Trailblazer Foods Celebrates 30 Years of Quality Grocery Products

PORTLAND, OR--(Marketwired - Mar 11, 2014) -  Trailblazer Food Products, a leading manufacturer of private-label and branded grocery products in the western United States, is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2014.

Trailblazer Foods was the vision of founder Gary Walls, who picked berries as a child in the fertile fields of the Willamette Valley and then worked at fruit processing plants and canneries before moving on to oversee local berry fields and start his own small blueberry farm. As a hobbyist, he developed fruit-based syrups for Elmer's Pancake House, and from these modest beginnings Trailblazer Foods was formed.

Walls founded Trailblazer Foods in 1984 and began manufacturing preserves and jellies under the Walls Berry Farm name. The company grew quickly, and by 1991 its workforce had more than doubled. In 1999, to enable further expansion, Trailblazer Foods moved to its current 40,000-square-foot facility in Portland, Ore. When Walls retired in 2000, Miller Family Holdings acquired a majority interest in the company, followed two years later by the remaining interest. Trailblazer Foods invested in a major capital equipment upgrade in 2002 that significantly increased production capacity, and the acquisition of a shredded and flaked coconut business in 2009 created additional market opportunities.

Trailblazer Foods' growth has been supported by numerous certifications testifying to the quality of the company's operations, including organic food certification in 2005, kosher food certification in 2008 and ongoing Safe Quality Food (SQF) Level 2 certification beginning in 2010.

"We're extremely proud of the milestones we've achieved during the past 30 years," said Rob Miller, president and CEO of Trailblazer Foods. "The grocery industry is exciting and dynamic, and we're thrilled to be part of an industry with such an important role in our economy and lives. We see a bright future ahead."

Today, Trailblazer Foods is one of the western United States' largest producers of preserves and jellies, table syrups, sweetened and unsweetened shredded and flaked coconut, drink mixes, Italian syrups, institutional pie filling and glazes, and other sweetener- and fruit-based products. The company also produces sauces, marinades, glazes and various other non-oil-based products.

Trailblazer Foods is a major supplier to the food service industry and a trusted co-packer and private-label manufacturer for many top national and regional grocery retailers and food and beverage brands. The company's branded products, including Walls Berry Farm Preserves and Nalley's Lumberjack Table Syrups, are also sold at leading grocery retailers.

"Trailblazer Foods has been a dependable private-label supplier to Western Family for many years," said Ron King of Western Family Foods. "The company is large enough to provide scale and value, yet small enough to be adaptable. We've always appreciated Trailblazer's flexibility and focus on meeting customer needs, and we wish the company many more decades of success."

For more information on Trailblazer Foods, its history, and its product and service offerings, visit www.tbfoods.com.

About Trailblazer Food Products
Inspired by the rich agricultural bounty of the Pacific Northwest, Trailblazer Food Products was incorporated in 1984. Today, the company produces co-pack, private-label and branded products in many core grocery categories, including preserves and jellies, table syrups, sweetened and unsweetened flaked and shredded coconut, drink mixes, Italian syrups, institutional pie filling and glazes, and savory sauces and marinades. Its customers include Albertsons, Kroger, Safeway, Costco, Walmart, Sam's Club, Unified Grocers, Western Family Foods, Topco, Boyd's Coffee, ConAgra Foods and others.