It was 1969 when founder Dennis Gertmenian prepared his first customized fresh-cut salad order. Pressed for time, Gertmenian bought French knives, cutting boards and a bathtub for washing the produce, and prepared and delivered customized orders on a regular basis.
By 1978, the company, then called Ready Pac Foods, entered the retail market with its patented Aqua Pac packaging, and in 1990, became what is said to be the first company to bring European salad blends to the U.S. market. From there, Ready Pac created the “pillow pack” for bagged salads and a proprietary “crisp” packaging for bagged salads. In 2001, it pioneered the triple wash system, and remains a leader in executing environmental health and safety initiatives.