H.J. Heinz Company
H.J. Heinz Company, commonly known as Heinz, famous for its "57 Varieties" slogan, was founded in 1869, by Henry John Heinz, in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania.
In 1869, the 25 year old Henry went into business with L. Clarence Noble as "Heinz & Noble." The first product they launched was none other than horseradish. The sauce was unique in that it was sold in clear glass bottles to display its purity, whereas competitors used colored glass to hide the poor quality of their products. There was a reason that founder Henry John Heinz displayed his product in transparent bottles. He took a stand on quality and proudly displayed all of his products to the people and his competitors by using a clear bottle to show that his products where the real deal and the best. From the beginning of Heinz, the driving idea was quality, and quality is what made Heinz the company it is today.
After horseradish came pickles, sauerkraut, and vinegar, delivered by horse-drawn wagons to grocers in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Processing, packing and the headquarters offices shared a two-story farmhouse in Sharpsburg, at the city's northern edge. But within five years, Heinz and partner L. C. Noble had to relocate to larger quarters because of their massive growth. They were on their way to becoming one of the nation's leading producers of condiments. Heinz & Noble could count among its assets a hundred acres of garden along the Allegheny River ? 30 acres of horseradish ? along with 24 horses, a dozen wagons and a vinegar factory in St. Louis.
After initial success, the company was forced into bankruptcy ...