When you think of salad dressing, you probably think of ranch.
Richard Hanley, the owner and mind behind the healthy Baton Rouge business Hanley’s Foods, knows this all too well.
“Eighty percent of all dressings are ranch,” he said. “People buy what they know, like and trust.”
Hanley’s dressings debuted in local markets in 2012. Since then, he has created a seasonal Strawberry Vinaigrette, Sensation and Avocado salad dressings.
But Hanley knew he would need to create a ranch dressing to get more customers.
“It’s a gateway drug to introduce people to our brand,” he said.
Hanley will celebrate the release of his healthier, cleaner ranch with an entire week of events across Louisiana, starting Friday, Nov. 6, with a kick-off launch party at Blend at 304 Laurel St. Check out a full schedule of events and exclusive specials.
So what makes Hanley’s Ranch better? Well, it has less fat, calories, sodium and carbs than leading brands, according to Hanley. The dressing is also 100 percent plant-based. Rather than MSG, he uses cayenne and celery.
Hanley said he has been working on the new product for more than a year, and finally got the combination of taste and texture down. He’s excited about the future of his product.
“If we could be the next Hidden Valley, we could change the food industry for the next 100 years,” he said.
Never one to sit still for too long, Hanley is already hard at work on follow-up items for his company. He’s working on a Creole ranch, or what he called “a damned good spicy ranch,” as well as one-ounce cups of the dressing and a dry ranch seasoning mix for schools, cafeterias and restaurants.
Hanley’s Ranch will be available in Matherne’s locations, Calvin’s Bocage Market, Calandro’s Supermarkets, Alexander’s Highland Market and online.
Follow Matthew Sigur on Twitter @MatthewSigur.