About Us

Background
Heritage Family Specialty Foods, Inc., became a reality in 1991 after founder Daniel Brackeen completed an exciting and dynamic career as creator and manufacturer of specialty ice cream products, including The Country's Best Yogurt, later known as TCBY. Daniel and his wife, Cheryl, had been working together since 1976 in a small Dallas, Texas, ice cream specialty company, Arthur's Ice Cream Specialties, Inc., that had been purchased from founder, Arthur C. Maxcy. The Brackeens' small family business began in a leased 300 square-foot corner of a cold storage plant in 1973. Quality, super-premium products, mixed with integrity, truth and customer-driven service was Arthur's marketplace niche.

Founding
Entrepreneurial zeal and willingness to try the impossible (such as developing a non-fat ice cream for Neiman-Marcus in 1976) moved Arthur's into frozen yogurt production. Brackeen invented his flavored frozen yogurt line, later to become TCBY. At TCBY, Brackeen set and achieved two personal goals: Building the first state-of-the-art frozen yogurt facility and selling cups of frozen yogurt around the world.

After leaving the frozen yogurt company, Brackeen developed the Heritage Family concept. Heritage Family opened a niche in the restaurant industry for specialty foods. The restaurant industry is highly focused on meeting customer demands for unique, quality dining experiences. And restaurant chefs demand quality processed, gourmet products. Consistency in the restaurant kitchen is a virtue that is both prized and elusive. Enter Heritage Family to meet these needs.

Facility
After searching the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and inspecting dozens of potential facilities, Heritage Family secured a plant in Grand Prairie, Texas. Our plant is at the hub of the Metroplex's transportation links to all the United States. We completely retrofitted and refurnished the plant, a former sandwich commissary. A local cafeteria commissary, which was closing, provided the first processing equipment and six key employees to Heritage. Three of these six held leadership and management roles at Heritage. Two of these key employees have since deceased and are, both quality plant engineers, Fred Geiser and Don Wise. These pioneers laid the foundation for the production excellence that marks our reputation. Two are key supervisors in operations.

We commenced plant construction in 1992. Within six months, we had our first customer and first order-for less than 10 pallets of quart salsa. All nine of us were joyous! By the time the job began, the order had jumped to several truckloads for a national wholesale club. Quickly securing labor, we completed the order on time, working around the clock for seven days. This work ethic and the attitude to serve our "customer family" developed and remains the Heritage Family standard today.

Growth
As Heritage Family proved its fundamental abilities, new customers sought our expertise and product lines expanded. Family customers see Heritage Family transparently and believe in our abilities to respond to their needs, design quality products consistently and ship on time.

The Heritage Family plant has grown to 50,000 square feet. Now sixty-five employees produce up to 300 SKU's for fifty customer groups. We ship to all states in the Union. Now in the 11th year of service to the Heritage Family customer, we continue to provide exceptional quality. Heritage Family's level-of-service-completions remain outstanding, filling 100.0% of orders, 99.9% on time.

At Heritage Family, we continue the tradition of honesty and integrity with our Family customers, vendors and employees. The Heritage Family invites you to join us.