Steve Reich
After World War II, Steve Reich worked for his uncle, Max Ries, at what would become Reese Finer Foods. In 1964, Reich purchased Charlotte Charles, a venerable manufacturer of plum puddings, brandied fruit cakes, confections, jellies, and preserves whose recipes dated back to Napoleon’s time. He brought the company to the next level, adding gift packing, importing, and specialty foods distribution. Charlotte Charles became one of the larger U.S. specialty food companies and went public in 1983. Reich sold the company in 1990 and died in 2005. His son, Stewart, a food broker, talks about his father’s dedication to the specialty food business.
Foray into Food. Max Ries and Steve Reich first exhibited Reese Finer Foods at the Fancy Food Show in 1958. They made news for an elaborate gift package costing $300, stuffed with Portuguese anchovies, Swiss candies, and liquid cheese in an aerosol can, among other “exotic” treats. “He was in charge of gift packing and manufacturing and put together attractive, quality items that people would be proud to give and the recipient would be happy to receive,” Stewart Reich says of his father.
The Pet Milk Company of St. Louis acquired Reese in 1964. Max Ries continued as its president and Reich went on to purchase Charlotte Charles.
Breaking Boundaries. “My dad helped develop original formulas and packaging concepts for popular dressings, pancake mixes, roasted nuts, and pickled vegetables,” Stewart says. “He liked to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. We laugh about it today, but he also developed roll-on garlic juice packaged like deodorant to rub over your roast. I’m pretty sure it failed. Not all innovation succeeds, but it’s part of what we do in our business.”
Reich’s whimsically colored popcorn proved to be a success story. So did his use of safflower oil in salad dressing. “He was ahead of his time in terms of awareness of healthier food, reducing the levels of sugar and salt,” his son says.
Industry Impact. “I would be remiss in not saying my dad had very strong family values, unbelievable respect for other human beings,” Stewart notes. “He was a man of few words, leading a business and personal life of integrity and reliability. If he were alive today he’d be looking at his children and six grandchildren as accomplishments. My family has been in the specialty food business since 1945 and played a part in the way America eats. How can you not love that?”
From founding an iconic gourmet retailer to bringing new life to the Fancy Food Shows, these seven visionaries have helped change the face of the food world.
