Ed and Ysante McDowell, owners of Ed’s All Purpose Seasoning and Rub, celebrate receiving the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Small Business Success Award for August 2026. Photo courtesy of Ed and Ysante McDowell.
For over 11 years, Ed and Ysante McDowell of Ed’s All Purpose Seasoning and Rub have been making Spartanburg a more flavorful place.
Their business first began in the summer of 2015, when Ed called Ysante into the kitchen to taste the seasoning blend he had created.
“I knew then that we had something of value,” she says, “so I took off with it.”
The beauty of Ed’s seasonings and rubs is that they are incredibly versatile. “They’re used for meat, vegetables, you name it, you can use it,” shares Ysante. She says that the blends are low sodium, gluten-free, and contain no MSG.
Currently, Ed’s All Purpose Seasoning and Rub has eight different seasoning blends that are enjoyed all across the country.
“We distribute to stores all over South Carolina and parts of North Carolina,” says Ysante, “but we have customers all over the United States, from here to California, Nebraska, Ohio, New Jersey. For those customers, we do ship.”
The original Ed’s All Purpose Seasoning remains the most popular blend, but Ed continues to whip up new, exciting flavors, including several recent additions.
“Each customer has their preference,” says Ysante. “You have the Ed’s Kick’n Carolina, of course to represent Carolina, because that’s where we’re from, and then you have Ed’s Henry Soul Food, which is named after Ed’s dad because he loved to cook as well. And then you have Ed’s Lemon Pepper and Garlic, which is a popular one adding that garlic flavor. All of them have shown themselves to be a favorite depending on your taste buds.”
Ysante says that her personal favorite blend is the Ed’s Henry Soul Food blend, while Ed himself personally enjoys a blend known as The Exclusive.
“They’re all so unique,” says Ed. “Like my wife said, these blends aren’t just meant for meat, but your poultry, your vegetables, your pasta. It’s one of those types of seasonings that if you go out to eat, you want to take it with you.”
Recently, Ed’s All Purpose Seasoning was presented by TD Bank with the OneSpartanburg, Inc. Small Business Success Award for the month of August 2026. This award is presented monthly to honor local Spartanburg County businesses that show strong growth, innovation, and community impact.
“It came as a surprise to us,” says Ysante, “but to be honest, we shouldn’t be surprised because we’ve been around Spartanburg County for so long. The business started here in Spartanburg, and we’re still here, and we support the community, we support other businesses, whatever we can do to assist and help and grow the community, that’s what we do. So it’s an honor to be this month’s chosen business. It really came as such a surprise.”
Natives of South Carolina, Ed and Ysante have lived together in Spartanburg since 1996—and they’re quick to say that they can’t imagine living anywhere else.
“It’s the people you meet, it’s the growth that’s happening,” says Ysante. “I love that when our business took off in 2015, people just gravitated to us. It’s an area that really brings families together. Spartanburg is a great place. It will always be our choice, and it will always be our headquarters.”
Ysante encourages fellow business owners who are just starting out on the journey of entrepreneurship to stay the course, even when it may feel difficult.
“The key to success is staying with your plan and not giving up just because it doesn’t look like what you want it to look like at the moment,” she says. “Don’t base your two year business off of someone else who’s been in business for 15 or 20 years. You can’t base your story and your success on someone who’s been doing it that long just because you’re not getting the results they may be getting. You have to stay in there.”
Curious to taste Ed’s All Purpose Seasoning and Rub for yourself? Visit them on Facebook for more information, or check out their website at https://edsallpurposeseasoningandrubllc.wordpress.com/.
