Founder's Story
Rocky Mountain's first sauce (BBQ) is based on a recipe that owner Todd Goodew's uncle Hoppe spent his lifetime trying to duplicate from his childhood in Fort Dodge, Iowa. A restaurant, Treloar's just around the corner from where he lived, produced the aroma pf roasting ribs and provided the mouth watering taste of their sauce slathered on the ribs very generously. The ribs were so popular that if you didn't order by 9 AM, you missed out on ribs for lunch. As time passed, the restaurant closed down but the memory of those wonderful ribs and how they tasted never lost their impact on Todd's uncle Hoppe
Todd Goodew remembers how long and hard his uncle Hoppe worked to recreate the recipe but never quite got it right. Hoppe told Todd the ingredients and shared with him what he wast trying to do. From the first taste. Todd knew it was a winner but it still needed additional development and testing to make it really great. Todd started mixing and experimenting with the recipe during his tour of duty in the Air Force, eventually developing the formula during that time. When he returned to home to Colorado, he treated his family to a BBQ dinner they would never forget. Hoppe said, " Son, I believe you have done it. You have mastered it! From then on Todd knew the sauce would always be a special part of his life. Twelve years later Todd launched that elusive BBQ sauce into stores. Unfortunately, uncle Hoppe died before that happened. However, it was in his memory that Todd dedicated the company - Rocky Mountain Products. The name seemed fitting since the journey began in Colorado. We eventually moved to Central Oregon, which is where uncle Hoppe passed away - a man who loved to entertain and cook for friends. A legacy that continues to this day in our company, Rocky Mountain Products. |
In 1992, the company started marketing the original sauce using the highest quality and freshest ingredients, initially made by a contract manufacturer. A distributor was employed to facilitate retail sales in Oregon and Washington areas. A decision was made in 1995 for Rocky Mountain Products to create their own manufacturing facility and to change the focus from retail to grocery chain delicatessen and meat department niches. A small economic development loan was obtained to purchase equipment, inventory and leased space. Sales steadily grew as the products acceptance continued to expand and new customers and opportunities arose.
Rocky Mountain Products leased manufacturing facility expanded from the original 2,000 square feet to 16,000 square feet in 1995. Since then, the company developed its equipment and production lines to expand from one product to over 200 product items, never steering away from their focus on quality. Our name and logo are well recognized by the top global grocery retailers including Kroger, Fred Meyer, Haggens, Raley's, QFC, Albertsons, Safeway, Fry's, Unified Grocers, Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and Costco. Our products are readily requested by key buyers for these stores. 
With focus on the grocery chain delicatessen and meat departments, we have developed unique programs customized to each particular customer. These programs train managers and employees on how to use our products (sauces, seasonings and breadings) to increase their sales. These programs provide ongoing support and training, research and development for new products to stay up with food trends, as well as providing all statistical data to allow each customer to measure their growth in sales while making sure they maintain proper profit margins. Rocky Mountain Products also provides contract manufacturing for a variety of items to be used in deli and meat departments.
Through the years, Rocky Mountain Products have won award after award, all across the country for product quality, excelence and taste. |