Today we’d like to introduce you to Thomas Kreitlow.
Hi Thomas, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to share how you got started.
Intermountain HPP began out of necessity. Several years ago, I had a restaurant company called Pulp Lifestyle Kitchen. One of the menu staples was cold-pressed juice. As we began to scale the operation, we needed a way to extend shelf life and to make the juice safe for at-risk populations (raw products can be harmful to pregnant women and the elderly). We also wanted to produce juice for wholesale distribution. High-pressure processing (HPP) is the industry standard for pasteurization since it uses cold water pressure to eliminate pathogens and harmful bacteria, instead of traditional “heat” which can affect the quality and destroy enzymes. Since there were no such machines located in the Intermountain West, the only solution was to start an HPP company which could not only service my products, but the products of other producers as well. Providing HPP services is known in the industry as “tolling.” It’s a business model designed to utilize the excess capacity of the machine and to offset some of the capital costs. This technology is expensive, and it can be a barrier to entry for anyone considering HPP.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Normally, it takes years of hard work to grow a successful business. Being this was a new technology to the Utah market; our path was especially challenging. Potential customers unfamiliar with the process needed additional guidance prior to launch. Sometimes this was packaging, or logistics, or laboratory validation: Intermountain HPP had to become a one-stop shop for the cold pasteurization process, often helping companies navigate the tricky waters of food manufacturing. In addition, we launched Intermountain HPP in November of 2019, 4 months prior to covid-19. The Pulp restaurants essentially shuttered their doors, so juice sales plummeted. In order to survive, we had to find other tolling customers. Fortunately, the grocery industry did not suffer during the pandemic to the extent restaurants did, so we focused our energies there.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Since its inception, Intermountain HPP has expanded its focus to include additional services and brand development. About 18 months ago, we formed Liberty Squeezed, a division specializing in production for its brand, Luma Juice, as well as co-manufacturing for other companies. For example, we private label cold-pressed orange juice for several regional operations, and usually produce more than 30,000 bottles a month under various labels. HPP can be utilized for salsa, guacamole, hummus and other dips, baby food, high-end pet food, and more. At various times we have processed many of these products on behalf of other companies who find it desirable for minimizing labor and operating costs, and ensuring consistency. Our products are now available from Phoenix to Boise, and from Denver to Los Angeles.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
The success of the company has provided relief from the day-to-day stresses of running a company, but the greatest satisfaction has come from working with small start-ups to help launch their brand and products. We’ve assisted a small salsa company who started in their garage, a margarita mix start-up out of Dallas, a local hummus company, and others. Helping people realize their dreams is a source of great pride for my team and me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.intermountainhpp.com | www.lumajuice.com | www.libertysqueezed.com
- Instagram: @luma_juice
- Facebook: Luma Juice
