Meet the "Faces of FruitFast"
Steve & Dana DeTar
FOURTH GENERATION OWNERS
“I still remember stirring batches of jams and jellies with my grandparents,” recalls Steve. “By the time I was a teenager I could make every product we sold. Not only were they wonderful teachers, but they passed on a strong work ethic.”
Growing up, Steve always enjoyed helping his grandparents with the family business. He met Dana while attending Hillsdale College. Upon graduation, Steve decided to manufacture and distribute many of his grandmother's cherished recipes. Two years later, he and Dana were together in the kitchen stirring, bottling, and growing the business and their own family. They added new favorites like Cherry BBQ and Jalapeño Cherry Salsa.
In the late '90s, the couple read about new discoveries regarding cherries and their health benefits. Their focus shifted with the addition of Cherry Juice Concentrate (and other varieties to follow), and thus FruitFast was born.
Confident that they have instilled in their children the same passion that pushed Steve and his grandmother to find success, Dana and Steve have begun transitioning toward retirement. They enjoy spending their summers on Torch Lake and recently began spending their winters in Florida.
In the Office
Give us a call - Talk to a Real Person
Ken
Sales, Food Safety & Product Development
Originally from Waterford, MI, Ken started out on the Brownwood production line over 20 years ago and has enjoyed assisting the Brownwood team ever since.
With a handsome son and an active Border Collie on the home front, it's easy to say he's always on the go.
You may recognize his voice when calling direct to place an order. Otherwise, he'll be handling the Brownwood food safety program and product logistics.
When away from the office, you may find him roaming the beautiful shores of the Grand Traverse Bay, playing his guitar at the local pubs, or as a past PGA Golf Professional on the first tee of a nearby golf course.
Richard
Shipping, Packaging & Sales
Starting out in the fudge shop back in the '70s, it wasn't until the '90s that Richard returned to work for us again.
Over the last 30 years, Richard has been integral in helping adapt and change to the ever-evolving world of shipping and packaging. If you place an order, there's an 80% chance Richard will have a hand in fulfilling it.
With a passion for snorkeling and scuba diving, Richard enjoys taking yearly trips to Mexico to go cave diving, deep-sea scuba diving, and more. He has been on over 20 trips!