Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/57654
Up Front with UP Amoretti by Meridith May Jack Barsoumian is an entrepreneur, yes, but he is first and foremost a chemist and cell molecular biologist. He and his wife, Maral, and brother, Ara, began the business as a confection manufacturer in 1989, producing a heavenly mar- zipan. Although the artisan sweet was made from all-natural ingredients and was simply delicious, retailers pushed it aside for cheap lollipops and mass-marketed chocolates when the holidays rolled around. It was time to re-invent the wheel. Maral's business entrepreneurs degree from USC and Jack's UCLA education gave them the wherewithal to deconstruct the business and create two flavor ingredients for pastries. Twenty-three years later, the Barsoumians oversee a staggering 2,000-flavor-ingredient-strong company that has has opened doors beyond the pastry market. When a customer asks the Barsoumians, "Can you make this?" the answer is most likely a nod of the head. In 2002, thanks to Amoretti's products, the U.S. team won Gold Medal at the World Pastry Team Championship for the first time in the global competition's history. The event is held every two years, and the French really thought they would take the title over in '04. But the U.S. team, backed by Amoretti's natural and superb flavors and Edible Perfume® sprays, won by a landslide. "After that, Amoretti was asked to be the ongoing title sponsor," Jack explains. "The teams can opt to use our ingredients, but there is no one team that has the advantage anymore." Introducing Amoretti Red Velvet Martini Mix Making concentrates from whole fruits is not a challenge to Amoretti. With 35 streamlined and perfected flavors in their newly launched Martini Mix line-up, it's Red Velvet that caught our eye. "This is the world's first Red Velvet mix," Maral points out. The red hue is obtained naturally from red berries, and the vanilla and chocolate that melt in your mouth on the finish is the real deal. "The line started with the concept of the world's first drink- able, versus sippable, Martini," Maral and Jack report. "Unlike highly acidified mixes made of sugar & food acids, Amoretti Martini Mix is concentrated, using the Whole Fruit, the Pulp and the Juice. And with a shelf life of one year, there's no refrigeration necessary to crowd your chilling space." The idea came to them after a high-end supermarket bever- age buyer compiled a group of non-alcohol upscale martini 6 / the tasting panel / march 2012 mixes in a blind taste test. Jack created some test products and entered them in the tasting. The result was that 100 percent of the votes went to the Amoretti Martini mixes. "That pretty much convinced us to launch this line," Jack comments. The 28-fluid-ounce mixes sell for a suggested retail price of $10.95. When used in two-to-one with a spirit brand, it's a profit maker all around. "And you also end up having a more sober customer," adds Maral. Jack and Maral Barsoumian, CEO and Marketing President of Amoretti. PHOTO: ROB BROWN