COMPANY·HISTORIES
SIC 2099

Food Preparations, Nec

How the companies in this industry began, and the forces that shaped them.

36companies1871–1997founding years36still active0no longer operating
§ 01

The industry over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedThomas J. Lipton Company
1871
FoundedPet Incorporated
1885
FoundedBorden, Inc.
1899
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
FoundedBestfoods
1906
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
FoundedThe J.M. Smucker Company
1921
FoundedHain Food Group, Inc.
1926
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedChock Full o'Nuts Corp.
1932
FoundedAssociated British Foods plc
1935
FoundedL'Oréal
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedJohn B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.
1959
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
FoundedGrupo Industrial Bimbo
1965
FoundedWawa Inc.
1968
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
FoundedCelestial Seasonings, Inc.
1972
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
FoundedKerry Group plc
1974
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
FoundedKraft Jacobs Suchard AG
1982
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
FoundedAlpine Lace Brands, Inc.
1986
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
FoundedSuiza Foods Corporation
1988
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
FoundedDiageo plc
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Thomas J. Lipton Company →
Active · founded 1871
Thomas J.
Tone Brothers, Inc. →
Active · founded 1873
Tone Brothers, Inc.
Pet Incorporated →
Active · founded 1885
Pet Incorporated, a specialty food producer with a number of familiar name-brands, operates 33 manufacturing plants…
Nabisco Foods Group →
Active · founded 1898
For nearly a century, Nabisco has been one of the most widely recognized names in the American food industry.
Borden, Inc. →
Active · founded 1899
The Borden, Inc.
McCormick & Company, Incorporated →
Active · founded 1903
McCormick & Company, Incorporated has been the largest U.S.
Bestfoods →
Active · founded 1906
Bestfoods is one of the largest food companies in the United States, with two main businesses: consumer foods and…
Dawn Food Products, Inc. →
Active · founded 1920
Dawn Food Products, Inc.
The J.M. Smucker Company →
Active · founded 1921
The J.M.
Golden Enterprises, Inc. →
Active · founded 1923
A leading snack food producer in the southeastern United States, Golden Enterprises, Inc.
Hain Food Group, Inc. →
Active · founded 1926
Hain Food Group, Inc.
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. →
Active · founded 1930
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.
Chock Full o'Nuts Corp. →
Active · founded 1932
Chock Full o'Nuts Corp.
Lamb Weston, Inc. →
Active · founded 1932
The largest producer of frozen potato products in the world, Lamb Weston, Inc.
Associated British Foods plc →
Active · founded 1935 · United Kingdom
With high-ranking positions in several categories of foodstuffs, Associated British Foods plc (ABF) stands as one of…
Goya Foods Inc. →
Active · founded 1936
With almost 1,000 items on sale, Goya Foods Inc.
L'Oréal →
Active · founded 1939 · (1) 47 56 86 42
L'Oréal, one of the largest companies in France, is the world's largest manufacturer of high-quality cosmetics and…
Worthington Foods, Inc. →
Active · founded 1939
Worthington Foods, Inc., has grown from a tiny manufacturer of specialty foods into a leader of the U.S.
John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc. →
Active · founded 1959
John B.
McLane Company, Inc. →
Active · founded 1964
McLane Company, Inc., is one of the largest wholesale distribution companies in the United States.
Grupo Industrial Bimbo →
Active · founded 1965 · Mexico
Mexico's biggest baker and food company, Grupo Industrial Bimbo, is a Mexican multinational conglomerate that derives…
Montedison S.p.A. →
Active · founded 1966 · Italy
Montedison S.p.A.
Wawa Inc. →
Active · founded 1968
With 515 outlets in 1996, Wawa Inc.
GoodMark Foods, Inc. →
Active · founded 1970
The world's largest producer of meat snacks, GoodMark Foods, Inc.
Celestial Seasonings, Inc. →
Active · founded 1972
The largest manufacturer and marketer of herb teas in the United States, Celestial Seasonings, Inc.
Alfa, S.A. de C.V. →
Active · founded 1974 · Mexico
Alfa, S.A.
Kerry Group plc →
Active · founded 1974 · Ireland
Kerry Group plc is fast becoming one of the world's leading food ingredients suppliers.
Hillsdown Holdings plc →
Active · founded 1975 · United Kingdom
Hillsdown Holdings plc is a somewhat obscure holding company for a wide range of food, homebuilding, furniture, and…
Kraft Jacobs Suchard AG →
Active · founded 1982 · Switzerland
Kraft Jacobs Suchard AG--part of Philip Morris Companies Inc.
TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc. →
Active · founded 1983
TLC Beatrice International Holdings, Inc.
Alpine Lace Brands, Inc. →
Active · founded 1986
Alpine Lace Brands, Inc., is a leading manufacturer of reduced-fat and fat-free deli cheeses and meats.
Michael Foods, Inc. →
Active · founded 1987
Michael Foods, Inc., through its Egg Products Division, is the largest producer, processor, and distributor of extended…
Suiza Foods Corporation →
Active · founded 1988
Suiza Foods Corporation has seemingly come out of nowhere to become one of the leading fresh milk and dairy food…
Orkla A/S →
Active · founded 1991 · Norway
Orkla A/S is the largest branded consumer goods group and food and beverage producer in Scandinavia and one of the five…
Diageo plc →
Active · founded 1997 · United Kingdom
Diageo plc is a world leader in branded food and drinks.
Vlasic Foods International Inc. →
Active · founded 1997
Spun off from Campbell Soup Company in March 1998, Vlasic Foods International Inc.
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