Situated on the eastern edge of picturesque Lake Michigan, Petoskey is the home of American Spoon.
Michigan is a top producer of blueberries, and they’re well-known for their delicious tart cherries. A humid continental climate—short, warm summers and long, cold winters—combined with fertile clay & loam soils make the northern portion of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula a key player in the state’s fruit industry. Fruit orchards dot the shores along Lake Michigan, which provides the perfect microclimate for fruit trees.
Justin Rashid, one of American Spoon's founders, sorts through Michigan produce by hand to ensure quality preserves.
Founded in 1982, American Spoon is the golden standard for the artisanal food movement.
The company, born out of appreciation for the famed fruit of Michigan, was founded in downtown Petoskey by Justin Rashid and Larry Forgione. Their inaugural preserves, crafted with Early Glow Strawberries, were deemed “Spoon Preserves” because of their high fruit content. The name stuck, and American Spoon was in business.
American Spoon's Early Glow Strawberry Preserves were their inaugural product, and they're just as delicious today.
A Humble Beginning
Justin and Larry began producing preserves in a basement with limited equipment—two copper kettles and wooden paddles. Nothing was automated: the preserves were hand stirred, and jars were individually filled by hand. As word got out about the high quality preserves made by American Spoon, demand skyrocketed and the basement production just couldn't keep up. Justin and Larry moved their kitchen to a different location and opened the first American Spoon retail store.
American Spoon employees working around the clock to keep up with customer demand.
Old fashioned copper kettles are used to make small batches of American Spoon preserves.
The Early Days: Justin and Larry making and filling preserves by hand.
American Spoon is committed—committed to quality, committed to local farmers, and committed to Michigan’s fruit.
Fast forward to today: though they’ve grown immensely, American Spoon still uses copper kettles to make small batches of their legendary preserves. Built on rapport with small family fruit farms, the company constantly strives to include as much flavor as they can in each recipe while keeping the integrity of the fruit intact. By maintaining close relationships with local farmers and ensuring higher than market prices, American Spoon has single handedly kept many of Michigan’s fruit cultivars around for others to enjoy.
