Hydroponic herb brand sees growth toward something more

Meghan Diemel

Contributor

December 15, 2025

GREEN BAY/DE PERE – Co-founder Vincent Bougie said the story of Brunette Herbs began over a round of mojitos in Spain. 

While traveling through the country with his fiancé, Quintin Brunette, and future brother-in-law Rome Brunette, Bougie said they had the opportunity to enjoy the famous cocktail, made with muddled mint leaves, sugar, lime juice and rum.

When they returned stateside, the trio said they tried getting drinks in Green Bay that had the same fresh-flavor profile, but found that many businesses didn’t have mint on hand.

Recognizing the niche opportunity in the food and beverage industry, Bougie said they began growing herbs hydroponically – including mint – and connected with bar owners he had previously worked with in the hospitality industry.

He said their interest in hydroponics was shaped by Quintin’s career path in interior design, their shared love of terrariums and his own insatiable curiosity.

“Before… stepping [into] this herb business, I was working in hotels and had free time to read books,” he said. “So, I read a lot of books about hydroponics, and I got introduced to a very knowledgeable hydroponic farmer [named Jesse Nelson, who] owns a hydroponic shop [in Green Bay] called Garden Supply Guys. He is very knowledgeable on hydroponics – the science of it all.”

When they started to sell their herbs to bars, Bougie said Brunette Herbs was born.

From there, they continued to expand – successfully growing sweet and Thai basil, cilantro, sage, parsley, chives, various mints and even catnip, and selling them by way of whole plants or clippings.

However, Quintin said they noticed it wasn’t catching on with customers as quickly as they had hoped.

“Essentially, we had the plan to just go through vending and local wholesale groups to sell the hydroponics,” he said. “We offered the fresh herbs and the small hydroponic plants and then the clippings, but we noticed those weren’t necessarily selling as much as we would have liked.”

So, Quintin said they branched out, putting their herbs to use on handcrafted pizzas to help jumpstart sales.

Bougie said growing the brand from herbs to culinary creations featuring those herbs was a natural evolution he had planned from the start.

“It’s always been in the back of my mind – ‘can I make this [work], realistically, sell[ing] herbs to the general population in Green Bay?’” he said. “And I do know Green Bay, I do know Wisconsin and I thought of [featuring] the herbs on our pizzas [would help jumpstart things].”

Bougie said the pizza went from concept to creation in roughly six months – debuting it publicly at Fall Fest on Broadway.

He said they also plan to participate in local winter markets. 

“The pizzas we offer are [going to] primarily be small-batch pizzas, as they are cooked on a smaller scale,” Quintin said. “The flavors are going to be… the basics of cheese, pepperoni and sausage.”

However, he said there is room for customization, so customers can add extra basil, green peppers or other toppings to their pizzas if they’d like.

“We’re more than happy to give that out to those who are asking for it,” he said.

Expanding beyond pizza

The trio said the pizzas are made entirely in house, and they hope to add other culinary creations to their lineup soon.

Bougie said he has spent the past two to three years developing a cookbook, using his online platform to share dishes and test new ideas. 

He said he and Rome will begin the culinary program at Fox Valley Technical College soon, and once they secure a restaurant license, they plan to broaden their capabilities and introduce a wider range of offerings.

Bougie said the next step for Brunette Herbs is to secure a small storefront – a local space where customers can easily access their herbs and other food offerings and where the business can grow its future product line.

He said the plan is to place the hydroponic tower – which stands more than seven feet tall and supports roughly 80 different plant species – inside a glass enclosure, allowing customers to see the plants growing fresh before purchasing them.

Thus far, Bougie said they have had some difficulty with finding a place that is food-service compliant.

“There are a lot of office spaces available, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we can put a hood in or be able to grow commercial hydroponics,” he said.

Even so, Bougie said they remain committed to finding a space that meets their needs and allows their vision to move forward.

Make a positive impact 

As part of their 15-year plan, the founding trio said they want to have an impact on the community that extends beyond basic nourishment.

Quintin said they envision a civic, solarium-style space filled with natural light, drawing inspiration from places such as the lower level at Appleton Public Library prior to its renovation, Pella Windows and Door Company in De Pere, and botanical gardens in Spain.

Bougie said it combines their interest in herbs and plant life, alongside Quintin’s interior design experience and his career in real estate.

“We’re trying to make this brand go far [toward] making a huge community space with greenery… almost like a terrarium, but here in Green Bay, and that’s going to be our driving force,” he said. “That’s our million-dollar idea of what makes our… future success. That’s why we really want to make this so possible, because we really would love to have [a space like] a botanical garden but enclosed in glass and available year-round in Green Bay.”

Quintin said they refer to the concept as “the solarium,” envisioned as a welcoming space for people who may not have a place to simply be themselves.

He said the plan would be to offer the space to other groups for educational programs and classes as well.

Making their mark on the culinary world

Before they tackle those bigger goals ahead of them, the Brunette Herbs crew said they are working hard on their pizza ambitions.

From deep dish to thin crust, veggie-packed to meat-heavy, the Brunette Herbs trio said they know the pizza market is crowded.

But Bougie said they stand out by refusing to mass-produce their flavor-forward pizzas.

“It’s really not trying to compete with anything big,” he said. “We are a hydroponic herb company, and we [create] pizzas that are designed to be eaten slowly. Just like how it was made. And I really do think people feel that difference. They know this is an herb company that is presenting a pizza.”

Furthermore, Bougie said every step of the process is hand-selected through their decision-making, going from seed to full-on plants and then “just creating every little ingredient that we can get.”

Bougie and Quintin said they are incredibly thankful for their own garden of support as they continue to put down their roots in entrepreneurship and grow their dreams.

Quintin said he’s most proud of how they’ve handled the unpredictable nature of hydroponics and herb cultivation.

“I wasn’t the biggest green thumb, I can tell you that much,” he said. “So, just seeing the plants grow from the time we started the business, I think, is [what I’m most proud of].”

Bougie said the public’s early reactions to the pizzas and the free samples of future products have been a source of encouragement.

He said he appreciates when others acknowledge the hard work and love that go into everything they make.

Rome said for him, Brunette Herbs represents a chance to develop his skills in an industry he has long wanted to explore more deeply.

“I’ve always wanted to go to culinary school, [to] become a chef,” he said. “Cooking has always been a passion of mine, but I [didn’t] really have a kitchen big enough to do it.”

Quintin said the brand’s success is rooted in family, expressing gratitude to his brother Rome and Rome’s girlfriend, Nayalyl Melendez – the artists behind the forthcoming website – as well as to community members, relatives and friends who have embraced their products.

The trio said they are also thankful for the many connections they’ve made with other business owners in Green Bay.

For more information about Brunette Herbs and what is ahead for the brand, find it on Facebook.