The challenge to smaller food processors on a fast-growth track is how to expand production to meet the explosive demand for their products. Where modest food processing equipment was sufficient when they got started, many find they must locate cost-effective equipment that can serve as a bridge to meet higher volume requirements while retaining the authenticity and quality of the dishes they produce.
The food processing equipment issue was quite familiar to Jack Aronson, CEO of Garden Fresh Gourmet brand foods in Ferndale, MI, the producer of a broad line of handcrafted, all-natural salsa, guacamole, tortilla chips, hummus and other ethnic foods. Starting out as a husband-and-wife team that made a fresh blend of artichoke salsa on a small table in the back of their restaurant, Aronson’s company has grown from $4 million in sales in 2004 to over $100 million this year.