The Vetter family didn’t intend to create a global brand when they put their family dressing recipe into mass production. Or maybe they did.
In March, their brand – Tessemae’s All Natural – debuted at the Whole Foods in Bellevue, and stores throughout the Northwest. By June 1, they’ll be in every region of the United States.
Based in Annapolis, Md., the Vetter brothers decided to build a business around their family dressing recipe when the eldest Vetter brother, Greg, realized its demand.
“A friend of Greg’s actually broke into his house in college, and stole the dressing from his fridge,” said Brian Vetter.
Following the incident, Greg suggested they should start selling the dressing. Brian agreed, but on one condition: if they were going to do this, they were going to do it big.
The brothers started with one flavor – their mom’s original Lemon Garlic recipe. Brian said the recipe came about because his mother wanted her athletic sons to eat well – and because the ranch dressing that had become a standard in the Vetter household didn’t meet her “healthy eating” guidelines. Since starting the company three years ago, they’ve added 11 different varieties – including Cracked Pepper, Lemonette and Balsamic.
Keeping with the family theme, the name Tessemae’s is for the chef, Tess Vetter. In addition to being mom, Tess has become the official taste tester for the brand. Brian said there have only been two occasions when the brothers went against their mother’s opinion and released flavors she didn’t approve. Six months later, they had to drop the new flavors because they weren’t selling well.
“That was fun,” Vetter said. “She just kept saying, ‘I told you so.'”
The dressing is currently in 120 Whole Foods supermarkets, all across the Mid-Atlantic Region. And while sales have been steady, Vetter said his goal for Tessemae’s is to be the number one vendor at Whole Foods – in every category.
“We don’t claim to be food scientists. We don’t claim to be chefs. We just want good, healthy food,” Vetter said. “And we’re proving, from a manufacturing standpoint, that you can do it.”
