French's facts for kids
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| Type | Mustard, condiments, food items |
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| Owner | McCormick & Company |
| Country | Rochester, New York United States |
| Introduced | 1904 |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | R.T. French Company Reckitt Benckiser |
French's is a famous American brand. It is best known for its bright yellow mustard. French's also makes other tasty foods like condiments and crispy fried onions.
The brand was started by Robert Timothy French. Its special "Cream Salad Brand" mustard was first shown to the world in 1904. This happened at the World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. By 1921, French's Mustard had its well-known pennant logo. It also started advertising to everyone. Today, French's is owned by a company called McCormick & Company.
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The Story of French's
The French brothers, Robert and George, bought a flour mill in 1883. It was in a town called Fairport, New York. The mill burned down in 1884. So, they moved their business to Rochester, New York. They named their new company the R.T. French Company.
Robert French passed away in 1893. His brother George then became the company president. George helped create the creamy yellow mustard. He and another brother, Francis, launched French's mustard in 1904.
In 1926, French's was sold to a company from the United Kingdom. This company was called J. & J. Colman. They also made their own mustard.
In 1960, French's bought a pickle company. It was called L.C. Forman and Sons Pickle Company. They made many pickle products. One was a popular relish called piccalilli.
French's started a new line of barbecue sauce in 1965. It was called "Cattlemen’s." To celebrate, a horse-drawn "chuck wagon" traveled across New York. It went from Buffalo, New York, to New York City. Then it went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In 1986, the company that owned French's bought Durkee Famous Foods. Durkee's crispy fried onions then became French's crispy fried onions.
In 2017, McCormick & Company bought French's. They bought it from the company that owned it before.
For many years, a made-up person named "Carol French" was the face of the company. Her name was on many recipes and cookbooks. One of the oldest was Dining Delights from 1948.
Where French's Has Been Located
Until 1987, French's main office was in Rochester, New York. Now, the main office is in Chester, New Jersey.
When French's was very popular, it sponsored local weather forecasts. Its address was often shown in TV ads. They also sponsored the Rochester Red Wings baseball team. This was often done with a local hot dog brand, Zweigle's. The old headquarters building is now used for different offices.
French's also had factories in other places. These included Souderton, Pennsylvania, and Fresno, California. Manufacturing operations were later moved to Springfield, Missouri.
What Products French's Makes
In the past, R. T. French made many different things. These included spices, extracts, and pickle products. They also made sauces, gravy mixes, and instant potato products. They even made pet care products like bird seeds.
Today, you can find many French's products in stores. These include their famous mustards and crispy fried onions. They also make Worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise products, ketchup, and barbecue sauce. You can also find potato sticks and fried jalapeños.
See also
