Apastioli wasn’t born in a boardroom—it was born in a broken kitchen, by a man with a broken past, and a dream that refused to die. After hitting rock bottom from addiction, legal trouble, and the collapse of a former music career, Joe Gallagher Jr. found himself at a spiritual crossroads. He had nothing—no money, no investors, no second chances left to burn. But he had a sauce. And a story.

The idea started with one jar—Classic Italian Red Sauce, cooked in a galley kitchen barely big enough to turn around in. With no commercial kitchen, no funding, and no business experience in food manufacturing, Joe walked into a local Piggly Wiggly with a prototype in hand and left with an order. Six cases. Then another. And another. Within months, the sauce—handmade, no preservatives, no shortcuts—was in over a dozen stores.

But this wasn’t just about food. Apastioli became a brand of redemption. The name itself is a fusion of "apostle" and "pasta," symbolizing a calling to something higher through humble, handmade food. Every jar was sealed not just with flavor, but with a message: God isn’t done with you yet. Joe didn’t just want to sell sauce—he wanted to prove that broken people can build beautiful things.

As demand grew, so did the challenges. Joe and his wife Ryan struggled to keep up with production. They couldn't afford ads, yet word of mouth kept spreading. At one point, Apastioli was in 15 stores with over 70 more approved and waiting—but no product left to fill shelves. The business had outgrown the kitchen, and the dream was too big for Charleston’s commissary spaces.

That’s when the idea for Apastioli Farms took root.

The vision evolved: a regenerative farm, co-packing facility, and sanctuary for veterans and people in recovery to find work, healing, and purpose. A vertically integrated, faith-driven enterprise where tomatoes grow beside testimonies. Joe and Ryan set their sights on a 1,716-acre property called Longwing Plantation—once a hunting lodge, now being reclaimed for peace, produce, and purpose.

The future of Apastioli is massive, but deeply personal. A facility is being designed to support national distribution. Retailers like Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, and Walmart have shown interest. Apastioli is also expanding into faith-inspired apparel, like the “Jesus We Thank You” T-shirt, and developing content for a book and film series based on Joe’s story (From Bars to Jars).

What was once a last-ditch attempt to stay sober has become a movement.

Today, Apastioli isn’t just a sauce brand. It’s a testimony in a jar. It’s a company built on prayer, persistence, and old-school grit. It’s a story unfolding in real time—with a growing team, loyal fans, and a God-sized mission still in motion.

Because in the end, Apastioli is proof that you don’t need a perfect past to serve a greater purpose. All you need is faith, fire, and a reason to keep stirring the pot.