Founders Sell Vermont Fresh Pasta After 30 Years 

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• Courtesy
• Tricia and Ken Jarecki of Vermont Fresh Pasta in 2021

Tricia and Ken Jarecki have sold the fresh pasta business that they started in 1992 to newly minted food entrepreneur Chad Brosher for an undisclosed price.

Vermont Fresh Pasta began in the basement of the couple's Killington restaurant and has grown over the years to operate in a 5,500-square-foot facility in Proctorsville where a team of 10 produces an average weekly 2,000 pounds of ravioli and other pastas. Bestsellers include ravioli in flavors such as quattro formaggio and butternut squash. The product line, which also features sauces such as pesto and Alfredo, is distributed fresh to restaurants, colleges, hospitals and retail stores throughout New England and western New York, the Jareckis said.

The couple, both 66, started looking for a buyer because "We're retirement age," Tricia said. "We thought it was time — not to spend more time together, because we spend a lot of time together," she said with a laugh, "but to do more skiing, biking and travel more."

Brosher, 48, moved from Columbus, Ohio, to buy the business. His wife, who's a teacher, and their two young children will join him after the end of the school year, he said. The Jareckis are three months into a six-month commitment to work with Brosher on a smooth transition of the business.

Brosher said his background is in information technology and electronics manufacturing. "I wanted to get back into manufacturing, but in something I had a passion about," he said. The Jareckis' quality products and solid business impressed him.

"And Vermont was an easy choice," he added.