 | |
| Company type | Food processing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1894 |
| Founders | George Everett Haskell William W. Bosworth |
| Defunct | 1990 (in the U.S.) |
| Fate | Acquired by Conagra Brands |
| Successor | Conagra Brands |
| Headquarters | Irvine, California, U.S. Downers Grove, Illinois, U.S. Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Key people |
|
| Products | Food Chemical Consumer Products |
| Brands | |
| Revenue | US$4 billion (1975) |
| US$206 million (1976) | |
| Parent | Conagra Brands |
Beatrice Foods Company was a major American food conglomerate founded in 1894.[1][2] One of the best-known food processing companies in the U.S., Beatrice owned many well-known brands such as Tropicana, Krispy Kreme, Jolly Rancher, Orville Redenbacher's, Swiss Miss, Peter Pan, Avis, Milk Duds, Samsonite, Playtex, La Choy and Dannon.[3][4]
In 1987, its international food operations were sold to Reginald Lewis, a corporate attorney, creating TLC Beatrice International, after which the majority of its domestic (U.S.) brands and assets were acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts,[5] with the bulk of its holdings sold off. By 1990, the remaining operations were ultimately acquired by ConAgra Foods.
- ^ Gazel, Neil R. 1990. Beatrice: From Buildup through Breakup. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 235 pages.
- ^ Brier, Elisabeth. "Meet The Jackie Robinson Of Wall Street". Forbes. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ Hoover, Gary (March 19, 2021). "From Milk Duds to Samsonite: The Beatrice Foods Saga". Business History - The American Business History Center. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ Hoover, Gary (March 19, 2021). "From Milk Duds to Samsonite: The Beatrice Foods Saga". Business History - The American Business History Center. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
- ^ Michael Kinsley (May 16, 2007). "We try harder, but what's the point". New York Times.