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.

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.

成立全球總部

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.

RUTH 的食譜

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.

全球首創資訊型廣告

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.

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.

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.

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.

零售事業擴展

隨著全食運動的風行，Vitamix® 從 Costco 為起點，向零售商示範其產品及蔬食食譜。

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

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.

為下個世紀奠定基礎

在疫情流行期間中，Vitamix 被公認為是這場危機的領導者，展現出要有所作為的堅強價值觀、意圖與熱情，不僅帶動公司的業績，還影響了更廣大的社群。

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