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May 2005
Amy’s Celebrates 20 Delicious Years
Amy’s Kitchen - Born out of Love
Santa
Rosa, California – Twenty-one years ago, Amy Berliner
was born. The company that became her namesake was founded a few
months later, in 1988, by mom Rachel and dad Andy—longtime
vegetarians. Amy is now a sophomore in college, and Amy's has become
the nation's top-selling brand of natural and organic convenience
foods.
“We didn’t set out to become the nation’s leading natural frozen food brand,” says Andy Berliner. “All we wanted to do was create a business that would allow us to earn a living by providing convenient and tasty natural vegetarian meals for people like ourselves, who appreciated good food, but were often too busy to cook from scratch.”
The
idea for the company was born one night when Amy was just a few weeks
old. Rachel sent Andy to a natural foods store with instructions to
find a quick and easy vegetarian meal for dinner. He came home with
their first microwavable meal. “It was horrible,” he recalls.
Realizing that other people must also be looking for a quick-yet-tasty
meal of the nontraditional kind, Rachel and Amy devised a plan to start
making great-tasting convenience food for vegetarians.
The company started on a shoestring, with Rachel and Andy’s house and barn as headquarters. The founding meetings were held in the same room where the two were married and where Amy was born. The company’s first product, Vegetable Pot Pie, became an instant success. When the pies hit regional markets, Northern Californians gobbled them up and, within months, they landed on health food store shelves nationwide. Other products followed in rapid succession, and the two entrepreneurs discovered that their products were not only being eaten by vegetarians and those interested in natural foods, but by millions of people looking for great-tasting, convenience foods.
Since
then, Amy’s has created more than 150 products, including 115
frozen items (pizzas, pocket sandwiches, pot pies, entrées,
bowls, snacks and whole meals) and a grocery line that includes canned
soups, beans and chili, as well as jarred pasta sauces and salsas.
Today, the company has two beautiful facilities in California and Oregon
and distributes its products to natural food stores, supermarkets and
club stores across the nation, as well as to Canada and abroad.
Besides traditional American favorites, Amy’s chefs draw on rich ethnic traditions to create authentic Mexican, Italian, Asian, and East Indian meals for their customers to enjoy. Always on the lookout for new and innovative dishes, Amy’s recently introduced four varieties of lightly sweetened, slow-cooked frozen cereal in a bowl. The company also has a brand new line of Kids’ Meals geared to the tastes and portion preferences of children (if only Amy were a toddler again!).
Always attentive of the special dietary preferences of its customers, Amy’s Kitchen also provides soups and meals that are lower in sodium, as well as many gluten free and vegan choices. For all of its products, Amy's uses certified organic ingredients, including vegetables, grains and fruits grown without pesticides. Fats are used sparingly and selectively; all dairy ingredients are made with pasteurized rBST hormone free milk and do not contain animal enzymes or rennet. No dishes contain meat, fish, poultry or eggs. Amy's products are non-GMO and do not contain hydrogenated fats or oils.
Andy and Rachel, who imagined Amy’s as a niche business back in the 1980s, unwittingly rode a tidal wave into the next decade. Their business grew an average of 20% per every year since 1988, with their success mirroring the rise of the organics movement.
In spite of their phenomenal growth and in spite of being an industry giant, Amy’s remains a family effort--with Andy as CEO, Rachel as Director of Marketing, Eleanor writing Web and packaging copy, Amy helping in the plant during summers, and everyone participating in taste-testing. Just like the first veggie pie back in 1988, each Amy’s recipe is still made from scratch.
“Amy’s is just a large kitchen,” says Rachel Berliner. “While
our pots may be large, the techniques for preparing food are much the
same as those used in cooking at home.” Each burrito is hand
rolled, each pizza crust hand stretched and topped, and broccoli is
hand placed in the pot pies. “From choosing the very best ingredients,
to baking pastry to perfection, every detail is given our full attention.
We are cooking for you in the same way you would cook for yourself.” In
fact, the Amy’s plant has twice the national average of the number
of people involved in making a unit of food.
Rachel and Andy Berliner are available for interviews by arrangement.
Please contact Debby Fortune for more information: fortunepr@aol.com
or 510-548-1097
May 2005
Amy’s Serves Up Delicious Meals for Millions of Consumers
with Lactose Intolerance and Dairy Allergies
Santa Rosa, California – Amy’s Kitchen, the nation’s top-selling brand of natural and organic convenience foods, offers over 80 delicious, satisfying choices that are either lactose-free or completely dairy free. Adults and kids of all ages who suffer from lactose intolerance or dairy allergies will appreciate the options and convenience of Amy’s foods.
Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose,
a type of sugar in milk and other dairy products. According to the
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (part of the
National Institutes of Health) lactose intolerance affects approximately
30 to 50 million Americans, including the majority of African Americans,
Ashkenazi Jews, Asian Americans, and American Indians, as well as many
Hispanics. Conversely, only a tiny percentage of the populace who trace
their roots to northern Europe has lactose intolerance. Products identified
as “Lactose Free” do not contain any lactose (milk sugar),
although they may contain caseinate, a milk protein. Amy’s produces
84 “Lactose Free” products—most of which are also
completely dairy-free.
Dairy allergies, though less common, can produce
symptoms more severe than lactose intolerance, and in rare cases,
even anaphylactic shock. With dairy allergies, a person’s
immune system reacts to the presence of milk proteins in the body
by producing histamines, which can cause a range of allergic reactions.
Physicians agree that the best way to treat dairy allergies is
to avoid consuming dairy products, lactose or the dairy proteins
casein and whey. Amy’s “Dairy Free” products
do not contain lactose or milk proteins. If you need to avoid milk
proteins or dairy completely, you should purchase only Amy’s
products that are labeled “Dairy Free,” “Non-dairy,” or “Vegan.”
Lactose Free Products from Amy’s
Amy’s
offers a wide range of lactose-free options (currently 84 Amy’s
products are lactose-free), such as Macaroni & Soy-Cheeze (SRP
$2.79 - $3.29)—perfect for kids and adults who miss this childhood
favorite, Soy Cheeze Pizza (SRP $6.29 - $6.99), made with Amy's delicious
pizza crust and sauce, topped with a high protein, mozzarella-style,
soy-based cheese, and Tofu Vegetable Lasagna (SRP $4.29 - $4.99), which
has the same delicious sauce, organic pasta and vegetables as Amy’s
Vegetable Lasagna but is made with tofu and soy cheese.
For a complete list of Amy’s Lactose Free Products go to:
http://amys.com/special_diets/images/lactoseFree.pdf
Dairy-Free Favorites from Amy’s
Most
of Amy’s lactose-free foods are also dairy-free (currently Amy’s
offers 81 dairy-free products), including a hearty Black Bean Vegetable
Enchilada (SRP $3.79 - $4.49) and a great grab-and-go Bean & Rice
Burrito (SRP $2.39 - $2.79)—both are satisfying, dairy-free options
that can be made in just minutes. Pizza, a favorite fast food usually
off-limits for people who avoid dairy, can be enjoyed again with Amy’s
cheese-less Roasted Vegetable Pizza (SRP $7.29 - $8.49). Amy’s
is also pleased to offer a selection of dairy-free soups, including
their popular Lentil Soup (SRP $2.39 - $2.79) and Lentil Vegetable
Soup (SRP $2.39 - $2.79).
For a complete list of Amy’s Dairy Free Products go to:
http://amys.com/special_diets/images/Dairy_Free.pdf
Letters from Consumer with Dairy Allergies
Dear Amy,
I want to thank you for providing quality products for families like
mine that have many diet restrictions. My son is allergic to milk
and its by products and pizza is his weakness. Without your pizza
he would have missed numerous pizza parties.
Thank You,
Hanifah Rios
Dear Amy,
Thank you so much for making such fabulous, tasty, healthy food. My
kids it, and I especially love your dairy-free options. I became
allergic to dairy about 10 years ago, and your Roasted Vegetable
pizza has been such a treat.
All the Best,
Kelly Line
Dear Amy,
I just want to take the time and tell you how "WONDERFUL" your
dairy-free products are. My daughter Morgan is now 8, and very allergic
to all dairy. So naturally we are very creative with meals and they
are great! Low and behold we came upon AMY'S in our grocery store.
She loves everything you have non-dairy. The store doesn't carry
all the
non-dairy items, but we keep going back at least once a week to see.
Today they had the vegetable pocket, WOW, she gave it a "10".
Keep up the great job! Between Amy's and Tofutti, the children can
have a normal life, thanks so much, looking forward to new non dairy
items.
Peg and Morgan Pietruch
Letters from Consumers with Lactose Intolerance
Dear Amy,
I nearly cried in the grocery store on Thursday. Soy Mac N Cheese?
I couldn't wait to tell my 12-year-old son. He is totally lactose
intolerant. Can't stomach even a sip of milk. I've made Mac n Cheese
from scratch, it's a pain, but he loves it. He is so happy to have
your soy cheese pizza. When I saw that box of Soy Mac N Cheese,
something he's been wishing and hoping for, ASKING for, I had to
buy 2, because I knew he'd eat one right away and want another
one the next day. Thank you for making soy cheese foods, and for
making our day! I'll be stocking up and waiting to see what you
do next!
From Beth
Dear Amy,
Words can't describe how thankful I am for your awesome products! When
I discovered that I was lactose intolerant, it was difficult to
adjust to a life without dairy... and most dairy-free foods just
taste terrible.
But your meals taste great and keep me very happy (especially the tofu
lasagna! Yum!) Keep up the great work!
From Lyra
Dear Amy,
I am not vegetarian but I am lactose intolerant. I decided to try your
meals after a friend at work brought one in for lunch. Your products
are a godsend. I had tried some vegetarian frozen foods before
and had been less than impressed. Your foods are great and the
seasonings are perfect. With such a variety of dairy free meals
I found this week I had been a lunchtime vegetarian! Thanks I will
keep looking for more of your products.
Bev
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For press inquiries, please contact Debby Fortune at 510.548.1097.
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