Clary, Harter House pair up for sauce line

Recognizing a crossover of clientele between the two businesses, Clary connected with high-school friend and Harter House co-owner Randy Richards.

“What I kept telling (Clary) is, ‘Here’s what my customers want: They want it gourmet, and they want it fast,’” Richards said.

Clary is synonymous with gourmet food, having founded Clary’s fine-dining restaurant about 20 years ago. The sauces debuted May 9 at Harter House’s 1500 E. Republic Road and 1625 S. Eastgate stores. Five flavors – seafood lobster newberg sauce, beef wine reduction sauce, apple cider reduction sauce for pork, mushroom gorgonzola sauce for chicken and Clary’s signature red onion garlic jam – sell at the fresh-meat counter for $3.49 per four-person serving. Another 10 variations are waiting in the wings.

The duo encountered a hurdle early on that later turned into the product’s most unique selling point.

“We didn’t want to do the labeling laws that are required for a bottled sauce – it’s just too much of a pain – so we said, ‘Why don’t we just put them in the (store’s meat) case and refrigerate them?’” Clary said. “It’s a unique market position because there’s plenty of bottled sauces available.”

Clary personally produces the sauces at his 900 E. Battlefield Road restaurant and sells them wholesale to Harter House, making deliveries every few days. About seven gallons sold the first week, Clary said.

The agreement stipulates that Harter House will sell the sauces exclusively for one year. After that, Clary is looking to take the brand and concept regional, and then national, he said.

Clary estimates that four out of every five customers buy the sauces they sample during in-store demonstrations.