For Anthony Knox, the biggest challenge was not creating delicious, local, farm-to-shelf products that people wanted. The challenge was securing the capital to keep up with opportunity.
Knox, a farmer and life-long resident of Clay City, had since college dreamt of taking fresh produce all the way from the fields of his family farm in Powell County to tables across the Commonwealth.
A chance encounter gave him the lucky break he needed to get the ball rolling when Knox took samples into a Save A Lot where a higher-level manager was visiting. The manager tasted and loved them, offering to place Wild Man Salsa in a few stores as a test. It was a hit, and demand for Wild Man products continued to grow.
There came a point where Knox was where every small business owner hopes to find themselves: The business had momentum. Customers were buying. More stores were interested.
At that point, Knox found himself facing the same reality many entrepreneurs know all too well: a good business idea can only grow so far without access to funding.
What Knox needed was someone to believe in his dream and provide the capital needed for expansion. But he was repeatedly told “No” by the lenders and banks he was approaching.
Kentucky Entrepreneur’s Home-Grown Roots Run Deep
Wild Man Brand is based just outside Clay City where Knox and his family have deep roots.
In fact, the road where both his farm and food processing facility are located—Woody Ware Road—is named after Knox’s grandfather. After attending Eastern Kentucky University where he studied industrial technology, Knox returned home to the farm with his wife Melody, who spent her career in elementary education before her recent retirement.
For more than 20 years, Knox put his education to work in a factory setting while also farming and experimenting with new ways to grow produce.
In fact, he was among the first Kentucky farmers to utilize plasticulture methods—growing crops on black plastic with drip irrigation underneath—to dramatically increase yields while conserving water.
“An acre of tomatoes, grown the right way on plastic, will gross 90,000 pounds of tomatoes off one acre of land,” Knox explains. “But only 25,000 pounds of those would be USDA perfectly, round, gradable tomatoes, which is what grocery stores demand. The rest would be considered waste.
“That was just crazy to me. Even though tomatoes are irregular shaped and don’t all look the same, they still taste the same.”
‘Waste Not, Want Not’ Philosophy Turns Waste Into Opportunity
In large part, much of Wild Man Brands’ success comes from solving a common farming problem.
According to Knox, only a small percentage of harvested produce meets the strict appearance standards required for grocery store produce departments. Perfectly edible vegetables are often discarded simply because they are irregular in shape or appearance.
Refusing to let the produce rejected by grocery stores go to waste, Knox rolled up his sleeves and got to work. The farmer began brain-childing ways to ‘value-add’ to his produce and then he got cooking, creating diverse revenue streams for his farm’s bottom line.
“We started a farmers’ market because we had so much produce,” Knox said. “And we started chopping. We began processing a few jars of salsa just to have something different to sell at the farmers’ market and quickly realized there was a demand for locally produced products.”
What began with salsa quickly expanded.
Today, Wild Man Brands produces not only two flavors of salsa but multiple varieties of pickles along with pickled beets and chow chow, a southern staple comprised of shredded cabbage, onions and peppers. The tasty condiment is traditionally used to top soup beans and cornbread, but it is quickly becoming a favorite on hot dogs, often replacing the old standby of chili.
Wild Man products can now be found in Save A Lot stores and specialty retailers across a roughly 75-mile service area that includes Mount Sterling, Winchester, Stanton, Salyersville, Berea, Richmond, Irvine, and other communities throughout Central and Eastern Kentucky.
The Irvine Save A Lot has become the company’s top-selling location. During one standout day last fall, the store sold 40 jars of Wild Man Chow Chow.
One customer favorite has an especially personal connection.
“Our pickled beets are a top seller,” Knox said. “That was my grandmother’s recipe, and a lot of people say it’s our best product.”
The company’s growth has been steady and organic, fueled largely by repeat customers and local word-of-mouth recommendations.
Now Wild Man’s popular products have made their way into the free-spirited culture of an iconic Kentucky destination. The Red River Gorge and Natural Bridge State Park near Slade, just down the road from Clay City, draw nature lovers from far and wide.
Daniel Boone Coffee Shop, a dining spot popular with the hikers, campers and rock climbers drawn to The Gorge’s wild beauty, now stocks a variety of Wild Man products. Knox laughs that The Gorge is where Wild Man Chow Chow first established itself as the new go-to as a grilled hot dog topper.
A Natural Bridge From “No” to Grow: Community Ventures’ Ongoing Support
As Wild Man Brand expanded into more retail locations, Knox desperately needed capital to purchase the equipment, supplies, ingredients, packaging and marketing materials necessary to meet the growing demand.
“I would say 99 percent of my need has always been financing,” Knox explained.
But over and over, Knox was told “no” by local banks and lenders. “They kept telling me that I didn’t have an established product, so they were unwilling to give me any funding.”
Knox first learned about nonprofit Community Ventures’ small business support through the Kentucky Proud program, and over the years he has utilized multiple microloans from Community Ventures to help support the growth of Wild Man Brand.
That access to funding has provided working capital that allowed Knox to continue expanding production as demand has increased.
Just as important, Knox gained access to business development and technical assistance that helped him better navigate the realities of building a food manufacturing business.
His experience working with Community Ventures’ Business Development Specialist Pam Russell made a lasting impression.
“I’ve had two or three different loans with Community Ventures over the last several years,” Knox said. “Pam Russell has been the absolute best to work with. She just made the whole process easy.”
Community Ventures is Kentucky’s top Small Business Administration (SBA) microlender and works with entrepreneurs throughout the state by offering small business loans in Kentucky, SBA microloans, business coaching, and guidance designed to help business owners move forward at every stage of growth.
Russell says entrepreneurs like Knox embody the determination required to build a successful business.
“Anthony has built Wild Man Brand through hard work, creativity, and a willingness to solve problems,” Russell said. “It has been rewarding to support his growth and help connect him with the funding and business development assistance needed to continue expanding, and we look forward to seeing where Anthony takes this business in the future.”
High Marks, High Consumer Confidence
Knox and his wife are committed to maintaining very high standards, as evidenced by a recent accomplishment that they are especially proud of.
A surprise inspection of their commercial kitchen facility, though it occurred in the midst of a busy day of canning and with no prior knowledge of the impending arrival of the inspector, resulted in Wild Man Brand earning a perfect 100% score.
Knox notes that while restaurants sometimes get two or three days’ notice before being inspected, his facility did not. Despite having no advanced notice to prepare and processing and packing a great deal of product that day, his kitchen was found to be squeaky clean and his canning methods above reproach. In fact, according to the inspector, Wild Man was the only facility to achieve a 100% score so far in 2026—great news for customers who place an emphasis on health and sanitation practices. It is a reassuring sign of the care and attention that goes into every Wild Man product.
For Knox, it represents years of commitment, despite hardship, to doing things the right way.
A Word From the Wise to Kentucky Entrepreneurs
Looking back, Knox has simple advice for other business owners seeking funding or business development support.
“Don’t wait! I wish I had contacted Community Ventures at the beginning,” he said. “They have been so helpful to me with both guidance and funding. It’s tough to launch a food-based business. You need a great product, financial backing, and branding that helps you stand out. Community Ventures can help other entrepreneurs looking to get started or needing to expand in all of those areas.”
Knox’s story is a reminder that many successful businesses do not start with massive investments or instant growth. They start with hard work, persistence, and a willingness to keep moving forward when challenges arise.
For Kentucky entrepreneurs looking for small business loans in Kentucky, an SBA microloan, technical assistance, business development assistance, or other forms of small business support, Community Ventures offers funding and guidance designed to help business owners take their own next practical steps.
Entrepreneurs or business owners interested in small business loans, SBA microloans, or business development assistance can contact Community Ventures to learn more about available funding and support.