Barney Butter builds brand

Written by by Fresno Bee
02/17/09 08:29:57

Three years after making her first batch of almond butter in her kitchen, Jennifer Barney's business is stocking shelves in nearly 400 stores and moving into its own Fresno facility.

When Barney started her commercial operation, her Barney Butter was made by contractors who used the same processing equipment for peanut products.

Demand from parents of children with peanut allergies inspired Barney to lease a 17,000-square-foot space in southwest Fresno and buy her own equipment, with the help of an undisclosed group of investors.

The change created six manufacturing jobs and three office jobs, in addition to Barney's. And she has extended her product's reach.

Last week, 128 Raley's, Bel Air and Nob Hill Foods stores in California and Nevada began stocking Barney Butter -- the company's first time on conventional grocery shelves.

"We're out on the regular aisle next to Skippy and Jif," Barney said. "That's the first time that's happened."

Whole Foods stores in five states and other independents, including local retailers such as Bentley's Fresh Market and Sam's Italian Deli & Market, already were selling Barney Butter. Barney recently added The Fresh Market, a high-end specialty store with 86 stores, mostly in the Southeast.

Web sales are not significant -- but Barney said the recent recall of peanut products from a plant operated by the company at the center of a national salmonella outbreak has caused a tenfold increase in that side of the business.

Barney Butter comes in 16-ounce jars (smooth or crunchy). The company also sells gallon buckets for food service and 90-calorie portable packets.

A new cycle

If being a real estate agent and farming company manager wasn't enough, Bobby Ikemiya is adding bike shop owner to his résumé.

Bobby and Susan Ikemiya bought Bike Trax in Reedley, continuing a tradition that dates to 1954.

That was when Bob Suderman opened a Western Auto Store where he also sold bikes. Twenty years later, he sold Western Auto and opened Bob's Cycle Shop, keeping the bicycle portion of the business.

Bill and Paula Olinger bought that business in 1996, and changed the name to Bike Trax. This month, it changed hands again when they sold it to the Ikemiyas. Paula remains as manager.

The purchase was the result of a misunderstanding. Bobby Ikemiya said he saw a "for sale" sign in October and thought the building that houses the bike shop was for sale. It turned out to be only the business, but he was intrigued nonetheless.

"It seemed to be way less stress and more fun," said Ikemiya, 52. "I'm scared and excited at the same time."

He plans to expand the product line, adding scooters, skateboards and paintball accessories, and notices that three-wheeled bikes are a big seller. "A lot of seniors use them for exercise," he said.

Second Clovis hotel opens

The second of five new hotels in Clovis opened Feb. 4.

The Holiday Inn Express has 91 rooms and about 30 employees. It is on Shaw Avenue just east of Willow Avenue.

The hotel opened less than a week before the World Ag Expo in Tulare and sold out at least one night last week with travelers to the show. It was also filling up for the Tour of California cycling race this week, said Cindy Snyder, vice president of sales and marketing for Campbell Lodging Inc.

Campbell Lodging owns the hotel, along with TownePlace Suites Marriott at Fresno Street and Herndon Avenue overlooking Highway 41.

The Clovis hotel features Holiday Inn Express' new, updated look, including blue lights outside the building.

It follows the January opening of the Fairfield Inn & Suites near Clovis and Herndon avenues. Three more hotels are scheduled to open in Clovis in the coming months.

Herwaldt honored

Longtime Fresno automobile dealer and community leader Lou Herwaldt will formally be recognized as the winner of the 2009 Leon S. Peters Award at the 30th Valley Business Conference on Wednesday at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in downtown Fresno.

Peters, the Fresno entrepreneur for whom the award was named, led numerous community organizations and institutions before his death in 1983. The award started in 1984.