Food & Drink Awards 2019

LUXlife 2019 Food & Drink Awards www.lux-review.com Page 9 What started as a restaurant consulting company has rapidly become one of the Midwest’s favourite purveyors of artisanal sauces, vinaigrettes and other sumptuous food products. Midwest Fresh, under the sage leadership of head chef and owner Kevin Grider, offer some of the tastiest food service products in America, so we caught up with Kevin to unearth his recipe for success. Midwest Fresh: Leading Purveyors of Artisan Burger Sauces - USA After launching his first successful restaurant as executive chef, Kevin Grider realised that his specialist products had to be available for purchase to ensure every food-lover can experience America’s best artisanal sauces. After a year of pushing products to restaurants and bars, and gaining quite the notoriety in the process, Midwest Fresh was launched almost two years ago as a retail line and has seen meteoric levels of success since. Now available in more than 250 retail locations, Kevin is working harder than ever to strike deals with some of the nation’s largest retailer such as Walmart and Target. Offering some of the most delicious artisanal sauces, Midwest Fresh create both unique takes on classic sauces, and new varieties to tantalise the taste buds. Whilst the line up of commonly-used products includes Brick Oven Pizza Sauce and Molasses Barbecue, the unique products such as Bacon Jam, Spicy Bacon Jam, and Bourbon Barrel Mustard have paved the road to success. Rather than commit to following trends, Kevin has established Midwest Fresh as a trend-setter. With aisles today brimming with brands, standing out is more important than ever. The brand’s unique products have cemented their place on store shelves, but more than that, Kevin has worked hard alongside restaurants to illuminate the many possibilities and ideas that can be explored with the products. In terms of creating Midwest Fresh’s unique slate of products, nothing less than perfection will do for Kevin, as he tells us his work ethic in manufacturing Midwest Fresh’s products. “The process of making sure only perfection leaves the warehouse is not one to overlook. It is one of the most important factors in creating a business in today’s world. - one bad review can literally start the downhill descent. Perfecting a recipe for manufacturing on a larger scale is not an easy task, first you must create something that is not only tasty, but unique and carries a profile that is desirable. Today’s market there are a lot of new diet trends; gluten free, fresh ingredients, organic, sourced responsibility, all take effect when a consumer makes the decision to purchase. I am a firm believer of not skipping a single step.” Some of those steps that Kevin doesn’t skip include focusing heavily on brand awareness. Personally driving more than 180,000 miles in two years, this hands-on owner makes sales calls, provides insight into the culinary realm where requested, and constantly checks in on existing clients for feedback. Diligence, time and integrity are central to what Midwest Fresh are about, and Kevin exemplifies these ideals himself. “This is why I have focused on personally checking on current clients, providing honest feedback, and delivering unprecedented workmanship. If I am needed, even 200 miles away, I am likely headed there the same day I get a call. Keeping clients happy, delivering excellence and honesty is the best way to retain your business.” Looking to the future, it is bright for both Kevin and his product line. He signs off the interview by revealing some of the exciting prospects that Midwest Fresh has coming up in the near future. “We are always focused on innovation, quality, and the opportunity to bring something fresh and new to the food scene. Currently I am working on stuffing the Bacon Jam inside sausages for an unparalleled product, with flavour that comes directly from culinary inspiration.” Ultimately, it is Kevin’s love of food, desire to make people happy, and determination to see his brand succeed that has got Midwest Fresh to where it is today. With traditional staples of the sauce market, and new, mouth- watering additions that deliver restaurant- level quality to any dining experience, this culinary creator is delivering America the sauce it deserves. Company: Midwest Fresh | Website: www.mwfresh.com | Contact: Kevin Grider