Popular Food Brands That Have Been Around Longer Than We Thought

You may assume that the brands you grew up with are fairly modern, but did you know that

some of the most common brands that you see on grocery store shelves have been around

for decades, sometimes even centuries? In some cases, your favorite foods are so old they actually witnessed major historical

events like an edible Forrest Gump. So, today we're going to take a look at some popular food brands that have been around

way longer than we thought. Okay, time to stock up the pantry with some weird history

Pretty much everyone knows the Keebler elves. They're the well-dressed little monsters who allegedly make every batch of Keebler cookies in their hollowed-out tree

Which is probably not true. If they really cooked those things in a tree, grasshopper cookies would have actual grasshoppers in them

Unless that's what they're trying to tell us. If you've ever wondered who the Keebler in Keebler Cookies is, the answer is Godfrey Keebler

who was not an elf and didn't live in a tree, as far as our research can tell

Keebler was a German immigrant who opened a bakery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, way back in 1853

He enlisted his sons into the business, and together they found success through regional distribution

eventually growing into a massive corporation. What this means is that Keebler's cookies and crackers were already being baked in the decade preceding Abraham Lincoln's presidency

perhaps even making their way to Washington, D.C. In other words, it's entirely possible Lincoln was eating Keebler cookies during the American Civil War

Well, part of it, anyway. He probably wasn't housing fudge stripes for the entire war

In fact, according to some sources, Keebler provided bread to the Union Army in the form of hardtack

Could it be because Lincoln had an affinity for their baked goods? Probably not, but it's our responsibility to blindly suggest that maybe he did

Everyone has at least one person in their circle who asks for a bottle of Tabasco sauce at every restaurant

and that person is usually their dad. It's arguably the most recognizable brand of hot sauce

so it may surprise you to learn that it's been heating up mealtimes for 150 years

Tabasco traces its origins to 1868, when Edmund McElhenney created what would become Tabasco Original Red Pepper Sauce from his home state of Louisiana

using the same recipe that remains popular today. Michel Henny came up with a hot sauce that would add a kick to bland southern food

incorporating seeds from the capsicum frutissans, which is a fancy name for a type of chili pepper

During the first year of production, Michel Henny sold just over 650 bottles of hot sauce

mostly to regional outlets along the Gulf Coast. Two years later, Michel Henny got a patent for his

sauce and expanded his product to markets across the United States and abroad. Customers were happy

to scoop up the spicy condiment because a lot of American cuisine in the 19th century tasted like

rocks if it wasn't literally rocks. Founded by Henry John Hines in 1869 near Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania, the Hines Company initially produced pickles, horseradish, and vinegars, which are foods most commonly used to punish children for swearing

Petty, but with just a touch of mellow smoothness. The company expanded into making catsup in 1876

a move achieved on the heels of Heinz filing for bankruptcy just one year earlier

Apparently, he realized he needed to expand to products that people actually enjoy

After the introduction of Sweet Pickles in 1876, Heinz branched out even further, offering his 57 varieties by 1896

Interestingly, when he picked the 57 varieties slogan, Heinz's company actually had more than 60 products on the market

So why 57? It was just a number Heinz believed was lucky. And maybe he was a big Ricky Jackson fan

The Heinz Company is so old, Henry John Heinz was laying the groundwork for a condiment empire

when carrier pigeons were still flying overhead, and we don't mean a type of drone. Using birds as

modes of communication traces back to the ancient world and, during the late 19th century when Heinz

started slinging ketchup and horseradish, it was still very much a thing. During the Franco-Prussian

War of 1870 pigeons were regularly dispatched in and out of Paris Carrier pigeons were again used during World War I when France had as many as 30 carrier pigeons at the ready Pigeons even found additional uses during World War II and were put into service by the French in Vietnam long after anyone was using them to transport delicious Heinz ketchup

Pillsbury is perhaps best known for the Pillsbury Doughboy, the adorable mascot that has been

perpetually harassed by giant fingers for our amusement. The Baked Goods Company has been

putting flaky rolls and toaster strudels into our bellies for decades. But its origins reach back

as far as 1869, when it first produced flour from its mill in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company's

founder, Charles A. Pillsbury, acquired more mills during the early 1870s and soon grew to dominate

the flour market in the United States, in large part due to the incorporation of increasingly

efficient grain, elevator, and steamrolling technologies. You gotta get in on the ground

floor with that kind of stuff. Pillsbury is so old that it was taking off as a company around

the same time that legendary outlaw Jesse James was busily working on his legendary status

James fought with Confederate guerrilla troops during the American Civil War, staging his first bank holdup only one year after the conflict ended. With his brother Frank and a

member of the James Younger gang, James held up trains, stages, and banks from Minnesota through

Kentucky and into Mississippi. Like the Pillsbury Doughboy, Jesse James achieved folk hero status

during his life. But unlike the Doughboy, he was whacked by one of his associates in 1882

While there have been several attempts on the Doughboy's life, none have been successful

While the Del Monte brand is now associated with canned and packaged fruits and vegetables

and the part of your lunch that always got thrown away with the bag, the name was actually first used way back in 1886 to sell coffee. But it wasn't a mass market

product. Del Monte coffee was made by the Oakland Preserving Company in California for the Hotel

Del Monte in Monterey, which is where the name comes from. So how did it become the name of a

fruits and vegetables brand? It's kind of complicated, but basically, a group of food

producers in California combined to form the California Fruit Canners Association, or CFCA

in 1899, and they kept using the Del Monte name on their premier brands. Del Monte was applied to

products from the San Jose Fruit Packing Company and, after the California Packing Corporation

joined the CFCA, it was stamped on their products as well. It's essentially just a name that got

passed around, like the Dread Pirate Roberts. But at the same time California's food producers

were consolidating to meet consumer demand, drive down prices, and extend their influence

in the market, Native American groups in the United States were coming to the end of their

resistance to the federal government. And after a lifetime of clashes with Mexican and American

settlers alike, Apache leader Geronimo surrendered to the United States on September 4, 1886

The same year, branded coffee first appeared in the lobby of the Hotel Del Monte

There are few things more American than Coca-Cola, the staple drink of every great memory you have before the age of 18

and probably several not-so-great ones. We've been throwing back Cokes at movie theaters, sporting events, sleepovers

camping trips, school functions, and dinner tables for decades. But the soft drink, with its bright red can and stylized lettering, feels distinctly modern

Which is why it might surprise you to learn that Coca-Cola first tickled consumer soup coolers way back in May of 1886, roughly a century and a half ago

Coke was created by Atlanta-area pharmacist Dr. John Pemberton as a hopeful replacement for the crippling morphine addiction he'd gained during the Civil War

He would not be the last person to use sugary drinks as an addiction replacement

Pemberton patented his Coca-Cola syrup and extract the following year. In 1892, the businessman Asa Candler completed his purchase of the Coca-Cola Company and

incorporated it in the state of Georgia. Coca-Cola expanded widely under Candler's leadership

As syrup plants emerged nationwide, the distinct Coca-Cola flavor, script, and packaging proliferated

around the United States. By the early 20th century, Coca-Cola had become an iconic part

of Americana, with advertisements for the drink even greeting newly-arrived immigrants from around

the world. Heck Coca ads are partially responsible for the modern depiction of Santa Claus the avatar of gift receipts American children pray to every year In fact Coca is so old and so entwined in American culture that the incorporation

of Coca-Cola in 1892 coincided with the opening of Ellis Island. Located in the upper New York

Bay, Ellis Island became a central immigration processing center in the United States

In contrast to state-run immigration centers, Ellis Island was run by the federal government

in order to centralize, streamline, and scrutinize individuals entering the country. Between 1892 and 1954, Ellis Island produced more than 12 million immigrants

Upon arrival, immigrants underwent medical examinations and legal inspections before being sent forth into the United States, presumably to buy things like Coca-Cola

Intimates have been filling impulse buy racks with their baked goods for decades

Their sweet treats can be found in grocery stores across the country, and while they may not overtake Chips Ahoy or Oreos as most people's first choice

you're never sad to see that blue and white box at a morning meeting. Founded in Brooklyn, New York, the same place that brought you J.C. and Mr. Potato Head

the first Entenmann's Bakery was opened by William Entenmann in 1898. As a German immigrant who was pretty much born into baking, sort of like a German fairy tale

Entenmann learned the craft from his father before working in a bread factory in the United States

Once he had his own shop, Entenmann baked cakes, breads, and rolls, taking them to sell

via horse-drawn wagon. Okay, so it was exactly like a German fairy tale

William Entenmann Jr. later took over for his father, helping the company thrive throughout

the early 20th century. The bakery became so popular that one of William Jr.'s best customers was Frank Sinatra

We would give any amount of money to watch old Blue Eyes demolish a crumb cake

Over time, Entenmann stopped making bread to focus on pastries instead. While Entenmann was bringing baked goods to doorsteps in Brooklyn, the United States was

in a conflict with Spain and declared war on April 25, 1898. After the formal declaration of war

the United States undertook a three-month campaign in Latin America and the Pacific

In the Caribbean, military troops and volunteers, including Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders

pushed the Spanish fleet out of Santiago Harbor, ultimately sending Admiral Pasquale Cervera and

his ships into the hands of the United States Navy. Teddy looks like a man who could do some

serious damage to a box of Entemans, so we can only assume that his Rough Riders charge

was at least partially fueled by delicious baked goods. The conflict ended with the Treaty of

Paris signed in December 1898, but Entemans is still around. While it's tough to get excited about a can of plain Quaker oats, there isn't a kid on this

planet who wouldn't fistfight you over a package of peaches and cream Quaker instant oatmeal

And while you're probably all out of surprise by this point of the video, you might still

raise an eyebrow after hearing that Quaker Oats is well over 100 years old

On second thought, maybe you won't. That logo looks pretty dusty. With roots that extend back into the mid-19th century, Quaker Oats became the first trademark

breakfast cereal in 1877. In 1881, the owners, Henry Seymour and William Heston, sold their Quaker Mill Farm in Ohio

as well as their cereal to Henry Parsons Crowell. then united with fellow oat millers to create the American Cereal Company in 1888, and it was that

entity that changed its name to the Quaker Oats Company in 1901. By 1901, Quaker was producing

more than just oat cereal, having branched out to many more products including wheat, cornmeal

and baby food. Wait, isn't all oatmeal baby food? You don't exactly need teeth to slurp up some

Quaker. They'd also revolutionized marketing, sending out sample-sized boxes of Quaker oats

and printing recipes on their products, which was such a good idea that pretty much every food

product continues to copy it to this day. And as the Quaker Oats Company added wares to store

shelves, two famous crooks were breaking the law in the American West and setting up Paul Newman and

Robert Redford for the roles of a lifetime. Butch Cassidy's real name was Robert Leroy Parker

and he was the leader of a gang of outlaws called the Wild Bunch, a nickname they've presumably

earned for their irreverent style at the roller rink. The Sundance Kid was born Harry Alonzo

Longabout and he met Butch at some point during the mid Collectively the Wild Bunch held up banks and trains from Idaho to Wyoming to New Mexico wrecking such havoc that the federal government sent the Pinkerton Detective Agency to apprehend them The group held up its last express car on July 3 1901 boarding the Great Northern Railroad in Montana the same year

Quaker began sowing its oats, so to speak. Nothing is more modern than Kraft macaroni and cheese

specifically Kraft Easy Mac, a meal-sized cup of instant microwave delight specially designed for

the on-the-go teen of the future. But Kraft Foods began as a small dairy business back in 1903

Canadian James L. Kraft and his brother Charles delivered cheese to local retailers

incorporating their enterprise in 1909. Because who doesn't want to get into the cheese business

with their brother? Along with their two other brothers, they honed a cheese process that

prevented spoilage and turned out to be ideal for serving military troops during World War I

That genius process also allowed for their cheese products to camp out on store shelves for extended periods of time without going bad

During the 1920s and 1930s, Kraft developed additional products, including Velveeta, Miracle Whip, Parquet Margarine, and its near-mythical macaroni and cheese

But while Kraft was busy cornering the processed cheese industry, the United States was focused on its efforts to link the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans by building the Panama C across the Isthmus of Panama

which is sort of like linking macaroni with cheese, if you think about it

Despite their legendary blandness, cornflakes have maintained a constant presence on store shelves

and they're not as bad when you add sugar. Dr. Kellogg first served his cornflakes at a sanitarium in Battle Creek, Michigan

which, uh, makes a lot of sense. The exact original recipe for cornflakes is unclear

with various sources asserting that they were made out of flour, oats, and cornmeal as early as 1877

Every box of cornflakes we've ever opened has tasted roughly that old

In other tellings, however, cornflakes were first made by chance in 1898

when fermented wheat dough was rolled out and baked to prevent it from going to waste

Still, another story indicates they resulted from an unsuccessful batch of granola

That's history for you. But regardless of when cornflakes were made, Kellogg's brother Will eventually developed a recipe that became the core product of the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company in 1906

Within a few years, Kellogg's cornflakes were being produced in large numbers and bran flakes followed suit in 1915

Wow, corn and bran? What's their next flavor? Pine cones? Cornflakes are so old that they were being mass-produced right alongside the Ford Model T

which makes sense because each box feels vaguely like an antique. Known for their unique curly shape, Frito corn chips are a snack time treat for anyone

looking to eat as much salt as possible without cutting into their daily allotment of processed

corn. The popular chip comes in a number of different flavors and has been haunting convenience

store aisles since we were old enough to go on road trips. But believe it or not, the

humble Frito is actually older than the American interstate highway system. Charles Elmer Doolin

began producing corn chips in San Antonio, Texas in 1932, using factory methods comparable to those

practiced by automobile manufacturers. He didn't know it at the time, but he was about to open up

a market that would soon have nationwide appeal. Doolin first sold Fritos out of his car, which

might be the most appropriate place Fritos have ever been distributed. Doolin's success caught

the attention of potato chip manufacturer Henry Lay during the mid-1940s. Lay's company, which

sold popcorn, potato chips, and other snack foods, had begun to dominate the snack market in the

southeastern United States during the 1940s. He added Frito corn chips to that list in 1945

after entering into a cooperative business agreement with Doolin. Doolin and Lay's

companies merged to become Frito-Lay in 1961, nearly three decades after Amelia Earhart became

the first female aviator to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. And in 1932, the year

Fritos were first produced, Earhart piloted her transatlantic solo flight from Newfoundland to

Ireland amid poor weather and mechanical difficulties to earn international acclaim, possibly while eating Fritos she'd bought from Charles Elmer Doolin's car