Long before Fischer & Wieser became a household name, Mark Wieser just wanted a nicer place to sell peaches.
In 1969, he opened a roadside fruit stand in Fredericksburg from a restored 1870s German log cabin. He stocked peaches from the family orchard and asked his mother to make jams and jellies to fill out the shelves.
“By the end of the summer, I realized preserves were just as much a draw,” Wieser said.
That humble start planted the seed for what would become a thriving specialty foods brand, Das Peach Haus. Joined by Case D. Fischer in 1979 and later by Fischer’s wife Deanna, the small-town peach stand grew into a national company whose best-known product, Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce, remains a cult favorite nearly 30 years after its debut.
But at the core of it all is something even deeper than fruit and flavor — it’s a legacy grounded in faith, family and integrity.
“We built this with our kids by our side.” Deanna Fischer said. “Our faith guides our decisions, and our values — things like quality, integrity and customer service — were passed down by Mark’s mother when she taught us always to make sure the peaches on the bottom of the basket looked as good as the ones on top.”
Today, Fischer & Wieser is still headquartered in Fredericksburg and led by the next generation. Their children — Dietz, Elle and Simon — now oversee wine production, retail operations and the award-winning Farmstead experience. The family’s 65,000-square-foot production facility remains just a mile from the original peach stand, and every product is still made in small batches with rigorous third-party food safety inspections.
The journey wasn’t without obstacles. When a series of hard freezes wiped out the peach crop in the early 1980s, Wieser returned to teaching and Fischer, then a Texas A&M student, began helping with production.
“It was tough,” Fischer said. “But it also made us think more creatively about how to sustain the business.”
They leaned into preserves, experimented with savory sauces and traveled the country doing food shows. In 1996, Fischer created the Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce that would change everything.
“Chefs were just starting to use chipotle peppers,” he said. “I had a fellow foodie friend in the restaurant business tell me, ‘That’s the one. Bottle it now.’”
After it won the prestigious sofi Award for Outstanding New Product, the phone started ringing. By 1998, retailers were ordering truckloads of it. The family hand-filled more than 14,000 bottles in their facility, cooled them outdoors and then loaded them for national shipment.
Still, they’ve never lost sight of their roots. The original Das Peach Haus still welcomes guests with orchard views, wine tastings and seasonal cooking classes led by local chefs. In 2016, they opened the Farmstead Cooking School. In recent years, they’ve added boutique lodging, expanded their culinary line, and opened Dietz Distillery, named for their son.
The Farmstead has become a hub of community and creativity, with more than a dozen new products tested each week. Hot Peach & Honey Sauce, Maple Chipotle BBQ Sauce and Bulgogi BBQ Sauce are just a few recent standouts, many inspired by the family’s global travels and love of international cuisine.
That spirit of innovation, paired with traditional values, has earned them respect across the industry. H-E-B, Central Market and other major retailers now carry their products, and Fischer & Wieser also manufactures for several national and international brands.
But their greatest achievement may be the culture they’ve built.
“We don’t just make food… we create flavorful experiences that make people happy,” Deanna Fischer said. “That’s what’s always mattered most.”
Their strong Christian faith underpins everything, from the way they treat employees to how they approach growth.
“It was never about being the biggest,” Case D. Fischer said. “It was about being faithful, doing good work and trusting the rest would come.”
That philosophy has shaped the company’s future. As their children step into leadership, they’re mentored by both parents and executives who share their values.
“You can’t be on our leadership team if you’re not pro–family business,” Deanna said. “It’s not for everyone, but it’s everything to us.”
They’ve also long championed Fredericksburg, playing a significant role in its transformation from sleepy farm town to tourism destination. Mark Wieser helped launch the town’s first Christmas market, supported local restaurateurs and advocated for the bed-and-breakfast model that now defines the region. Today, the family continues to support local initiatives and events, such as the reimagined Food & Wine Fest.
More than 55 years since its founding, Fischer & Wieser remains a testament to what happens when faith meets purpose — and when a family commits to lifting others as they grow.
“There’s a whole world behind the label,” Deanna said. “And it’s built on love, grit and gratitude.”
“Our faith guides our decisions, and our values — quality, integrity and customer service — were passed down by Mark’s mother when she taught us always to make sure the peaches on the bottom of the basket looked as good as the ones on top.”