Local artisan food company boasts traditional Italian products with local Michigan ingredients
Kristin Coppens
| 2 min read
The Johnny Secreto family brought the taste of real Italian sauces to West Michigan when the family immigrated to the United States in the 20th century. They brought with them a passion for tradition and for cooking food that has been passed down through several generations.
This was shared through personal relationships until 2010, when Johnny Secreto Foods was founded.
“Before 2010, friends and family knew our products as nameless gifts…but a century of a family’s love for food and one year of solid business planning from 2011 to 2012 laid the foundation for the company,” states Wade LaFever, co-founder and son-in-law of John Coram, co-founder (Johnny Secreto is Coram’s great uncle).
Chock full of healthy, local, and all natural ingredients, the sauces and spices manage to be simple, delicious, and innovative.
LaFever explains, “Our products have this ability to take people back to a unique place. Whether it’s a spice blend that smells like a Moroccan vacation or a spaghetti sauce that reminds one of Grandma’s house, our customers share a connection with our products.”
The current product line includes a traditional spaghetti sauce, whole grain pasta, craft BBQ sauce, and several spices, including Sultan’s Gold, Espresso Especial, Backyard Classic, and Mexicallia. In the future, Johnny Secreto Foods hopes to develop additional spices and a new vodka pasta sauce that would utilize a Michigan distillery and local creamery, among other ideas.
So why local and Michigan? LaFever and Coram both hold a proud passion for what Michigan has to offer in terms of local resources and products.
Spoken like a true Michigander, LaFever boasts: “The recent push to buy local and keep money in Michigan has really given a boost to the Michigan food and beverage industry. Just look at the brewery boom and the myriad of Michigan specialty food products. I might be a little bias with my aforementioned love for Michigan, but everything tastes great, so it checks out, right?”
Yes it does Wade, yes it does.
You can order Johnny Secreto products by calling 810-923-0348 or visiting their website.
Photo credit: Johnny Secreto Foods
