Founder Jack Aronson and co-CEO John J. Latella of Garden Fresh Gourmet will share the company’s story and field questions from the entrepreneurs and small business operators at the annual Making It In Michigan Conference on Nov. 12 at the Lansing Center.
“Knowing we could provide our attendees access to this national brand of high-quality, proprietary products, we developed this year’s theme of ‘Fresh Thinking for Success’,” said Matthew Birbeck, project manager of the MSU Product Center’s high-impact venture action team. “We are excited for the attendees to learn more about developing an iconic brand and building brand engagement with their own customers.”
Attendees will be able to provide questions for the panel through the MSU Product Center social media channels prior to the conference.
The Garden Fresh story starts a little over 16 years ago when Jack Aronson ignited the fresh salsa revolution in the back of his modest barbecue restaurant on Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, Michigan. He concocted a salsa recipe using only fresh, all-natural ingredients that had customers driving for miles just to try it.
Shortly after, Jack and his wife, Annette, got out of the restaurant business and founded Garden Fresh Salsa, along with Tony Latella, father of current partner, co-CEO and general counsel John J. Latella.
“As one of the country’s most successful brands in the grocery store deli, Garden Fresh remains committed to championing Jack’s original premise of supporting a sustainable future that preserves the beauty and wonder of our natural resources, and the world around us, for subsequent generations,” John Latella said.