Detroit's culinary landscape is set to experience a nostalgic twist as Mark Rieth, the man behind Atwater Brewery, has purchased the Velvet Peanut Butter brand, with aspirations to revive its Detroit roots. As per FOX 2 Detroit, Rieth shared how Velvet Peanut Butter holds a special place in his heart, dating back to his childhood. "I remember loving Velvet Peanut Butter as a kid. It was my ‘go to’ after-school snack the whole time I was growing up," Rieth said. With a legacy stretching back to 1937, Velvet Peanut Butter was famously run by Paul Zuckerman, a Detroit truck driver recognized by the moniker 'Peanut Butter King'.
Aiming to restore the brand's former glory, Rieth plans to reintroduce Velvet Peanut Butter with its original "Fresh. Pure. Delicious" mantra and ensure its presence on local grocery shelves, as revealed in a statement by FOX 2 Detroit. The brand history reads like a local success tale, with humble beginnings selling peanut butter case-by-case from the trunk of a car, to becoming a staple for soldiers during World War II and a household name in Detroit. This legacy was nearly lost when Michigan production halted following Zukerman's company sale in 1985 and the subsequent cessation of production.
Venturing back into the market, Velvet Peanut Butter was resurrected once more in 2008 by Eric Bruce, who successfully re-established distribution in Michigan. Bruce, who has helmed the brand for over a decade and a half, decided that "now is the perfect time for me to step away and turn this iconic brand over Mark for him to lead the exciting next chapter," Bruce said, according to a FOX 2 Detroit release. Coincidentally, as reported by Metro Times and shared by Deadline Detroit, Rieth muses about following in Zuckerman's footsteps, contemplating the sudden immersion into the peanut butter industry.
Capitalizing on the storied past, the Velvet Peanut Butter brand is also recognizable by the three freckled cartoon boys on its label, a detail that the Michigan Food and Drinks authors highlight was inspired by Zuckerman's son, Norbert. Rieth, already a prominent figure in the beverage industry, intends to shepherd Velvet with its high-quality production standards and its significance to the Detroit area. He shared his enthusiasm for growing nostalgic Detroit brands and believes this venture will prove both enjoyable and profitable. Rieth's acquisition of Velvet Peanut Butter potentially opens doors to creative product integrations with his other ventures, such as Lansing Brewing Company's craft brews and spirits, creating an opportunity for novel flavors and cross-promotional possibilities.
Rieth has ambitious plans for Velvet Peanut Butter; he hopes to increase its availability in the local Detroit market before reaching out to regional and national distributors. He has also suggested that the company might explore additional flavors and innovative product offerings that include a nod to other brands in his portfolio, detailed by Detroit Free Press. With production and distribution strategies still being ironed out, Detroit awaits the return of the Velvet Peanut Butter to its former spot in the pantheon of local classics.
