A.1. Sauce facts for kids
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| Owner | Premier Foods (In North America Kraft Heinz) |
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| Introduced | 1831 |
A.1. Sauce is a famous type of brown sauce. It's like a special topping you can put on your food. In the United Kingdom, it's made by a company called Premier Foods. In North America, it's made by Kraft Heinz.
This sauce has been around for a very long time! It was first sold in 1831 in the United Kingdom. People used it as a condiment for many dishes, like fish, meat, and even wild game. Later, it became popular in Canada and the United States, where it was often called "steak sauce."
Contents
The Story of A.1. Sauce
How A.1. Sauce Began
The original idea for A.1. Sauce came from a chef named Henderson William Brand. He worked for King George IV in the United Kingdom. In 1824, he created a special brown sauce.
There's a fun story that the King tasted it and said it was "A.1." This means "first-rate" or "the best." The term "A.1." actually came from how ships were rated as "first class" for insurance.
From Chef's Idea to Store Shelves
The sauce started being made for sale in 1831. It was sold under the name Brand & Co. People used it on fish, meat, and poultry. Even after the company had some financial trouble in 1850, the sauce continued to be made.
The sauce officially got the name "A.1." in 1873. This happened after a disagreement about who owned the name. The company Brand & Co. kept making it in London until the late 1970s.
A.1. Sauce Around the World
In the United Kingdom, A.1. Sauce is now owned by Premier Foods. It is still made in England and sent to countries in Asia.
A.1. Sauce became a registered trademark in the U.S. in 1895. It was brought to the United States by G. F. Heublein & Brothers in 1906. In the early 1960s, it was marketed as "A.1. Steak Sauce" in the U.S.
Over the years, different companies owned the rights to A.1. in North America. Since 1999, Kraft Foods (now Kraft Heinz) has owned the license for the A.1. brand there.
New Flavors and Names
In the 1980s, two new flavors of A.1. were tried in the USA. However, these new flavors were stopped soon after. In 2000, a line of A.1. marinades was launched.
In May 2014, Kraft Foods in North America announced a change. They decided to drop the word "steak" from the name. It went back to being called "A.1. Sauce." This change was made to show that the sauce can be used on more than just steak.
What's in A.1. Sauce?
The ingredients in A.1. Sauce can be a little different depending on where you buy it.
A.1. Sauce in the US
In the United States, A.1. Sauce usually contains tomato purée, raisin paste, vinegar, corn syrup, and salt. It also has crushed orange purée, dried garlic and onions, and various spices. Other ingredients include celery seed, caramel color, and thickeners like xanthan gum.
A.1. Sauce in Canada
The A.1. Sauce sold in Canada has some different ingredients. It includes tomato purée, marmalade, raisins, onions, and garlic. It also contains malt vinegar, sugar, salt, and other spices and flavorings.
See also
