It’s been a fast ride for Emily Griffen. In just two years time, Griffen went from making bloody mary mix in her own kitchen to becoming the official provider of bloody mary mix for the home of the Detroit Lions, Ford Field.
Yet despite her success, Griffen’s mix is still made from scratch, its fresh ingredients still crafted by hand.
This summer, Griffen’s mix, Brewt’s Bloody Mary, became available at the Midland Area Farmers Market. It’s just one of many places you can find it (Brewt’s is now available at all Meijer stores throughout Michigan) but for Griffen, local farmers markets are a valuable resource for marketing her brand.
Griffen doesn’t spend big money on advertising firms. Instead, she relies on word-of-mouth to promote Brewt’s. The Midland Area Farmers Market allows her company and its employees to interact with customers one-on-one.
"I love farmers markets. I’ve been shopping at them for 15 years," Griffen says.
"I find such a sense of community. It’s a great way to get involved and meet people and eat fresh."
Fresh is the key word for Brewt’s. Prior to starting her company, Griffen spent ten years as a competitive kickboxer. With a focus on health and nutrition but a love for Bloody Marys, Griffen found many mixes unsatisfying. Many pre-made brands were high in sodium and sugar, she says. So she decided to make her own.
Griffen began making her own mix at her Grand Rapids home. She’d then bring it to social events where friends would rave about it. Following an invite to the Devos food and wine festival, Brewt’s was picked up by a distributor in just 30 days. Griffen soon quit her job and focused on Brewt’s full-time.
Brewt’s is made with all natural and fresh ingredients. The lemons and limes are squeezed by hand. The horse radish is grated by hand, too. Pickled jalopenos give the mix its distinct taste.
She now has more than 750 accounts across the state. In Midland, you can find Brewt’s Bloody Mary at the Farmers Market, The H Hotel, Royal Party Store, and Eastman Party Store.
Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
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