Alumni Services

Tom & Nick Bedrosian
– Posted Spring 2020

A Future Full of Flavor
Tucked away in the Whitin Machine Works building, located in Whitinsville, MA, we found two of our alumni transforming part of the historic mill into a modern 21st-century manufacturing space, and filling it full of flavors.

The Bedrosian brothers, Tom (Culinary Arts, Class of 2009) and Nick (Drafting & Design Technology, Class of 2014), kindly opened the doors at Brozzian to give us a taste of what they're all about, treating us to a behind-the-scenes tour, and chatting about their path to entrepreneurship. Through the highs and lows of running their company, the lessons learned while studying their trades still lingers — shaping the brothers and their business.

Born into a family with an entrepreneurial spirit, Tom and Nick chose to follow in their father Rick's footsteps, also a BVT alumnus (Carpentry, Class of 1976), when pursuing their vocational-technical education, as did their sister Ashley (Culinary Arts, Class of 2013).

Enrolled in trades they enjoyed and interested them, Tom and Nick envisioned careers resulting from their vocational choices and a future working in each of their respective industries.

“I have always had a love for food and for the creative aspect of making food,” said Tom. “At BVT, I dreamt of owning a restaurant. So after graduating, I decided to continue my education in Culinary Arts at Johnson and Wales University while Nick pursued Biomedical Engineering at Wentworth Institute of Technology.

“After working several years as a Sous Chef, I realized that was not the career I wanted anymore,” said Tom. “The hours of the culinary industry can be brutal at times. But I have a passion for creating great-tasting food. That passion for flavor sparked an idea that would later become Brozzian Spices.”

"Looking back, I think we always wanted to own a business together. The idea was tossed around a lot while we were growing up. But we started to seriously consider going into business together at the end of 2014. While I was in college, Tom began planning out the initial steps with our father on how to start the company," said Nick. They credit their parents, who've helped when they go to them with questions and their father specifically who aids in decisions along the way—many other friends and family who've assisted them when they needed it.

"Tom was influenced by his Culinary Arts training with the knowledge that seasonings play a crucial role in making food taste great. We agreed it was essential to develop products that give everyone the ability to create restaurant-quality taste right in their kitchen,” explains Nick.

In May of 2015, they made it official with Brozzian, LLC. The idea for the name combines “bros” with the end of their last name, “sian.” They then switched the S’s to Z’s to create Brozzian, pronounced Bro-Zee-in. Brozzian Spices is growing, but not without its struggles. “Starting your own business is very challenging. We’ve faced unknown obstacles that we didn’t even realize existed and had to adapt and change plans when things go astray,” explained Tom. “While there is a lot of work involved, we love what we do!”

When asked if they’ve ever had second thoughts about starting the company, they pause before Nick responds. "There will be high points and low points, but at the end of the day, you keep going because you've come this far. It is rather satisfying to look around at something we’ve created together from concept to current day, to see that where there was nothing before, there is now a thriving business. We are happy with our decision to start Brozzian.”

Making a difference in the food industry with their unique spice blends and dip mixes, hearing the glowing testimonials, and seeing the positive impact in the community, in the end, they said, that makes it all worth it.

As a way to give back to BVT, Tom and Nick partnered with the Class of 2023 for their winter fundraiser, which included a gift box of these five fabulous seasonings: All-Purpose, Grilling, Roasted Potato (YUM!), Sicilian, and New Orleans (Cajun Rub). This gift box truly delivered the gift of flavor.

Are you getting tired of cooking the same old dinners? Support your fellow alumni by stocking your kitchen with flavorful Brozzian products, which are available locally and can be ordered online at www.brozzian.com. Also, when visiting their website, be sure to view their gourmet recipes for home cooking made easy – release your creativity!