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Fleischmann's Yeast facts for kids

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Fleischmann's Yeast is a well-known American brand of yeast. It was started by a Hungarian-American businessman named Charles Louis Fleischmann. Today, a company called Associated British Foods owns it. You can find Fleischmann's Yeast in stores across the United States and Canada. It's used by both home bakers and big food companies.

Fleischmann's makes different kinds of yeast for various baking needs. They also make a type of corn oil margarine.

The Story of Fleischmann's Yeast

The company began in Riverside, Cincinnati, in 1868. It was started by two brothers, Charles Louis Fleischmann and Maximilian Fleischmann, along with James Gaff. Their first company was called Gaff, Fleischmann & Company. They showed off their yeast at a big event called the Centennial Exposition in 1876.

After James Gaff passed away in 1881, the company's name changed to Fleischmann and Company. Later, in 1905, it became The Fleischmann Company.

In 1924, the brothers' nephew, Raoul Fleischmann, used money from the family business to help start a famous magazine called The New Yorker. He invested a lot of money before the magazine started making a profit. Raoul was the magazine's publisher until he passed away in 1969.

In 1929, Fleischmann's joined with another company to form Standard Brands. That same year, the company began sponsoring a popular radio show called The Fleischmann's Yeast Hour, which starred Rudy Vallée.

During the 1930s, Fleischmann's Yeast advertisements made some big claims. They suggested that eating their yeast could help with a made-up condition called "intestinal fatigue." This condition was supposedly caused by the stress of modern life. The ads said Fleischmann's Yeast was a good treatment. However, these claims were later shown to be untrue.

In 1981, Standard Brands merged with Nabisco Brands, Inc.. A few years later, in 1986, the company was sold to an Australian company called Burns Philp. Then, in 2004, Burns Philp sold its yeast business to Associated British Foods.

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, many people started baking more at home. This caused a huge demand for Fleischmann's Yeast. The company had trouble getting enough raw materials. Also, making yeast takes a long time, which limited how much they could produce.

Different Kinds of Yeast

Fleischmann's makes several common types of yeast for baking:

  • Cakes of fresh yeast: These are soft, perishable cubes wrapped in foil. This was one of the first ways yeast was sold.
  • Active Dry Yeast: This yeast comes in packets and can be stored for a long time. Fleischmann's invented this type during World War II. It is their most famous product because it lasts a long time.
  • RapidRise yeast: Also in packets, this yeast helps dough rise much faster, sometimes cutting the rising time in half. It lets you skip the first rise.
  • Bread machine yeast: This is an instant yeast sold in a glass jar. It's designed for use in bread machines.
  • Pizza crust yeast: This instant yeast comes with special ingredients that make pizza dough more stretchy. It also helps reduce the time needed to make a fresh pizza crust.

Company Leaders

  • Charles Louis Fleischmann, from 1868 to 1897
  • Julius Fleischmann, from 1897 to 1925
  • Maximilian C. Fleischmann, from 1925 to 1929

See also

Images for kids

  • Fleischmann's Yeast advertisement, 1932

    This 1932 advertisement promoted fresh yeast cakes as a laxative and tonic.

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