U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew Tours Vitamix Manufacturing Facility

CLEVELAND, May 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew toured the Vitamix operations center in suburban Cleveland today to draw attention to the importance of investing in manufacturing, innovation and job creation.

Vitamix, a 92-year-old, fourth-generation family-owned company, designs and manufactures high-performance blending equipment for the food service industry, discriminating home chefs, and everyone who wants to enjoy healthy, whole food made simple and delicious. The company has been experiencing significant growth as its products gain in popularity in the U.S. and in more than 100 countries around the world. Its net sales were up 52 percent in 2012 over 2011, and have more than tripled in the past four years.

"It's wonderful to see the national spotlight being placed on Cleveland and the many positive things happening in our regional economy," said Jodi Berg, Vitamix president and CEO. "We're honored that the Secretary chose to showcase Vitamix as an example of an innovative and thriving company."

Vitamix is the leading provider of high performance blending equipment to the finest restaurants, the top smoothie chains, quick serve restaurants and coffee chains in the world. Its machines for home use are sold in retail outlets such as Williams Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, and Sur La Table in the U.S., and overseas in outlets such as Harrods and John Lewis.

Berg attributes the company's growth to several factors, including increased awareness among the general public of the link between a whole food lifestyle and health. People want to eat healthy, whether at home or while dining out, but do not want to compromise on taste and enjoyment. The Vitamix makes enjoying a healthy cuisine sustainable.

The company is in the midst of a $10-million, 51,000-square-foot expansion of its world headquarters. Its operations facility, with approximately 175,000 square feet of space, opened at the end of 2012.

About Vitamix^®
Vitamix, privately owned and operated by the Barnard family since 1921, manufactures and markets superior blending and mixing products directly to the public and the restaurant/hospitality industry.  Vitamix is recognized as a leader in innovation in the direct marketing industry, having created the infomercial genre in the late 1940s and developed the first true commercial blender in the early 1990s. The company's commercial customer list reads like a "Who's Who" of major restaurant chains, and gourmet chefs worldwide say their Vitamix machines are more important to them than their knives.  Nestled in the valley of picturesque Olmsted Falls, Ohio, the company employs more than 700 people, assembles all products in NE Ohio, has a global presence in more than 80 countries and continues to win awards for product innovation.  For more information, visit www.vitamix.com.

SOURCE Vitamix