With the desire of a fresh and healthy salsa, Robert Lawton took to his creative side and created his own.

In March of 2013 Lawton created his company, Two Thirteen (213) foods, the name relating to his birthday, Feb. 13.

Growing up, Lawton’s grandmother, Jo, always made Mexican dishes. Throughout the years, his grandma taught him how to master many of her recipes, her famous salsa being one of them.

Grandma Jo was Lawton’s number one inspiration and is the image that is on each salsa jar.

As the years went by, Lawton improved and excelled at making Grandma Jo’s salsa. He entered many contests and would win in each category. Even Lawton’s son shared his dad’s accomplishment. “He had given some of our salsa to his professor who tried to buy our recipe,” said Lawton about his son. “So now I figured it must be pretty good and should go into the business.”

The salsa was originally made at Coyote Foods in Arizona but due to their lack of meeting Lawton’s expectations, he brought Grandma Jo’s salsa to Orange County. Today, it is made at Dakine Foods in Newport Beach.

213 Foods can be purchased all over the OC; It can be purchased at stores such as Haggen in Yorba Linda, Honor Roll in Santa Ana and Nutrishop in Brea.

Aside from being sold in stores, it can also be ordered online. Lawton’s salsa is shipped all over the U.S., Korea and Australia.

For Lawton and the rest of 213 Foods, selling salsa is just the beginning of a growing business. Lawton shared, “our future goals will be us releasing our hot sauce, different flavors of salsa, marinara and spaghetti sauce, refried beans, tortilla chips, flour and corn tortillas and wraps.”