This one’s for anyone out there who: a) sees a startup as a road to independence, and b) isn’t exactly sure where the onramp is.
BJ and Lacey New are the founders of High Plains Spice Company, with locations in Sterling and Flagler, Colorado.
“How did we get into it? I’m not entirely sure,” he said with a laugh.
Don’t confuse his humility for a lack of focus. “While I had my full-time job, I was always looking for something we could do that was our own,” says BJ. “I can’t hardly do a damn thing in my life without trying to make some money on it somehow!”
He and Lacey both grew up as agricultural kids in Eastern Colorado. “I was big into Future Farmers of America. We were both in 4H,” said BJ. They met in college at the CSU College of Agricultural Sciences in Fort Collins. After graduation, the couple took jobs with other businesses. He was an agronomist, working with farmers and ranchers. Lacey, an animal science major, worked at a hog farm.
Their path from W2 employees to founders/operators of High Plains Spice Company has been a labor of love and grit. Since its official founding 2013, the company has opened two brick-and-mortar locations and is expanding its digital sales. The product line has grown from spices, to coffee, baking mixes, gourmet kitchen tools, specialty oils and beyond.
While growth has certainly been fueled by the premium products and smart strategies, the success of this company is definitively tied to its commitment to give back to the rural community where it’s based.
A Hobby Becomes a Business
It all began in a spare room in the New’s house. An avid barbecuer, BJ was creating his own spice blends and rubs. Lacey, who also loves to cook, would taste test. It was the aughts and they noticed their hobby was trending in the broader culture. Home cooks were becoming more experimental. Global trends in food were reaching small towns, not just big cities.
They began testing the market in 2011 by selling their spice mixes at local craft fairs. The market responded well.
“Figuring out if we could make money from this was a driving force to turning this into a business,” says BJ. “We were discovering a passion that we wanted to share with people. We’re essentially a rural Midwestern community out here [in Northeastern Colorado]. We’re not necessarily known for our food. Bringing a sense of adventure and flavor to our community is definitely important to us.”
Betting on a Bigger Vision
BJ dove into research before he dove into overhead. In 2013, the News were ready to take High Plains Spice Company from craft fairs to full-fledged business. They envisioned primarily an online business.
But selling online and across state lines required a certified kitchen. Once you secure a kitchen, you’re securing space. Rent. Utilities. Visibility. Whatever “store” surrounded that kitchen would no longer be theoretical; it would be a commitment.
“Early on, we worked with our local Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for numbers,” said BJ. “They provided regional demographics: ages, incomes, and that sort of info, which was very helpful.”
At the time, the News were living “in the middle of freaking nowhere,” as BJ puts it. Sterling, with a population of roughly 13,000, was the nearest commercial hub, drawing shoppers from rural Northeastern Colorado and Western Nebraska. When BJ’s research revealed that Sterling regularly served more than 60,000 shoppers, the decision became strategic. Sterling would be the first home of High Plains Spice Company.
In a rural market, a storefront isn’t a soft launch. It’s a public commitment. With a background in business, BJ didn’t need “a lot of hand holding” to work the numbers and strategy. Even so, he did access the regional startup ecosystem.
BJ credits Trae Miller, of the Logan County Economic Development Corporation, for Trae’s tireless support of all types and sizes of businesses in the area. Trae connected the News with the Sterling Urban Renewal Authority where they secured a grant to help renovate the store.
With all the planning and market research, the rural community still delivered the news a surprise.
“Originally, I figured sales would be 80% online and 20% in store,” BJ said. “It’s actually flipped: 20/80. … In these small, rural communities, we’ve found people are almost begging for something like this, in that it feels like an operation or a resource you’d find in a bigger city. People really appreciate the access.”
And High Plains Spice Company adapted to honor that reality.
Winning in a Rural-Based Attention Economy
Validation came quickly after opening. In 2014, BJ and Lacey won a business plan competition at Northeastern Junior College. The prize, a $10,000 grant from the El Pomar Foundation, helped them expand their in-store offerings and relieved financial pressure at a pivotal moment.
BJ knew one way he wanted to leverage the financial buffer. “When you want the local community to support your business, your business needs to support the local community,” BJ says.
He calls it reciprocity. High Plains Spice Company donates generously and consistently to youth sports teams, parks and open space initiatives, and local nonprofits. Supporting them isn’t just goodwill. It’s participation.
“Donating money or products keeps us visible,” BJ says. “It allows us to give back and to honestly participate in the community.”
Because enthusiasm alone doesn’t convert to revenue. In an attention economy, visibility has to be intentional.
BJ credits the local SBDC with accelerating that learning curve. “The networking they provided was, and still is, invaluable,” he says. “It enabled me to talk with people in the business trenches, pick their brains, and discuss options–so I don’t always have to learn the hard way.”
Expansion and Evolution
Today, High Plains Spice Company sells online and has a second brick and mortar location in Flagler, Colorado. Growth has come partly through diversification. Spices built the brand. Coffee, to date, sustains it.
“Everybody thinks of spices when they think of us,” BJ says. “But our number one category is actually coffee.” The company sells multiple tons of whole bean coffee annually from its physical locations alone. Olive oils, vinegars, and local honey have become strong performers. Corporate gift boxes are among the fastest-growing categories.
The evolution reflects a broader shift in how rural businesses compete. It’s by building a hybrid model: digital reach paired with physical presence and community loyalty.
“We are increasing our online presence because that’s where the growth potential is,” BJ says. “Even so, there is a viable argument for opening more physical locations.”
The perception that rural founders and startups are lagging is slowly giving way to the realization that rural businesses are powering an economic revolution. “There is a large group of individuals who truly understand and appreciate small business culture,” BJ says. “They go out of their way to support us.”
High Plains Spice Company returns that loyalty.
An Entrepreneurial Calling
If you’d asked BJ in college if he’d be running a specialty food and kitchen shop today, he probably would have a split answer. The passion for spices and cooking evolved over time. But he was always cut out to be an entrepreneur.
He laughed when he answered what success looks like for him now: “Not having a real job!” Then he added, “This is 100 times more involved than a normal job. But you know, having a bit of independence and being part of this community is worth it.”
Written by Brook Sutton
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