In episode 131 of the Disruptors for GOOD podcast I speak with Gregory Vetter, CEO of Tessemae’s on taking huge risks to start a clean label food company and pioneer clean label manufacturing.
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Greg is the CEO of Tessemae’s, flavor-forward, organic fresh food company, considered to be a lead innovator and disruptor in the clean food movement.
Gregory, the oldest of the Vetter brothers, had the idea to launch Tessemae’s based on the belief in his mother’s wildly popular homemade dressing recipe and how it had the potential to create an entirely new clean food category.
After winning over a local Whole Foods buyer and selling just under 700 bottles in one week, Gregory, his two brothers, Matt and Brian, and his family grew the business to become the #1 organic salad dressing brand in the refrigerated space.
Gregory and his family paved the way for clean manufacturing on a mass scale by inventing the only gum-free dressing bottling process.
That manufacturing process led to the invention of the “fresh condiment” category, the first Whole30 approved bottled dressings and condiments, and then continued pioneering of innovation across the grocery store with the creation of the first shelf-stable creamy dressings free of gums and additives with the “Tessemae’s Pantry” line.
Gregory, who values the importance of family and the concept of a wholesome family dinner, spoke at a TED Talk entitled “The Dinner Habit – The Recipe For Change” and is a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2019 Mid-Atlantic Award.
Tessemae’s is an organic fresh food company that makes products with uncompromised ingredients of the highest quality.
Tessemae’s commitment to healthy eating and living is the core of its mission. As a pioneer in clean label manufacturing, Tessemae’s has been focused on producing simple and delicious food with real ingredients that everyone can enjoy.
All Tessemae’s products are made and shipped from the U.S., and are available for purchase at Whole Food’s Market, Kroger, Sprouts, Safeway, Baker’s, Target, Thrive Market and more retailers across the country.
The Tessemae’s Foundation
The Tessemae’s Foundation’s mission is to improve access to healthy foods and life-practices in our country’s Healthy Food Priority Areas, formerly known as Food Deserts, through our “Crop Circles” initiative.
By forming public private partnerships with local food retailers, national growers and interested corporate and public agencies, they create a Pop-Up Farmer’s Market executed inside the Healthy Food Priority Areas across the country.
Local families receive one week’s worth of fresh organic produce & dressing along with a community celebration complete with cooking demonstrations by local chefs, exercise classes from local sports figures and recognition awards for the local community garden and nutrition agencies.
The event is concluded with a food summit and press conference about what is needed to sustain access to healthier food and life-styles. They chose the term “CROP CIRCLES” for its quality of being able to surprise and disrupt the failed approaches to creating healthy communities.
