Folgers facts for kids
Folgers Coffee is a very popular brand of coffee. You can find it as ground coffee, instant coffee, or in single-use pods. Folgers coffee is mainly sold in the United States. It is also available in places like Asia, Canada, and Mexico. The company that owns Folgers is called The J.M. Smucker Company. Folgers coffee is roasted, or cooked, in New Orleans.
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| Type | Coffee |
|---|---|
| Owner | The J.M. Smucker Company |
| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1850 |
| Markets | North America |
| Previous owners | Procter & Gamble (1963–2008) |
| Tagline | "The Best Part of Wakin' Up is Folgers in Your Cup" |
Contents
The History of Folgers Coffee
The company that would become Folgers Coffee started in 1850. It was in San Francisco, California. It was first called the Pioneer Steam Coffee and Spice Mills. The owner, William H. Bovee, saw a chance to sell coffee that was already roasted and ground. Before this, people had to buy raw, green coffee beans. Then they had to roast and grind them themselves.
To help build his mill, Bovee hired James Athearn (J.A.) Folger. James was a carpenter. He had come from Nantucket Island when he was 15 years old. He arrived with his two older brothers during the California Gold Rush. In the 1850s, kerosene became a cheaper fuel than whale oil. Whale oil was Nantucket's main business. Many Nantucket ships then started bringing coffee from South America to San Francisco.
After working at Bovee's mill for almost a year, James Folger saved enough money. He bought a part of the company. Then he went to mine for gold. He also agreed to carry coffee and spice samples. He took orders from grocery stores along his way.
When he came back to San Francisco in 1865, Folger became a full partner. In 1872, he bought out the other partners. He then changed the company's name to J.A. Folger & Co.
In 1861, James Folger got married. He and his wife had four children. Two of their children worked for the family business. James Folger died in 1889. His oldest son, James A. Folger II, became the president. He was 26 years old at the time.
In the 1900s, the company started to grow a lot. This was mostly thanks to a salesman named Frank P. Atha. Atha sold coffee in California. He suggested to James Folger II that he open a Folgers Coffee plant in Texas. The company grew very quickly after Atha opened the Texas plant.
In the mid-1900s, Peter Folger led the company. Folgers became one of the main coffee companies in North America. In 1960, they started building a Folger Coffee Company plant in New Orleans. This was because of new shipping routes from Central America.
Procter & Gamble bought Folgers in 1963. They also removed the apostrophe from its name. While Procter & Gamble owned it, Folgers became the number one coffee brand in America.
In 2008, Procter & Gamble announced that Folgers would become its own company. But they changed their mind later that year. They announced that The J.M. Smucker Company would buy Folgers. Smucker bought Folgers in November 2008. Folgers became a part of Smucker's. Its products now lead the home coffee market, which is worth $10 billion.
Folgers Coffee Products
Folgers has special brand colors. Their logo traditionally used a dark red background with white letters. Today, they still use white or gray letters. A green background means it's decaf coffee. A black background means it's their Noir dark roast.
Here are some Folgers products you can find in the United States:
- Ground coffee in cans:
- 100% Colombian (medium roast)
- Black Silk (dark roast), also in decaf
- Brazilian blend (medium roast)
- Breakfast blend (mild roast)
- Classic roast (medium roast), also in decaf and half caff
- Coffeehouse blend (medium-dark roast)
- Country roast (medium-dark roast)
- French roast (medium-dark roast)
- Gourmet Supreme (medium-dark roast)
- House blend (medium roast)
- Special roast (medium roast)
- Folgers Noir, which are dark roast coffees
- Simply Smooth, a mild roast coffee that is easier on the stomach. It also comes in decaf.
- Simply Gourmet, which are naturally flavored coffees
- Folgers Flavors, like French vanilla and hazelnut. Decaf hazelnut is also available.
- Folgers Crystals, which is instant coffee. It comes in regular and decaf.
- Coffee Singles, which are single-serve packets.
- Cappuccino instant mixes.
- K-cup pods in many different roasts and flavors.
- 1850, a special brand launched in 2018.
In Canada, you can mostly find Folgers Classic Roast and Mountain Roast. In the United Kingdom, Folgers Instant Crystals are available.
Folgers Advertising
Folgers is famous for its slogan: "The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup!" This slogan is well-known for a jingle, or short song. The jingle has been in almost every advertisement since 1984. Many famous musicians have performed it. These include Richie Havens, Randy Travis, Bonnie Tyler, Paul Stanley, Aretha Franklin, and Rockapella.
From 1965 to 1986, Folgers was known for TV ads with "Mrs. Olson." She was a Swedish neighbor played by Virginia Christine. She always suggested Folgers coffee to the people in the commercial.
In the 1970s and early 1980s, Folgers promoted their instant coffee. Their ads showed fancy restaurants. A voice-over would whisper that they had secretly switched the restaurant's coffee with Folgers. They would then watch the customers to see if they noticed.
One Folgers TV ad from 1985 became very popular around Christmas. It was called "Peter Comes Home For Christmas." In the ad, a college student comes home, seemingly on Christmas Day. His younger sister helps him make Folgers coffee. The smell of fresh coffee wakes up his parents. This lets them know their son has arrived. This ad aired every year until 1998. It was also shown in 2004 and 2005.
In the mid-1980s, Folgers started sponsoring NASCAR races. After a trial season in 1985, Folgers sponsored more races.
In 2006, an advertising company created a popular online ad. It was called "Happy Mornings." In this ad, a big group of happy singers and dancers appear at sunrise. They act like the sun itself to wake people up.
In 2009, another holiday ad was created, called "Coming Home". In this ad, an older brother comes home from volunteering in West Africa. His teenage sister meets him at their parents' house. This ad quickly became very popular online.
In 2014, the brand celebrated the 30th birthday of its famous jingle.
Folgers Building
The Folger Coffee Company Building is a brick, five-story building. It is at 101 Howard Street in San Francisco, California. This building used to be the main office for Folgers. It is listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places. The building still has a sign on one corner that says "The Folgers Coffee Company."
On August 2, 2011, the University of San Francisco bought the Folger Building. This brought the university back to its roots in downtown San Francisco.
See also
In Spanish: Folgers para niños
Images for kids
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Folgers Logo
