Julie and Bill Ginsler are busy new franchisee partners who opened their store in the Waverly Place Shopping Center, Cary, North Carolina. We were able to catch up with Julie and chat a bit this week.
Toni Jakovec: Thanks for taking the time for this interview. I know that your time is precious as you get closer to opening. This is quite a transition for you from scientific sales to oils and vinegars. Do you see similarities in those two?
Julie Ginsler: Yes I do. In the scientific community we were always looking for the health benefits in various foods. Now I can give my vomFASS customers the health benefits from our oils and vinegars to improve their diets and use as tools to enrich their lives. These products are amazing!
TJ: What an interesting perspective. Do you think your sales approach will be different?
JG: My approach has always been to find out what my customer needed and how I might fill that need. So in that regard, I think it will be very similar.
TJ: It sounds like you and I have a lot in common. When customers come into the Madison store and are simply overwhelmed by their tasting experience and the extraordinary variety available, I tell them to think of our products like Lego’s™…..buy as many different Lego’s™ as they can and build a different house – or salad – every day!
JG: I love that!
TJ: Tell me, how did you learn about vomFASS?
JG: Well, I wanted to start my own business for a long time. I knew that I wanted a store that would be fun for me, fun for my customers and fun for my staff. So I started poking around the internet and was contacted by a franchise consultant. He explained what his services were, that he represented a lot of different companies, and that he liked to match franchises and opportunities with his customers. After a few conversations he came back to me and said he had three different suggestions for me, and vomFASS was one of them. After talking with him a few more times, vomFASS was the best fit – and I hadn’t even tasted the products yet! Shortly thereafter, I was contacted by Jeff Young who was a wealth of information about vomFASS. The more I learned, the more I liked the vomFASS idea. Jeff sent me some sample products, but made me promise not to open them until we were together! My husband Bill and I got a conference call from Jeff and tasted the products for the first time. We were simply amazed and we’ve been hooked on vomFASS ever since
TJ: After all of your research and experiences, what do you think was the deciding factor for your decision to open a vomFASS franchise?
JG: I know exactly what it was. I came up to Madison and I got to interact with the employees. All of the employees that I met were so happy, and that was really the tipping point for me. I want my employees to be just as excited as I am about the products….. about coming to work…..and that was what I saw in Madison. It was amazing.
TJ: Well, I want to thank you very much, because I was one of those employees you met! We have a spectacular team in Madison.
JG: It was so clear to me that everyone just loved their job. From Michelle in accounting; Tami in marketing; the floor personnel to Jeff and Justin. I thought, “I want to be a part of this!” and that’s exactly what I told my husband…..”I found it!”
TJ: Do you have a favorite vomFASS product?
JG: No question, the Maletti Balsamico! And, of course, the Calamansi vinegar.
TJ: Thank you so very much for spending this time with me. Before we close, would you like to share a recipe or two with us?
JG: Absolutely!
Julie’s Tomato Mozzarella Caprese
¼ cup vomFASS Maletti Aceto Balsamico (more to taste)
¼ cup vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil (more to taste)
2 large beef steak tomatoes, sliced into ½ inch slices
½ – ¾ cup fresh basil
8-ounces fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced into ½ inch slices
Fresh mint for garnish
Easy directions—prepare before guests arrive, refrigerate
Combine vomFASS Maletti Aceto Balsamico and vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil and mix to emulsify
Drench tomato slices in the mix, drip off excess into the same bowl and place tomatoes on serving platter
Place 1-3 fresh basil sprigs on tomatoes
Add the sliced buffalo mozzarella atop tomato and basil
Drizzle remaining vomFASS Maletti Aceto Balsamico and vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oilmixture on top of the mozzarella
Slice extra basil into fine strips (chiffonade style) and add for garnish—add fresh mint on the side
Refrigerate 30 minutes to one hour and serve
We have marinated this 1-2 days with left overs and still yummy!
Julie’s Parmesan Baked Wild Cod
1 ½ lbs. wild cod/haddock—white fish filets
¼ cup vomFASS Waldburg Balsam Calamansi Vinegar
1/8 cup vomFASS Agora Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped very fine
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated fresh
½ cup bread crumbs
