“My customers are my best friends.”
Our Dad, owner of Cook’s and our sister company R. R. Lochhead Mfgr. Co., died Mar. 3 with Emilie, his wife of 72 years, and his family at his side.
Ray Lochhead was an extraordinary man. He created all that we are. We will forever strive to embody his legacy.
Dad loved vanilla. He dedicated his life to it. He smelled of vanilla. His car smelled of vanilla. His two boys, when he called them out of high school to fill a rush order, returned to class smelling of vanilla. We will bury Dad with a bundle of his finest beans.
Dad loved his product, loved his customers, and loved working.
His guiding principle was quality. All his five kids worked in the factory and we heard it endlessly.
“Stick to quality,” he’d say. “Anyone can do junk. Not everyone can do quality. We provide our customers the best product at a fair price, without compromise.”
He loved that people loved his vanilla. He often cautioned us never to claim that ours was the best, out of respect for his competitors, but he knew that no one made better.
Ray was born to vanilla. His father Angus, a Scottish immigrant and master salesman, founded Lochhead Manufacturing Co. in St. Louis in 1918, a century ago, where Dad and his four brothers learned the business. Ray went to Caltech to get his chemistry degree, studying under Nobel laureate Linus Pauling and falling in love with California. Dad credited much of his success to Caltech.
In 1963, Ray struck out to start his own business, R. R. Lochhead Mfging. Co., choosing an obscure little town named Paso Robles for his new factory. Always practical, Dad thought Paso Robles had excellent flying weather for the single-engine Cessna he used on his sales calls, and central access to Los Angeles and San Francisco.
With three of his children soon to go to college, Dad started selling. One day he drove home from L.A. in his ‘53 Studebaker, reporting to us that he had made his first sale in California. It was to Fosselman’s Ice Cream of Alhambra, for 8 gallons of pure vanilla. We are proud to tell you Fosselman’s remains our customer today.
Dad built much of his own equipment, including his gas chromatograph for flavor chemistry. But he didn’t yet have a bean chopper. So he rounded up Emilie and four of us — his youngest, Cook president Josephine, was a baby — handed us kitchen knives, and we set about chopping 320 pounds of beans for his first percolator of vanilla. He said it was the best batch he ever made.
Ray’s mastery of flavor chemistry, his love for people, and his unconventional approach to life soon created a legend. He sawed a Honda 50 motorcycle in half so it would fit in the back of his Cessna, fashioned a hinge, and reassembled the motorcycle when he landed, strapping on his briefcase for sales in the San Joaquin Valley. He flew across the West, especially Utah, the land of his Mormon faith, to sell his vanilla.
Ray Lochhead was a synonym for doing things his way, never worrying what other people thought. He wore Scottish plaid pants or Polynesian shirts to fancy corporate offices. Raised in the Depression, Dad was frugal, driving old cars that he fixed himself, and never hesitated to board a Greyhound bus. He vowed never to borrow money, and never did, placing his faith in himself and his product.
We once met a salesman who asked if we were any relation to Ray Lochhead. He told us he used to have lots of vanilla accounts, but after Dad arrived, all his customers wanted to talk about was Ray Lochhead’s cut-up motorcycle and his vanilla stories.
Ray’s customers became his friends. They sought his technical advice and personal counsel. Once he raced down to L.A. when a customer couldn’t figure out what was wrong with their cake production line. He spent the night in the plant testing samples, and fixed the problem. Dad saw problems as something to solve.
One of Dad’s customers was Ken Cook, former president of Dreyer’s Ice Cream. Ken thought so much of Dad’s vanilla that when he left Dreyer’s, he set up his own retail marketing company, Cook Flavoring, and asked Dad to supply him the product. When Ken died, his widow sold Dad the company. Today we manufacture under the Cook’s and R. R. Lochhead labels.
Ray was a pioneer in sourcing his own beans, starting in Mexico in the 1950s. In the 1960s he traveled to Madagascar, where he loved the country but narrowly escaped arrest as he sought a way around the former government’s bean monopoly.
Undeterred, Ray bought a one-way airline ticket around the world, stopping across the Tropics to find new sources. In the 1970s, he established his own plantation in Fiji and set up curing operations in the Kingdom of Tonga, Tahiti and Bali. He set out not knowing anyone, and returned with friends and business partners. His goal was to vertically integrate his company to ensure quality from bean to bottle. We continue to do so today.
Dad raved about Tonga’s volcanic soil, its people, and the giant, beautiful beans they produced. He pitched a tent in the Fijian jungle to start his plantation. He stayed with people he met, slept on their floors, made them his friends.
He saw the best in people. An ex-felon once stopped by the factory, and instead of turning him away, Dad welcomed him, gave him jobs, and was his friend for many years. Once some neighborhood boys threw rocks at the windows of his car outside the factory. He tracked them down, had them do chores in payment for the windows, gave them a stern lecture and then took them out for ice cream cones. Into their college years and after, they’d come by the plant to visit him.
Dad developed all his own formulas, sourced his own materials, designed his own equipment. He always moved in a positive direction. He worked for 55 years in his own business. In his last years, after the traveling stopped, he worked in the office, talking to his customers. We remember him spending hours on the phone with a mail order customer who had bought 4 ounces of vanilla and called with a question.
He was proud that Cook’s and Lochhead are a family business, because family was what he worked and lived for.
Josephine Lochhead Schmidt
President
Cook Flavoring Company
Services are 11 a.m., with viewing at 10 a.m., Tues. Mar. 13 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2600 Ramona Rd. Atascadero. Burial 1:30 p.m. at Cambria Cemetery, 6005 Bridge St., Cambria
A great read about your dad. So sorry, but what a wonderful life he had.
Thank you Katy. He is greatly missed.
So sorry for your loss.
My sister passed away in 1998 ,one of the many things I miss about her was she made the absolute best chocolate chip cookies.She would always say “just use the recipe on the back of the Toll House chips and MUST use Cook’s cookie vanilla.I have never had such wonderful cookies ! Cook’s cookie vanilla makes the difference.
Thank you, LaWanda for your condolences and for the wonderful story of your sister’s cookies. We are so glad to hear you enjoy using our Cookie Vanilla- it’s our secret ingredient in cookies too!
Thank You, and we are very sorry for your Loss, and ours.
Thank you, Thomas. He is greatly missed.
Raymond Lochhead
I had worked and known Ray for more than ten years. I’m lost of words to describe this individual, but I know Heaven can describe him better. I and Ray are totally different character, he is American – I’m Tongan, he is white – I’m brown, he is in his 90’s – I’m in my 50’s, two totally different background, and many more differences. Few in common such as, we are Mormons. I will mention only few of Ray’s character among many that I witness during our time together in Tonga.
Integrity: Beside operating the Vanilla business in the U.S. Ray buy vanilla beans from the Island of Tonga. There were times that Cook’s Vanilla was the only Buyer of vanilla beans in Tonga and if you are the only Buyer then you are in total control of how low the price you can set it to be, however Ray always gives a fair market value for the vanilla bean. Despite the government corruption, new buyers, and people’s greedy, he did what is fair for the farmers and his business. Ray is known among the vanilla growers in Tonga for his expertise and his knowledge of vanilla, also his honesty in dealing with them.
Charity: It is not on paper or through the social media but lots of individual’s lives were blessed by Ray. One time an older woman and a young boy probably a grandson brought a bundle of vanilla bean to Ray. Just by looking and the smell of the bundle, it is bad. I looked at Ray and motioned him not to buy it. He explained to the old woman through my translation how bad were the beans, and then he gave the woman money worth more than if the beans were good. I was angry thinking she was trying to cheat us, but Ray had compassion as the Savior did to the sinners. The old woman left with tears in her eyes and the little boy eyes glowing big looking at the money they got.
Humility: My parent was concerned when I first came with Ray to our island. My mom worried if Ray will like our food, and the place that he will stay because we didn’t want to leave him in the hotel by himself at night and the weekend. My parent had a small house two rooms and a bathroom beside their main house. Ray told us, he can stay with me in that small house and that’s where we stayed two single beds. He loved the food especially the “Lu Pulu” (Taro leaves, corned beef, and coconut milk) and Sweet Potatoes cooked in the “Umu” (underground oven). One of his favorite is the pineapple, known for its natural sweetness. He enjoyed staying with us in our poor place, just like his beautiful luxury home in the U.S. He didn’t show any sign of disliking our food but sign of good taste.
Humor: We were in a ferry going from the main island to outer island of Eua (My wife’s island) a four hour voyage. Between these two islands is known the “Tongan Trench”, five miles deep. It is also known for its roughness, high seas and danger. As we left the coast of the main island the waves started pounding the boat tossing it around. Ray asked me, “Are you scared”. I replied, “A little bit”. Then I said, “If something happen, I’ll get you on that barrel” pointing to one beside us “then we will try to get to shore.” Ray replied “you get on it, I’ll swim to shore and get some help for you.” We laughed about it and forgot the danger of our voyage until we arrived safely to the other island. Then he reminded me that he was in the Water Polo Team in school.
I can go on and on of my time with Ray. He helped me and my family. I cannot repay him back for things he had done for us. I will treasure the things he taught me, his love, his smile, unforgettable voice and his LEGACY. A GREAT MAN.
Jo and Family—
I read your blog and even though I never met your Dad, I am smitten with him. What a character! My grandfather was from Scotland and I know what fun Scots can be.
My condolences are with you,
Jeannie, thank you so much for your condolences. He was a character- some of our fondest memories of him are him singing Scottish love love songs to Emilie and playing at the piano in his plaid pants!
Dear Josephine Lochhead Schmidt
Oh my goodness! What a remarkable, wonderful man!
I stumbled upon the Cook’s website looking for information about an old, empty bottle of Cook’s “the best”, cooks compound special flavor pure vanilla. I’m an antique dealer and I was doing research. I feel my little bottle is priceless now!
I’m so very sorry for your loss and that of your whole family. Please accept my sincerest condolence. I hope you continue to run the company in the same manner and maintain highest quality, in every way, as your dad did–a very rare thing today.
Sincerely
Sandy Vartoogian
I was very imterested to read the story of this amazing man.I remember meeting him breifly at an appointment with my father who was a business consultant here in Tonga in the late 1980s during his trip setting up vanilla plantation here.My sister who continues my fathers accounting practice also told mentioned meeting him on his last trip to Tonga.We keep fond memories of meeting with him.
My condolenses to the family.
I stumbled upon these pages because of my love for Vanilla ( only your vanilla as it turns out) what a wonderful story, R.R s’ life
and legacy.
I am truly overwhelmed. Thank you so much for sharing this history and the wonderful pictures and stories of RR Lockhead. Your vanilla has been a huge part of my family’s celebrations over the years
Thank you, Jeanne. We are honored to continue Ray’s legacy- producing the best quality products for our customers- and our hearts are warmed that our family’s vanilla has become a part of your family gatherings! Thank you again for your lovely comment!