Bolthouse Farms facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Refrigerated beverages |
| Founded | 1915 in Grant, Michigan |
| Headquarters | Bakersfield, California |
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Key people
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| Products | Fruit juice, vegetable juice, bottled coffee beverages, pea protein milk, salad dressing, carrots |
| Parent | Madison Dearborn Partners (2005-2012) Campbell Soup Company (2012-2019) Butterfly Equity (2019-) |
Bolthouse Farms is a large farm company that started in 1915 in Grant, Michigan. It grows its own crops and makes its own products, especially chilled drinks. The company is located in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Its main office is in Bakersfield, California. Bolthouse Farms also has facilities in Prosser, Washington. Over the years, different companies have owned Bolthouse Farms. From 2005 to 2012, it was owned by Madison Dearborn Partners. Then, the Campbell Soup Company bought it in 2012. In 2019, a company called Butterfly Equity became the new owner.
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How Bolthouse Farms Started and Grew
The Bolthouse farm began as a small vegetable farm in 1915. In 1938, William Herman Bolthouse took over the farm from his parents. He made the farm much bigger and started to focus on growing and selling carrots.
Expanding to California
Under William Herman's leadership, Bolthouse Farms opened a second facility in 1973. This new location was in Bakersfield, California. It was chosen because carrots could be grown there all year round. In 1985, William Herman's son, William J., took over the company. The Bolthouse family owned the farm until shortly after William Herman passed away in 2004.
Changes in Ownership
After the family sold the company, a private investment firm named Madison Dearborn Partners owned Bolthouse Farms from 2005 to 2012. They closed all the company's operations in Michigan in 2010. In 2012, the Campbell Soup Company bought Bolthouse Farms for a lot of money. But in 2019, Campbell sold Bolthouse Farms to another private investment firm, Butterfly Equity.
Keeping Workers Healthy
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bolthouse Farms worked to keep its employees safe. The company got vaccine doses for its workers. They also offered $500 to full-time hourly workers who got vaccinated. This helped protect the workers and the company.
Fun Ways to Market Carrots
In 2010, Bolthouse Farms and other carrot growers started a fun marketing plan. They wanted to make baby carrots seem like a cool snack for kids. They called themselves "A Bunch of Carrot Farmers."
Making Carrots Like Snack Food
The campaign used ideas from snack food companies. They put carrots in snack-like bags. They made TV commercials that looked like extreme sports videos. They even put carrot vending machines in schools! There was also an iPhone game and a website.
Cartoon Carrots and Spices
By 2016, Bolthouse Farms was selling packaged baby carrots called "Kids Veggie Snackers." These snacks came with cartoon characters and spice shakers. For example, "Carrot Meets Ranch" had ranch dressing spices and a cowboy carrot mascot. "Carrot Meets Chili Lime" featured a cartoon hot pepper and carrot.
New Carrot Products
Bolthouse Farms has found new ways to use carrots in food.
Carrot Hot Dogs
In 2020, Bolthouse Farms started selling carrots that could be grilled like hot dogs. These "Carrot Dogs" came in packs of eight. They were available in three flavors: Classic American-Style, Chorizo-Style, and Sweet Italian-Style.
More Plant-Based Options
At the same time, the company also introduced carrot fettuccine and riced carrots. These new products were created to offer more plant-based food choices for people.
Carrot Fiber for Health
In 2003, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) looked at Bolthouse Farms' carrot fiber ingredient. The FDA agreed that carrot fiber is generally safe to eat.
Bolthouse Farms and The Bolthouse Foundation
The Bolthouse Foundation is a charity that supports religious causes. It is important to know that The Bolthouse Foundation is completely separate from Bolthouse Farms.
A Separate Charity
Mr. and Mrs. William J. Bolthouse sold their part of Wm. Bolthouse Farms in 2005. Since then, The Bolthouse Foundation has made its own decisions about where to give money. No one from The Bolthouse Foundation has any financial interest in Bolthouse Farms. Also, The Bolthouse Foundation does not get money or benefits from Bolthouse Farms' profits.
