She really does exist!
So many have asked, “Is there really a Mrs. Gerry?” Yes, she really does exist!. And believe it or not, there are two of them. Gerry Vogt is the founder of the company, alongside her husband Jerry. Gerry and Jerry (better known to locals as “The Gerry’s”) founded the company over four decades ago, in support of Jerry’s sales position selling meats to grocery stores. He wanted to enhance his product offering by not only selling the main dish, but providing a full meal to his clients: meat and salads. The salads and sides organization, which has grown to over 200,000 square feet, continues to operate on the strong foundation of faith, family, and quality that the Gerry’s established.
A Look Back
The company got started the same way every batch of Mrs. Gerry’s salad does: with a demand for high quality delicious food, a great family recipe, and the two best employees, Gerry’s Mom and Dad, armed with the finest fresh ingredients local farms had to offer. The first plant was bought in 1973 - just 1,100 square feet – on East 7th Street in Albert Lea, Minnesota. Two stoves, a sink, and a cooler were added - and Mrs. Gerry’s was in business. Gerry’s sister joined the team in 1974 and that year 70,000 pounds of salad was made – all by hand. The company started by using Mrs. Gerry’s family recipe and to this day it is still one of the biggest sellers.
Mrs. Gerry's first plant purchased in 1973 on East 7th Street in Albert Lea.
Oh, How Our Kitchen Has Grown
Today, the Mrs. Gerry's facility on Y.H. Hanson Avenue in Albert Lea covers more than 200,000 square feet.
Since then, the company has expanded in every way! Mrs. Gerry’s now sells more than 50 million pounds of product a year and employs 250 at our 214,500 square foot facility located in Albert Lea, MN. Mrs. Gerry’s offers 120 different products including pasta salads, coleslaws, salad kits, specialty salads, and sides, including the popular Premium Mashed Potatoes that were introduced in 2005 and, of course, the recipe that started it all – Mrs. Gerry’s Original Potato Salad. Potatoes are not peeled by hand anymore, but the flavor, quality, and small batch approach are still the hallmarks of every product sold. Local ingredients are used whenever possible. In fact, 90% of the potatoes used for the potato salads are grown within 15 miles of the Albert Lea plant. Food safety and employee safety are top priorities. Mrs. Gerry’s uses the latest technologies to increase efficiency, reduce injury and ensure every product has the highest quality, flavor, and value.
In 2020, Mrs. Gerry’s was purchased by Sequel Holdings, LLC out of Dallas, TX. Sequel’s deep industry experience and strategic planning paired with Mrs. Gerry’s ongoing commitment to their employees and the community, ensure long-term value and growth of Mrs. Gerry’s in the years to come.
Today, Mrs. Gerry’s Salads and Mashed Potatoes are sold coast to coast, and are available in retail grocery stores and served in restaurants, universities, healthcare facilities, and more.