Business is booming for Code 3 Spices, but the Maryville based two-man company needs help “getting to the next level,” co-founder Mike Radosevich said.

A Kickstarter campaign was launched Sunday to help the company Radosevich and Chris Bohnemeier founded in 2012 grow large enough to support Code 3s charitable giving and allow the co-founders to hire help. Radosevich estimates he and Bohnemeier each work 16-hours per day.

Western grocery chain Albertson’s recently added Code 3 Spices to its seven-state Intermountain Region, Radosevich said. The products are also now available at 197 Jewels in the Chicago area, and soon to be available at Food City, bringing the number of outlets carrying the family of spice rubs to nearly 600, Radosevich said.

Code 3 Spices donates 50 cents for every bottle of rub it sells to a select number of charities, including The Backstoppers, Inc., Safe Call Now.org and Operation Homefront. The company donates to charities that support injured and fallen first responders and military personnel.

The large contribution to charity for each bottle sold makes it difficult to generate a profit, but the company is not planning to change its business model, Radosevich said.

“People have asked us about that, but we take so much pride in who we donate to,” Radosevich said.

The founders hope the Kickstarter campaign will allow the company to grow large enough that, even with a smaller profit margin per bottle, they will be successful. Supporters who give to the Kickstarter campaign will receive a reward based on the amount of the contribution. The rewards offered are:

• Contributors of $5 receive a thank you pin on The Code3 website, which maps the contributors location
• Contributors of $10 receive a thank you pin and choice of one bottle of Code 3 Spice rub
• Contributors of $25 receive a thank you pin and an exclusive T-shirt
• Contributors of $50 receive a thank you pin and a complete set of Code 3 Spices five rubs
• Contributors of $100 receive all of the above
• Contributors of $500 can be a pit master for a day with the Code 3 Spices grilling team. There are eight opportunities available
• Contributors of $1000 or more will receive a barbecue party for 10 friends. There are five opportunities available and the party must be within 150 miles of St. Louis
• Contributors of $2,500 receive a barbecue class for 10 people. The Code 3 Spices award winning grilling team will teach the contributors how to professionally prepare different meat styles
• Contributors of $10,000 or more will create a blend of their own. The contributor will choose the spices, name the rub and choose the charity for which proceeds will be donated. The blend will be available exclusively online

Code 3 has five blends – Sea Dog Rub, Grunt Rub, Rescue Rub, 5-0 Rub and Backdraft Rub. All five have gluten-free, MSG-free ingredients, along with sea salt and natural (rather than processed) sugar.

To contribute, visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1446256909/spicing-it-up-across-america.