Vitamix 100 year annivarsary

Our History

Barnard Sales Co

BARNARD SALES CO.

William Grover Barnard, affectionately known as “Papa Barnard,” starts a company selling household products through demonstration. He finds early success selling the 25-cent Polly Can Opener, which gave people safer and easier access to healthy foods year-round.

The Road to the Vita-Mix

NATURAL FOODS INSTITUTE

Papa Barnard renames the company to Natural Foods Institute to better align with their new focus on whole-food nutrition. After spending two summers demonstrating at the Great Lakes Exposition Papa and his son William G. “Bill” Barnard, Jr.’s biggest take aways were the introduction to the blender and a love for the city of Cleveland and its people.

Natural Foods Institute

THE FIRST STORE FRONT

As their business grew Papa and Bill opened up the first Natural Foods Institute store at 807 Saint Clair Ave. In addition to a variety of health foods products the store offered health lectures, and demonstrations of the Vitamix which they advertised for $13.95.

Vitamix World Headquarters Established

WORLD HEADQUARTERS ESTABLISHED

The company moves to Olmsted Township, Ohio, where Bill Barnard builds a rustic, 1,100-square-foot office building. The health food division becomes smaller as the family focuses on direct marketing and sales demonstrations of the Vitamix.

Ruths Recipes

RUTH’S RECIPES

Ruth Barnard, wife of Papa’s son Bill, contributes vitamin-rich recipes to a cookbook, 500 Recipes for Vita-Mix and Other Liquifying Machines. Her innovations in healthy eating help put the Vita-Mix machine ahead of other blenders on the market.

WORLD’S FIRST INFOMERCIAL

Bill Barnard convinces his father to air a first-of-its-kind, half-hour infomercial over WEWS in Cleveland. They needed to sell 18 Vitamix Machines to break even on the ad cost. That night, they sold more than 400.

1955 Papa Retires

SECOND GENERATION TAKES THE LEAD

Papa retires passing the business onto the second generation. Bill and Ruth incorporate the business and travel coast to coast with their family, demonstrating the benefits of healthy living through the Vitamix.

Grover Barnard

THIRD GENERATION TAKES THE LEAD

Bill and Ruth’s son Grover joins the company. He shifts the focus solely to Vitamix machines and innovation, discontinuing the health food division. In 1966, the company name is changed to the Vita-Mix Corporation. Grover goes on to become president in 1985.

Vitamix Going Global

THE LEADERSHIP BATON PASSES AGAIN

John Barnard, Bill and Ruth’s son and brother to Grover, rejoins the company in 1981 as head engineer. He redesigns the Vitamix 3600 to meet Canadian standards, setting the stage for future international sales. John will go on to heavily influence product development, as well as manufacturing and sales, before becoming president in 1999.

Vitamix Retail Expansion

RETAIL EXPANSION

As the whole-food movement gains traction, Vitamix® takes its demonstration and plant-based recipes to retailers, beginning with Costco.

Jodi Berg

FOURTH GENERATION TAKES THE LEAD

Jodi Berg becomes president, and a year later, CEO. Her father, John Barnard, becomes executive chairman. The company is now in more than 80 countries and wins exporting excellence awards from the state and federal government.

1 Million Machines

1 MILLION MACHINES

Vitamix, having opened a 175,000-square-foot operations center in Strongsville, Ohio, hits the 1 million mark in machines manufactured over a single year.

Stage for the Next Century

SETTING THE STAGE FOR THE NEXT CENTURY

In the midst of a pandemic, Vitamix is recognized as a leader in a crisis, demonstrating that strong values, purpose and passion for making a difference can impact not just company performance, but the greater community as well.

Vitamix at 100 Years

VITAMIX AT 100 YEARS

After 100 years, four generations, and sales in 130 countries, the Vitamix family business is thriving under Jodi Berg’s leadership. Jodi is known for infusing the company culture with purpose and passion for whole, healthy foods.

“If we can change the way people eat, we can change the future.”
–Jodi L. Berg, Ph.D., President and CEO, Vitamix