Marie’s

What Marie’s does

Marie's is a U.S. consumer packaged goods brand that manufactures and markets refrigerated salad dressings, dips, spreads, and glazes. Founded in 1959 by Marie Nordquist in Seattle, the company originated from a cafe where chef Harold Smith's blue cheese dressing was commercialized into retail bottles. The brand is currently operated by West Madison Foods, Inc. (an Illinois corporation headquartered at 500 W. Madison, Suite 3630, Chicago) and owned by Ventura Foods, LLC, a diversified food conglomerate; "Marie's" is a registered trademark of Ventura Foods.

The product line spans five categories with 25+ SKUs: classic creamy and vinaigrette Dressings (e.g., Chunky Blue Cheese, Caesar, Creamy Ranch, Balsamic Vinaigrette, Greek Vinaigrette), flavor-packed Dips (Creamy Ranch, Southwest Ranch, Everything Bagel, Onion Chive & Herb), squeezable Spreads, single-serve Minis, and a Glaze extension (Strawberry Glaze). Core technology is food formulation around real, premium ingredients, supported by a refrigerated supply chain from manufacturing through retail; all products are placed exclusively in the refrigerated produce section to signal freshness and differentiate from shelf-stable competitors.

Marie's operates a product-led growth model through third-party grocery retail; it does not sell direct-to-consumer online. The company drives discovery via its website (recipes, product locator, brand story) and social channels (Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram), then converts via store locator to in-store purchase. Revenue is generated from one-time retail sales of branded packaged goods (12 oz and 25 oz jars, squeeze bottles, 1.5 oz single-serve cups) at standard CPG price points through grocery chains nationwide. Customer service is handled via a 1-800 line and web contact form, and the customer base is horizontal U.S. consumer households seeking premium ingredient quality.

Name

Marie’s

Legal name

West Madison Foods, Inc.

Website

https://maries.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marie's is a U.S. refrigerated consumer packaged goods brand founded in 1959, producing premium salad dressings, dips, spreads, and glazes sold through grocery retailers nationwide. The brand is operated by West Madison Foods and owned by Ventura Foods, LLC.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Consumer Packaged Goods - Retail Sales: Marie's generates revenue through the sale of refrigerated salad dressings, dips, spreads, and glazes to consumers via retail grocery stores and supermarkets. Products are sold in standard retail packaging (12oz and 25oz jars, squeeze bottles, single-serve minis) through grocery store chains nationwide.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Marie's manufactures and sells refrigerated salad dressings, cheese-based dips, spreads, and glazes under the Marie's brand, offering more than 25 flavors distributed through grocery retailers. The portfolio spans blue cheese, ranch, Caesar, vinaigrette, coleslaw, and specialty dressings, along with complementary dips, spreads, and single-serve "Minis" formats for on-the-go consumption.

Product overview

Marie’s is a refrigerated salad dressing and condiment brand offering over 25 different flavors across five product lines: Dressings (creamy and vinaigrette varieties including Blue Cheese, Caesar, Ranch, Thousand Island, Italian, Balsamic, Raspberry, Greek, and plant-based options), Dips (flavor-packed dips like Ranch, Southwest Ranch, Everything Bagel, and Onion Chive Herb), Spreads (squeeze bottle formats of Blue Cheese, Caesar, and Homestyle Ranch), Minis (convenient 6-count single-serve cups in Chunky Blue Cheese and Creamy Ranch), and Glaze (Strawberry Glaze for desserts). All products emphasize real, premium ingredients and are found in the refrigerated produce section. Founded in 1959 by Marie Nordquist in Seattle, the brand is now owned by West Madison Foods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing Refrigerated chunky blue cheese salad dressing in the 4 oz retail size, made with real cheese for at-home salads, dips, and recipes.
• Blue Cheese Dressing (4 oz) Refrigerated blue cheese salad dressing in a 4 oz jar, targeted at the salad dressing 4 oz category.
• Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Refrigerated buttermilk ranch salad dressing in a 4 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 4 oz category.
• Creamy Caesar Dressing (4 oz) Refrigerated creamy Caesar dressing in a 4 oz jar, sold in the salad dressing 4 oz category.
• Coleslaw Dressing (4 oz) Refrigerated coleslaw dressing in a 4 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 4 oz category.
• Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (16 oz) Refrigerated buttermilk ranch salad dressing in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Caesar Dressing (16 oz) Refrigerated Caesar dressing in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Coleslaw Dressing (16 oz) Refrigerated coleslaw dressing in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Creamy Caesar Dressing (16 oz) Refrigerated creamy Caesar dressing in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Creamy Ranch Dressing (16 oz) Refrigerated creamy ranch dressing in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• French Vinaigrette (16 oz) Refrigerated French vinaigrette in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Greek Vinaigrette (16 oz) Refrigerated Greek vinaigrette in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Honey Mustard Dressing (16 oz) Refrigerated honey mustard dressing in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Italian Vinaigrette (16 oz) Refrigerated Italian vinaigrette in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Raspberry Vinaigrette (16 oz) Refrigerated raspberry vinaigrette in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Yogurt Dressing (16 oz) Refrigerated yogurt dressing in a 16 oz jar, positioned in the salad dressing 16 oz category.
• Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing (line) Refrigerated chunky blue cheese salad dressing within Marie's broader dressing category.
• Cheddar Cheese Dressing Refrigerated cheddar cheese salad dressing within Marie's dressing category.
• Creamy Ranch Dressing Refrigerated creamy ranch dressing within Marie's dressing category.
• Parmesan Dressing Refrigerated parmesan salad dressing within Marie's dressing category.
• Chunky Blue Cheese Dip Refrigerated chunky blue cheese dip for snack and party occasions.
• Garden Vegetable Dip Refrigerated garden vegetable dip designed to pair with fresh vegetables and chips.
• Guacamole Dip Refrigerated guacamole dip for snack and party use.
• Jalapeno Ranch Dip Refrigerated jalapeno ranch dip combining heat with creamy ranch flavor.
• Spinach Dip Refrigerated spinach dip suitable for vegetable platters, breads, and crackers.
• Chunky Blue Cheese Spread Refrigerated chunky blue cheese spread for crackers, sandwiches, and appetizers.
• Pimento Cheese Spread Refrigerated pimento cheese spread for sandwiches, crackers, and snacks.
• Spinach Spread Refrigerated spinach spread for crackers, breads, and sandwiches.
• Sesame Ginger Glaze Refrigerated sesame ginger glaze for use as a finishing sauce on proteins, vegetables, and salads.
• Chunky Blue Cheese Minis Single-serve portion-controlled chunky blue cheese dressing in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.
• Buttermilk Ranch Minis Single-serve portion-controlled buttermilk ranch dressing in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.
• Caesar Minis Single-serve portion-controlled Caesar dressing in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.
• Creamy Caesar Minis Single-serve portion-controlled creamy Caesar dressing in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.
• French Vinaigrette Minis Single-serve portion-controlled French vinaigrette in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.
• Honey Mustard Minis Single-serve portion-controlled honey mustard dressing in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.
• Spinach Dip Minis Single-serve portion-controlled spinach dip in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.
• Creamy Ranch Dip Minis Single-serve portion-controlled creamy ranch dip in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.
• Chunky Blue Cheese Dip Minis Single-serve portion-controlled chunky blue cheese dip in the Minis format, designed for on-the-go and lunch use.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 25 different flavors offered across dressings, dips, spreads, and glazes
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Litehouse Foods: Refrigerated dressings, dips, and cheese crumbles sold in the produce section. Closest like-for-like competitor on refrigerated placement and clean-ingredient positioning.
• Hellmann's (Unilever): Major mayonnaise-based dressing and dip brand including refrigerated options like Hellmann's Chunky Blue Cheese. Competes head-to-head in the refrigerated dressings section with global brand scale.
• Wishbone (Mizkan): Italian dressings and vinaigrettes brand with strong presence in grocery. Direct overlap with Marie's Italian and vinaigrette SKUs at similar price points.
• Ken's Foods: Family-owned dressings, marinades, and vinaigrettes sold nationwide through grocery and foodservice. Overlaps with Marie's on Steak House, Italian, and vinaigrette segments.
• Newman's Own: Refrigerated and shelf-stable dressings with strong heritage brand equity (founded 1982). Direct head-to-head on ranch, Italian, Caesar, and vinaigrette segments at premium price points.
• Briannas / Del Sol Brands: Premium salad dressings with strong naturals/clean-label positioning in the refrigerated set. Competes for the same quality-seeking grocery shopper and overlapping vinaigrette flavor profiles.
• Bolthouse Farms: Refrigerated dressings, yogurt-based dips, and refrigerated beverages with premium, real-ingredient positioning. Competes in the refrigerated produce section across similar usage occasions.
• Kraft / Hidden Valley (Kraft Heinz): Refrigerated and shelf-stable dressings and dips under one of the largest CPG portfolios in the category. Direct competitor in ranch, blue cheese, and Italian segments with much larger scale and deeper retailer relationships.

Emerging players

• Primal Kitchen: Premium, clean-label dressings and mayos (avocado oil-based, dairy-free) targeting keto/paleo consumers. Direct overlap with Marie's plant-based SKUs but with stronger health-halo positioning.
• Tessemae's: Clean-ingredient refrigerated dressings, dips, and marinades. Comparable to Marie's on refrigerated placement, dairy-free options, and premium positioning, though smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marie.s.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marie’s