Greg Frederick, the founder of That Pickle Guy, launched the company in 2004, inspired by a passion for creating all-natural products rooted in family recipes and the culinary traditions of his upbringing in the Chicagoland area.
His culinary journey began during his time in the Wine and Spirits industry when he was transferred to the South. Missing the flavors of home, he received care packages filled with Chicago-style foods from his mom. Eventually, a letter arrived containing only family recipes, inspiring Greg to start experimenting with his favorite products.
"Growing up, food was a huge part of our family gatherings. I wanted to recreate those cherished flavors and memories in a jar."
After his corporate role relocated him to New Orleans, Greg was welcomed by the local chefs and restaurateurs who invited him into their Uptown/French Quarter kitchens. In exchange for sharing his Chicago-style creations, they generously imparted culinary secrets and inspired him with new ideas. “It wasn’t long before they were asking for jars of my Giardiniera blends for their family and friends,” Greg recalls. This encouragement fueled his passion, leading him to include New Orleans’ famous Olive Muffalata mix in his repertoire.
Then, one memorable Mardi Gras, Greg prepared a few batches of his Olive Muffalata mix for some uptown parade parties. “I nervously watched to see how the New Orleans natives would respond to my product, next thing I knew they were returning for more and asking where they could buy it… that is when I knew I had gotten it right!”.
As he continued making jars for friends and family, Greg discovered a farm growing pickling cucumbers one summer. Trading jars of his product for fresh cucumbers, he found himself inspired to try his hand at pickling. This experience further ignited his passion for creating unique, wholesome products.
In 2003, after facing a corporate layoff, Greg returned to Chicago. While still in the beverage industry, he identified a gap in the market for all-natural offerings and recognized the demand for his creations. Thus, in 2004, armed with hand-drawn labels and the encouragement of his family, he targeted three local farmers’ markets to debut That Pickle Guy Products. The response was overwhelming, leading to rapid expansion to 18 weekly farmers’ markets by the end of the summer.
In search of a production facility, Greg partnered with a small, family-owned manufacturer that specialized in pickled products for Chicago restaurants. This relationship enabled him to maintain small-batch production while also establishing connections with sustainable farmers.
In 2005, Whole Foods approached Greg about carrying That Pickle Guy Products in their Illinois stores. Over the next two years, sales soared, prompting Whole Foods to expand distribution into their Midwest locations.
By 2007, That Pickle Guy caught the attention of a food broker focused on quality products for Costco Wholesale. After a successful pitch, Greg began selling his Olive Muffalata through Costco’s roadshow programs, which led to opportunities for expansion into stores across multiple regions.
“To accommodate this expansion, we created the Classic Olive Muffalata flavor, which opened doors into Costco’s Southeast and Texas regions as well.”
Today, That Pickle Guy products can still be found in Costco warehouses throughout these areas on a seasonal basis per region.
In 2023, That Pickle Guy was invited to “What’s Next at Mariano’s Shark Tank,” featuring local products for consideration in Kroger-owned Mariano’s stores. By April 2024, That Pickle Guy’s Giardiniera and Olive Muffalata products were added to Mariano’s local rack program, along with four flavors of specialty pickles featured in the meat department.
Today, as That Pickle Guy celebrates +20 years in business, Greg’s products are sold in over 150 retail stores, 120 Costco warehouses, and numerous farmers’ markets across Illinois and Indiana. Additionally, items are distributed nationally through their web store, UNFI, and Amazon, where they rank 76th in condiment sales.
Greg remains committed to his philosophy of small-batch production, ensuring all-natural, Kosher, Gluten-Free, and Vegetarian vegetable blends without preservatives or artificial ingredients. The product lineup includes three flavors of New Orleans Style Olive Muffalata, four varieties of Chicago Style Giardiniera, and ten styles of fresh pickles, alongside other specialty items.
Proudly, his products are still crafted by the same family-owned manufacturer in Chicago, while Greg and his team operate in the Western suburbs of Chicago in Lisle, IL.
