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About Us
New Frontiers: An Article from Forest & Bluff Magazine, August 2008
“I had no intention of ever starting a business,” explains Trisha Anderson, President of Frontier Soups, whose sales were just under $2 million in 2007. Not bad for someone who never thought she’d one day run her own company.
Trisha got her start when she came to the rescue of a friend who was organizing a local holiday market. “She knew that I had done some catering and was curious if I had a ‘product,’” says Trisha. “I told her that I had this bean soup mix that might work.” So off Trisha went to the show with 275 hand-packaged bags of soup and her card table. “We had samples for people to try and a little sign that said ‘Dinner for 10-12 for $6.’ The soup was a hit, especially with the men. We sold out the first night,” remembers Trisha.
And thus Frontier Soups was born. With the first three soups, Minnesota Heartland 11 Bean, Dakota Territory Beef Barley Bean, and Illinois Prairie Corn Chowder, packed into cartons in the back of her van along with her crock pot, ladle and apron, Trisha took to the road in 1986, traveling a little circuit of holiday markets from Milwaukee to Detroit and back to Chicago.
Now, more than twenty years later, Frontier Soups no longer operates from the Anderson Family’s basement. Instead, with a full-time office staff of six and new automated filler equipment, it occupies a 10,000 square foot warehouse and administrative facility in Waukegan. Frontier Soups ships all over the country offering 38 varieties of soup, four pasta salads, four breakfast/baking mixes, and five appetizer/dip mixes. All ingredients are of the highest quality and contain no salt, MSG, or preservatives. The mixes are available in specialty food and gift stores, as well as finer grocery markets throughout the country.
While Trisha’s soup creations today are manufactured in a commercial plant, she still finds inspiration for them in her home kitchen. “Cooking is recreation for me. My mother was an inventive cook. She’d go to the refrigerator and make dinner from whatever was there. It was always delicious but never the same,” Trisha says. “When I get home from work, I like to see what I can dream up for dinner—and this carries over to the business.”
In spite of the tight economy, Frontier Soups continues to thrive. “People really don’t cook any more, but they want to eat healthy and eat well. With our soups, by adding just a couple of ingredients, you can have a delicious meal in under an hour,” Trisha says. “Our packaging allows customers to see the ingredients—they really appreciate that.”
When asked what the key to her success has been, Trisha answers without hesitation. “I started with something I knew and loved—cooking. And we grew the business slowly, careful not to take on more risk than we were sure we could handle.” Comforting advice from the reigning queen of comfort food. Soup’s on.
A Brief History of Frontier Soups...
Join us in celebrating 20 years of the finest all American, all natural dried soup mixes for delicious and convenient home preparation.
Our company's initial success grew out of a single initial product: Minnesota Heartland Soup. It is an eleven-bean soup, and was introduced to consumers at a holiday boutique as a favor to a friend who needed a food item amongst all the jewelry, crafts and clothing. The response was overwhelming and the business was launched!
Adding one or two new soups a year and expanding the business nationwide through a network of holiday markets, the business soon outgrew the family's basement and now occupies an 8,000 sq. ft. warehouse and administrative facility.
Trisha Anderson, the company's founder and president, graduated from college with a degree in English literature, but transformed a life-long love of cooking into a career in the food industry. Beginning as a cooking instructor and then as a caterer, she is solely responsible for the creation of all new recipes, a process that varies from overnight brainstorm to many months.
From hearty bean soups to chili, chowders and more delicate varieties, Frontier Soups offers soup for all seasons and every appetite! All ingredients are of the finest quality and contain no salt, MSG or preservatives. The mixes are available in fine specialty food and gift stores throughout the country or by mail order directly from the company.