Entrepreneur Mark Rieth Bringing Velvet Peanut Butter Back Home to Detroit

Mark Rieth, a native Detroiter who’s especially loyal to his roots, has purchased Velvet Peanut Butter, a 90-year-old brand that started in Detroit and flourished under its “Fresh. Pure. Delicious” brand promise. Rieth plans to bring operations and production back to Detroit.

“I remember loving Velvet Peanut Butter as a kid. It was my ‘go to’ after school snack the whole time I was growing up. When I learned of the opportunity to acquire the company, it just felt like something I had to do,” Rieth says. “There are lots of people like me who remember and loved that distinctive Velvet taste. With some aggressive marketing and prominent space on grocers’ shelves, I’m confident we can return Velvet back to the level of popularity it enjoyed years ago. And we can do here in Detroit, where it all began for the company.”

Velvet Peanut Butter History:

Velvet Peanut Butter dates back to 1937 when Detroit truck driver Paul Zukerman stumbled across an advertisement for used peanut butter equipment and decided on a whim to purchase it. Velvet had humble beginnings with Zuckerman selling case-by-case from the trunk of his car. When World War II began, Velvet, like so many Detroit companies, was pressed into service supplying products for soldiers overseas. Back home, many families thought that if Velvet is good enough for our troops, it’s good enough for our families. Sales increased and Velvet became Detroit’s peanut butter of choice with Zukerman affectionally knows as the ‘Peanut Butter King.’

At the age of 74, Zukerman sold his company in 1985. Michigan production was shut down shortly thereafter and the new ownership outsourced production. Sometime later, production ceased entirely. After years of working on the project, the brand was resurrected in 2008 by Eric Bruce who quickly established distribution in Michigan.

“I was not planning to sell the brand until I met Mark. It has been a true labor of love to revive Velvet Peanut Butter and shepherd the brand for the past 16 years. Now is the perfect time for me to step away and turn this iconic brand over Mark for him to lead the exciting next chapter," Bruce said.

Velvet’s Next Chapter:

Mark Rieth is a busy man. The founder of Atwater Brewery, which he sold to Molson Coors in 2022, has more than 25 years in the brewery / beverage industry. He recently launched Detroit Liquid Ventures, maker of FÜL Beverage, a line of naturally flavored award-winning non-alcoholic beers and sports drink alternatives, and the Old Head line of Detroit-brewed Irish styled ales. In February of this year, Rieth, a longtime MSU Spartan, acquired Lansing Brewing Company and its line of craft brews and spirits.

“I find myself wondering if this is what it was like for Paul Zuckerman in 1937. You wake up one day and think ‘hey, I guess I’m in the peanut butter business now,’” Rieth says. “What I like about Velvet is its high-quality product and clear branding. Of course, it’s the company’s deep ties to Detroit which motivated me to move forward with the acquisition. I relish the opportunity to grow nostalgic Detroit brands and think the opportunity with Velvet will not only be a lot of fun, but also a profitable endeavor.”  

Production and distribution plans for Velvet are being finalized but Rieth hopes to increase Velvet Peanut Butter sales in the local Detroit market with regional and national distribution to follow. Velvet will follow its original recipes. The company was known for its innovative “homogenized” process which produced a smoother, fresh, pure delicious peanut butter taste. Velvet also offers a crunchy version and will develop additional flavors like MI Honey.

Rieth suggested that other projects may be in the works. “We love to cross-promote our brands. Things like a Lansing Brewing Company peanut butter whiskey or peanut butter porter could be really fun and tasty,” he says.

Learn more about Velvet Peanut Butter, its history, nutrition facts and even delicious recipes at VelvetPeanutButter.com.