Continental Baking Company facts for kids
| Private company | |
| Industry | Food (Bakery) |
| Successor | Interstate Bakeries Corporation, Hostess Brands |
| Founded | 1849 (as Ward Baking Company) |
| Defunct | 1995 |
| Headquarters | New York City, New York, U.S. |
|
Key people
|
Robert Boyd Ward |
| Products | Brands including: Wonder Bread, Twinkies |
The Continental Baking Company was a very important bakery in the United States. It was one of the first companies to add extra vitamins to its bread, making it healthier. This company was famous for making popular snacks like the Twinkie and Wonder Bread. Over time, it joined with other companies and became part of what is now known as Hostess Brands.
Contents
A Bakery's Beginning
The story of Continental Baking Company began in 1849. A father and son, James and Hugh Ward, who came from Belfast, Ireland, opened a small bakery. Their first bakery was located on Broome Street in New York City.
Later, in 1884, Hugh Ward and his son Robert Boyd Ward moved. They opened a new bakery in Allegheny City, which is now part of Pittsburgh.
Growing the Business
In 1900, Robert B. Ward started the Ward Bread Company. He set up bakeries in New York, Brooklyn, and Newark. Around 1910, Ward's Bakeries built two very large factories. These factories were in Bronx and Brooklyn, New York. By November 1911, the company began selling its famous "Ward's Tip-top Bread."
Becoming Continental Baking
In 1921, Robert's grandson, William Ward, took over the company. Four years later, in 1925, he changed the company's name. It became the Continental Baking Company.
Continental Baking grew even bigger by buying other companies. In late 1924, they bought the Wagner Baking Company in Detroit, Michigan, and three other businesses. In 1925, they bought the Taggart Baking Company. This company was the maker of Wonder Bread. With this purchase, Continental Baking became the largest commercial bakery in the United States.
The Invention of Twinkies
A famous snack, the Twinkie, was invented in 1930. It was created by James Alexander Dewar. He was a baker working for the Continental Baking Company. Twinkies were first made in Schiller Park, Illinois.
Changes Over Time
Continental Baking Company was based in New York for many years, from 1923 to 1984. It also had offices in Hoboken, New Jersey.
The company was bought by ITT in 1968. Then, it was sold to Ralston Purina in 1984. Finally, in 1995, Interstate Bakeries Corporation bought Continental Baking. The combined company later changed its name to Hostess Brands in 2009.
Hostess Brands (which used to be Interstate Bakeries Corporation) closed down in 2012. After this, a new company called Hostess Brands was started in 2013. This new company bought the famous brand names and some factories. This way, popular snacks like Twinkies could still be made and sold.
