Back in 2011, when John Patterson and his brothers, Will Patterson and Joe Robl, opened The BeerHive in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, they wanted to offer fried pickles as a menu item. But they weren’t happy with the commercial options available. So, they did what many Pittsburghers might do—they made their own.
That decision laid the groundwork for what would become Pittsburgh Pickle Co., now a beloved local brand known for its crunchy, all-natural pickles and expanding line of condiments.
What started as a simple kitchen experiment quickly turned into a business opportunity when a vendor made a passing suggestion. “After making pickles and frying them for a few months at The BeerHive, one of our beer reps mentioned to me, ‘You should consider putting these in a jar,’” John says. “Instantly, a light turned on in my head.”
Patterson leaned on a key takeaway from college: If there’s a void in the market, fill it. “How is there not a pickle company in Pittsburgh?” he remembers thinking. “From there it was a mad dash to figure out how to legally start a pickle company.”
Pittsburgh Pickle Co. has made its mark with standout flavor and a visually distinctive look. One of its most recognizable features is the patented Crown Cut, a one-of-a-kind cucumber slice that helped define the brand.
“One day, my brother Will was looking at the blades on our cucumber slicing machine,” says John. “He wondered what would happen if we alternated the blades from flat to crinkle cut. The result was the tiny crown-shaped cucumber that shot out the other end.” The unique cut wasn’t just aesthetic—it became symbolic. “It was a symbolic step in the direction of our ultimate goal of becoming the Kings of the Pickle World,” he adds.
The company’s identity is steeped in regional pride and a down-to-earth approach to business. “Pittsburghers communicate in a very familial way,” he adds. “Even with strangers we act like we’ve known each other forever.”
After launching, the company quickly outgrew its original kitchen setup and relocated production to a church basement. Today, the brothers run a full-scale production facility in Verona, where they manufacture their own products as well as co-packed and private-label items.
Scaling the operation has been both rewarding and challenging. “Making the leap of implementing processing equipment was a relief but also added a new layer of chaos,” Patterson admits. “Things were fairly under control when doing it all by hand. Now, the equipment never stops, and the pace has only increased.”
Still, the growing pains have paid off. “We’ve gradually added more equipment, allowing us to increase volume and broaden our product line,” John says. Pittsburgh Pickle Co. recently expanded into ketchup and mustard, and they’re not stopping there. “We actually started bottling our ketchup and mustard a year ago,” Patterson shares. “We’ve had nothing but rave reviews. I don’t think it’s possible for us to put out a bad-tasting product.”
Their philosophy remains unchanged: no cutting corners. “Our business is a rebuttal to the food world,” he says. “We’re showing that it can be done with love, care, creativity, and excitement.”
Now, they’re preparing to expand even further with new products like salsa, BBQ sauce, hot sauce, dressings, and “anything else we can pickle and process.”
But there’s one big difference this time: They’re going online. “We have recently decided to point our arrow towards online sales,” Patterson says. “Being beholden to the grocery store chains has prevented us from expanding our product lineup and unleashing the creativity stored within this facility.”
Though Pittsburgh Pickle Co. has become a force of its own, its roots in hospitality remain strong.
The BeerHive still features the original pickles that started it all, and more recently, the brothers opened a second restaurant in Monroeville called The Coxcomb, described cheekily as “a chicken restaurant with a pickle problem.”
“It’s been great synergy between the brand and the outlets,” Patterson says. “Though all three businesses are different, they seem to hold hands while they walk down the road together.”
Running a business with siblings can be tricky. For the Pattersons, it’s second nature. “We really don’t know life without one another,” John says. “Will and I are two years apart, and Joe is nine years younger than me. We’ve always included one another in everything we do.” That closeness has translated into the company’s culture. “We’re just playing. We fortunately play well together,” he says. “In this day and age, we have successfully created an old-world business together, as a family—a nearly impossible task.”
Locals can pick up Pittsburgh Pickle Co. products at The BeerHive in the Strip District, Stamoolis Bros., and Wholey’s Market. Their full lineup, including the newly launched ketchup and mustard, is also available online at pittsburghpickle.com.
And if you’re wondering what the pickles taste like, expect a bold crunch and Pittsburgh-style attitude in every bite. Because, as their tagine states, “The Best Pickles Are Made in Pittsburgh. Every. Damn. Time.”
For more info, visit PittsburghPickle.com.
Daniel Casciato is a full-time freelance writer and social media specialist from Pittsburgh. In addition to writing for The Strip! he writes health, legal, real estate, and technology-related articles for magazines and has his own copywriting business. His website is DanielCasciato.com.