It all started with a second-generation Italian American family living in Southern California. When out of the clear blue SoCal sky, one of the 4 sons brings home a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, junior-leagueing, pearl-wearing Southern debutante to announce their engagement. Yes, Enzo had done the unthinkable, he had fallen for a woman who didn't have a vowel at the end of her name and when Mama found out, the pasta hit the fan. At the time, unbeknownst to our founder Maria, it was the beginning of something big: her future. You see, Maria’s new sister-in-law, Merrilyn, didn’t just bring along her Southern charm, she brought her Kentucky chocolate pudding recipe Budino, baby! (or Budino as the Italians know it), which landed her in Mama’s good graces. From there, chocolate pudding became a go-to staple at family gatherings and holidays.

Maria grew up making this family dessert and over the years perfected the recipe by honing both ingredients and methods used to create the magic it is today. Along the way she developed more innovative flavors. What started off as an addition to the family recipe book, grew into coveted and sought after bowls of pudding ingenuity. Pudding was catching. So naturally, Maria brought her childhood friend Lauren, into the kitchen to teach her the ins and outs of pudding making. ​

As adults Maria and Lauren, both entrepreneurs at heart, gave up their well-respected careers, got serious about making pudding, and South & Spoon Pudding Company was born, offering luscious all-natural and preservative-free pudding mixes anyone can make at home. ​

With South & Spoon pudding mix, you don’t have to be a Southern debutant or Italian to have delightful home-style pudding on the tip of your spoon. Served warm, chilled or frozen, our puddings are a treat few can resist. Maria and Lauren both still play with crayons on occasion.