Today's Inc. 500 Company

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Brownwood Acres Foods

Location: Eastport, Mich.
Total Growth: 691%
2003 Revenue: $2.3 million
Employees: 5

This family business began as a honey stand during the sugar rationing of World War II. Over generations, the de Tar family built the company into a specialty food and gift merchant, producing homemade products from neighboring orchards--including jams, cherry salsa, cherry barbeque sauce, and its famous cherry butter (which it claims was the first of its kind). In light of recent medical interest in antioxidants, current president Steve de Tar has revamped the business into a nutraceutical manufacturer. Its tart cherry, pomegranate, and blueberry juice concentrates are sold in Kroger grocery stores, as well as in health food stores and through the company's website. The firm also sells a more highly concentrated, unsweetened (and low-carb) cherry and blueberry juice in capsule form.