Special Tomato: The Story of How a Garden Inspired a Family Brand of Special Needs Products

In 1976, Carrie Bergeron was born with Down syndrome. 

Tim Bergeron and his wife Peggy, committed to creating the best life possible for their daughter, immediately decided to be proactive in their pursuit of an integrated lifestyle. 

Tim was already in the process of building a company called Tumble Forms, but believed it could be made better with fresh vision and greater product focus. Following his daughter's birth, Tim stepped away from Tumblr Forms, working instead to bridge the gap between children with special needs and a lack of durable, comfortable assistive systems.

Located in Dolgeville, New York, Special Tomato is now a family-owned company which designs medical devices for children just like Bergeron’s daughter, Carrie. Born out of a desire to provide children just like Carrie with medical systems which are enjoyable while promoting growth and development, Special Tomato products are defined by comfort and compassion. 

A tomato, a garden, and a metaphor

In addition to being a talented inventor, Tim Bergeron was (and continues to be) an avid gardener. 

The year Carrie was born, he found himself planting beefsteak tomatoes. Beefsteak tomatoes, unlike traditional tomatoes, have a different look to them - often with an extra bump and curve (or two). However, when eaten, beefsteak tomatoes taste much the same as other more aesthetically pleasing tomatoes. 

One day, while tending to his garden, Bergeron used this tomato metaphor to inspire his daughter and his company. He ran with the idea that children with special needs are just as amazing as neurotypical children, and bring something unique to the world through their exceptional development.

During work on the build of Special Tomato products, Bergeron made it a priority to only use material that was soft to touch, durable, and comfortable. Through trial and error, Tim designed a soft, tear-free latex/anti-microbial material more comfortable and usable than any other material on the market. 

When Bergeron was finally confident he had something truly special, the brand Special Tomato came to life.

What products does Special Tomato offer?

Special Tomato primarily offers a large range of seating systems. 

The most popular products Special Tomato offers are the Jogger Stroller, Soft-Touch Therapy Rolls, MPS Car Seats, and the Multi-Positioning Seats. 

A few other products Special Tomato offers include soft-touch therapy wedges, a portable potty seat, and booster seats. 

Who can benefit from Special Tomato’s products?

Special Tomato products provide ample comfort and are soft to the touch, while also providing the stability to endure constant use. Primarily geared toward children, these products are amazing for users with neurological disorders, physical disabilities, low muscular support, and limited mobility, while also being easy for parents to use with their children. 

What Special Tomato customers are saying:

“My daughter loves this jogging stroller, and I love pushing her in it! It’s so much easier for us on jogs and walks than her wheelchair, and it folds up somewhat to fit in the back of our small SUV. My daughter fits rather snugly in it (she’s 55 pounds), but she loves that. I like that she can lay back more for comfort and support, or she can sit up to see what’s going on around her. We put her oxygen tank and emergency trach supplies in the basket underneath and hang her suction machine on the back, and we’re good to go. The back pocket holds my cellphone and small wallet. I highly recommend it.” - Angela, Grand Rapids, Michigan (reviewing Special Tomato Jogger)

“My son is almost 10 and he loves going for walks in his stroller. It’s a very smooth ride even on dirt paths. I looked at more expensive models but this one seemed to fit our needs. Now he never wants to ride his wheelchair. I wish I would have found this sooner. Lightweight, comfy, easy to fold, and is great as an all-terrain stroller.” - Lorene; Elizabeth, Colorado (reviewing Special Tomato Jogger)