Edward William Coon facts for kids

Edward William Coon (born July 31, 1871 – died January 12, 1934) was an American businessman and cheesemaker. He created a special way to ripen cheese. His method kept live bacteria in the cheese, which he believed made it easier to digest and taste better. Later, his name became part of a discussion about the name of an Australian cheese brand.

Edward Coon's Early Life

Coon was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, on July 31, 1871. His parents were Ephraim and Mary Ann Coons. His birth name was Edward Willie Coons.

When he was a young man, Coon started working for his father and uncle. They had a company called Coon Bros & Co., where he worked as a salesman.

Coon's Career in Cheese

After his family's business closed, Coon started his own company. He bought a store building in Philadelphia.

In March 1915, Coon rented a cheese factory in Edwards, New York. He hired W.E. Walker as a cheesemaker. His new business, E.W. Coon & Co., opened on April 1. By this time, Coon was well-known in New York for his cheese. He had a good reputation for selling American cheeses. He also exported cheese to England and Italy.

In June 1915, Coon expanded his business even more. He bought warehouses in Cape Vincent, New York. He changed them into a storage place for cheese and butter. He used a new way to cool the building. Instead of regular refrigeration, he used many tiles to make it like the inside of a ship. In April 1921, the factory burned down. Many carloads of Italian and American cheese were destroyed. Coon later received $120,000 from insurance companies.

In August 1923, a newspaper reported that Coon sold five milk plants. These plants were near Watertown. He sold them to the Dairymen's League Co Operative Association. Coon's business mainly focused on making cheese. He had several cheese factories in the area.

In August 1924, Coon bought two factories in Wisconsin Rapids. One of them became the "largest cheese storage plant in the state of Wisconsin." He called his new business Acme Cheese Development and Storage. This factory stored and processed cheese. The cheese made here followed Coon's 1926 patent. It was known for its "sharp, nippy taste" and was sold as "COON-Sharp Cheese."

At one point, Coon ran 14 cheese factories in New York State.

In 1928, the Kraft-Phenix Cheese Company bought Coon's business. They paid over $730,000 for his company, factories, and his special cheese-ripening patent. Coon stayed on as a manager for Kraft-Phenix until he died in 1934.

Edward Coon's Cheese-Making Patent

On February 27, 1926, Edward Coon applied for a patent. A patent is a special legal right that protects an invention. His patent was for a "Process for Ripening Cheese." It was approved on March 30, 1926, as Patent No. 1579196.

His patent described a way to ripen cheese using moist air at certain temperatures. At that time, cheese was often ripened by storing it with paraffin wax in cool rooms. This method made the air dry and pulled moisture from the cheese. This resulted in dry, crumbly cheese and sometimes caused mold.

Coon's process was much faster. It prevented the cheese from becoming dry or moldy. His method helped good bacteria grow in the cheese. This made the cheese easier to digest.

His method did not use pasteurization. Pasteurization kills all bacteria, which makes food last longer. But Coon wanted to keep the live bacteria in his cheese.

Coon found that cheese without paraffin wax lost a lot of weight. This was because moisture left the cheese. He realized that the air in cheese ripening rooms needed to be very humid. He suggested keeping the moisture level between 65% and 95%. The temperature should be between 45 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. He said his many years of experiments led to this special process.

In 1928, Kraft-Phenix bought Coon's "cave-cure" method along with his company. Kraft continued to make this cheese. They sold it under the brand name "Kraft Wisconsin White Cheddar."

The Australian COON Cheese Name

A cheese in Australia was named "Coon cheese." In 1988, Kraft Foods Inc. said the cheese was named after Edward Coon. This was in response to questions about the name. The name "Coon" can also be used as a hurtful term for Indigenous Australians. The Australian cheese was first called "Red Coon" in 1931. From about 1959, it was called COON.

In January 2021, the company that owns the COON brand, Saputo Inc., changed its name. They renamed the cheese to CHEER. They said this change was made to match "current attitudes and perspectives."

Edward Coon's Family and Death

Edward Coon married Frances Gregory Reinhold on September 3, 1904. Frances passed away in May 1922. He then married Mrs. Mary Lewis Parker on March 27, 1925. He was 53, and she was 51. Edward Coon did not have any children from either marriage.

Coon died on January 12, 1934, from a heart attack.