WRITTEN BY SHELBY DEERING

The man stood in line at a pop-up store held at the Ohio-based Vitamix headquarters—and he was visibly frustrated.

CEO Jodi Berg walked over and asked how she could help. He explained that he’s had his machine for 50 years and “something’s wrong with it,” adding, “I’ve used this every day of my life for five decades. That’s longer than my two marriages. My kids have come and gone. I’ve bought multiple cars. And I’m not wearing the same clothes. There’s nothing else in my life that has been with me consistently for this long.”

This instance is far from unique. A woman called the Vitamix customer service line, crestfallen. She said that for the first time in 60 years, something had happened to the motor and she needed to get it serviced. Often, these devotees turn down getting new machines and instead choose to fix their old ones.

It’s not often that we as humans form emotional attachments to everyday objects like kitchen appliances, but for Vitamix, the 100-year-old purveyor of powerful, high-quality blenders, it’s not surprising.  “I think when something consistently performs for you,” says Jodi, “it helps you achieve a goal that you have in life, which is either to be healthy or to provide you with consistent results with a food or a recipe. There’s a comfort to it.”

Thousands of positive reviews support the love affairs that people have with their Vitamix machines. For example, the Vitamix 5200, one of the most popular models, elicits reviews like, “The Vitamix is definitely a life-changer.” And, “You can take my oven and my microwave, but we would battle for my Vitamix!”

Simply put, Vitamix enthusiasts have discovered the secret hiding behind what appears to be a standard kitchen appliance: This is so much more than an everyday blender; it’s an icon. That’s the philosophy that’s been woven into the company’s fabric since the late 1930s. It’s truly a life-changer.

The company was founded in 1921 by Jodi’s great-grandfather, William Grover Barnard. He had fallen on tough times, a victim of a bad economy and a recent widower with two young sons. He was traveling the country selling innovative kitchen products when his father-in-law started to have some health problems.

Experiencing what’s now surmised to be Crohn’s Disease, medical treatments weren’t helping, so William stepped in. That’s when they started to look at the food he was eating, shifting his meals to center on whole foods and good nutrition. As a result, he began to feel much better. William subsequently renamed his company The Natural Food Institute, educating anyone and everyone on the benefits of a whole-foods diet.

In the late 1930s, William had his aha moment when he heard about a modern kitchen appliance called a blender. Adding one to the product line of kitchen gadgets, William’s father-in-law named the blender “Vita-Mix,” stemming from the Latin word for “life.”

From day one, this blender was never just a blender, and that continues to be true today. That is, the blender was sold along with a healthy dose of education on how to shift to a whole-foods diet, something that the Vitamix made easy, even back in the day. “Instead of making blenders similar to everyone else’s,” says Jodi, “we chose to say, ‘Let’s make a whole-food machine. Let’s make the Vitamix unique and different and strong and powerful and focused on whole foods.’ We’ve never ever looked back.”

In 1949, William took to television to spread his whole-foods gospel and created what’s believed to be the first-ever infomercial. Titled “Home Miracles for 1950” and set to sprightly music, William begins the broadcast by saying, “With health, we have wealth. We’re the richest person on earth.”

It’s a way of thinking the company still holds dear to this day. Jodi is the fourth-generation CEO of Vitamix, keeping it in the family and following her great-grandfather, grandfather, uncle, and father at the helm. Apart from their product line of durable, hardworking blenders that they’re continually improving, not much has changed when it comes to Vitamix’s belief system.  “When you feel good,” Jodi says, “there’s a correlation to your level of confidence and your ability to realize your potential and be the best version of yourself that you could possibly be. Our goal is exactly that. Let’s make people feel good. Let’s make it as simple and delicious as absolutely possible and let’s help people understand that correlation.”

Vitamix fans already feel a great deal of affection for the appliances they use day in and day out to make nutritious meals. And if it’s possible, there’s even more love to be had when you’re thought of as a member of the Vitamix family, something that’s a high compliment from a family-owned business.

“What I really want people to know is when you purchase a Vitamix product, you’re joining a family,” Jodi says. “We’re very purpose-driven, and as a family, we are passionate about spreading the gifts of health to others. When somebody buys a Vitamix, they become a part of this family and they are now able to passionately spread the gift of health to themselves and then to other people. We’re just this big community of people that would like to change the way the world thinks about food.”

Want to be part of the change? Start with these recipes from the Vitamix 100th Anniversary Cookbook.

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

_{Yield: 8 servings}

Vitamix container: 32 ounce, 48 ounce, or 64 ounce

Total time: 10 minutes

“This is an absolute must-try if you love chocolate,” Jodi says. “And the avocado makes everything so incredibly, incredibly creamy.”

Beet Borani

_{Yield: 16 servings}

Vitamix container sizes: 32 ounce, 48 ounce

Total time: 15 minutes

Jodi calls beets “underrecognized,” adding that they’re “important to our bodies and our health” and they have the power to add “this incredibly robust flavor and color,” something that’s clearly evident in this vibrant recipe for borani, a classic Persian dish that combines yogurt and vegetables.

Make It

For the borani, place all ingredients into the container in the order listed and secure the lid.

Start the Vitamix on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed, using the tamper to press ingredients toward the blades.

Blend for 30 seconds or until desired consistency is reached.

For the topping, mix all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate.

Sprinkle over the borani just before serving.

Flourless Blueberry Banana Muffins

_{Yield: 12 muffins}

Vitamix container: 64 ounce Low Profile

Total time: 40 minutes

Let’s be honest—eating muffins can be a lot like eating cake, as Jodi points out, so this is a healthier take on those beloved baked goods. “This particular recipe allows you to still have the decadence of a muffin,” she says, “but you’ll know that the ingredients you’re putting in there are healthy for you.”

Sweet Summer Pops

_{Yield: 8 servings}

Vitamix containers: 48 ounce, 64 ounce

Total time: 8 hours 20 minutes

“The sweet summer pop is beautiful because it’s layered,” Jodi says, “and it gives you an opportunity to have two different distinct flavors.”

Make It

For the watermelon layer, place the ingredients into the container in the order listed and secure the lid.

Start the Vitamix on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed, using the tamper to press ingredients toward the blades.

Blend for 30 seconds.

Pour mixture into popsicle molds; freeze.

For the cucumber layer, place the cucumber ingredients into the container and secure the lid.

Start the Vitamix on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed, using the tamper to press ingredients toward the blades.

Blend for 30 seconds.

Pour mixture over partially frozen watermelon layer and freeze until solid.

Creamy Broccoli Soup

_{Yield: 7 servings}

Vitamix Container: 64 ounce

Total time: 40 minutes

Although a Vitamix “can take anything down,” as Jodi says, including uncooked veggies, the ingredients for the Creamy Broccoli Soup are cooked ahead of time to provide what Jodi calls “a certain flavor profile.”