll services solutions, commercial loans to expand, merchant services to handle increase in demand, or checking accounts and lines of credit – we’ve proudly been there with them every step of the way.

Learn more about the business banking solutions we offer at First Bank >>