Volume 2, Issue 4 JUNE 21, 2024
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A special ‘Homecoming’ in Pentwater for Fiesta Grande By AnnaMae Bush The Oceana Echo Community Contributor
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A special homecoming event occurred in the Village of Pentwater in May 2024, when two Pentwater High School graduates, Greg VanBoxel and Larry Doran, returned to Pentwater with a business in tow. VanBoxel, owner, and Doran, manager, brought the Fiesta Grande tortilla chip company to a new home production location in the former Wireworks building in the center of the village. The factory facility was repurposed with an internal remodel, an exterior facelift, a utility update and expanded parking. When all the envisioned renovation plans are complete, the building will house not only chip production lines, but also retail space, and a limited number of residential units. The village is partnering with the company on the Carroll Street parking
development to enable renovation completion. Significant research and experimentation were invested to find filtering equipment that would minimize any odor and air pollution by-products of the manufacturing process. This is only one affirmation of VanBoxel’s and Doran’s intention to be good neighbors and community builders. The fact that production has been completely operational for three weeks under the radar is evidence that they have succeeded in being quite good neighbors. Aware of seasonal parking issues, they have also designed diagonal street parking spaces to accommodate employees on production days and summer visitors on non-production days. VanBoxel emphasized that Fiesta Grande is a family business that was developed with a team effort from his wife Lori and his children Luke and Leah. Luke and Leah joined their father’s corporate businesses shortly after graduating college and are intimately involved with the operation of the company in Pentwater. Traveling from his home in Grand Rapids, Luke spends two days a week in the local plant, overseeing every aspect of the company’s operation. VanBoxel said, “Luke is really the spokesperson for the company. You should contact him for information about Fiesta Grande.” I did, and found Luke to be friendly, approachable and informative. Fiesta Grande’s local history began in Hart at the La Fiesta Mexican restaurant, which
• Contributed Photos served chips handmade on site. VanBoxel liked the chips so much that he bought the recipe with a plan to mass produce and market them. He invited his young adult children to suggest marketing language that would speak to the younger generation, and their input is reflected on every bag of chips. There, the contents are described as “outrageously good” and “freakin’ delish,” and consumers are reminded, “We’re also very cool on the internet” with the icons for Facebook and Instagram. An exciting recent development is the addition of Fiesta Grande’s own line of salsa to enjoy with the chips! The chips were first made and bagged in 2013 in a modest kitchen facility in Ludington. As production increased with distribution to 1,000 stores, which currently includes more than 200 Meijer outlet stores, VanBoxel’s company outgrew their space in Ludington. In 2018, they moved to a larger location in Montague. Now looking to launch a national distribution of the chips and a new salsa line to accompany the chips, VanBoxel found it necessary to
move to a larger facility again. While keeping the Montague plant open for research and development, he and Doran decided to tackle the repurposing of the Wireworks building for production, keeping their company local and in a community dear to their hearts. If you have any doubt regarding VanBoxel’s affection for Pentwater, you should know that he owns The Pentwood. It is a collection of several charming cabins on Monroe Road, just south of the curve and gazebo at the south entrance into the village. Many residents were privileged to tour The Pentwood during the COVE home tour and were able to see the sweet spot VanBoxel created for his family to
gather. VanBoxel has been successful in other arenas as well. In addition to Fiesta Grande chips, VanBoxel owns and is Chief Executive Officer at AeroVision International in Muskegon. Not wanting to spread himself too thinly and
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wanting to see the chip company grow, he convinced Larry Doran, a friend and former classmate, to come out of retirement to be manager for Fiesta Grande chips. The production move in May included most of their 40 employees from Montague. Luke said, “We hope to need more employees as we grow and will look for local people to fill that need.” Village residents know that the family’s success with the chip company will also provide dividends for Pentwater, and we support them with our best wishes. We suspect that national distribution will heighten the visibility of the home plant in Pentwater and bring visitors to see the facility and visit the retail store.
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