Gorton's of Gloucester facts for kids
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Food processing |
| Founded | 1849 (as John Pew & Sons) |
| Founders | John Pew Slade Gorton William Pew |
| Headquarters | Gloucester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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Key people
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Kurt Hogan, CEO |
| Products | Frozen seafood |
| Parent | Nippon Suisan Kaisha |
Gorton's of Gloucester is a famous company that makes frozen seafood, like fish sticks. It's a part of a bigger Japanese company called Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd.. Gorton's sells its products in stores across the United States. They also sell seafood to fast-food restaurants, like McDonald's. Gorton's has been based in Gloucester, Massachusetts, since 1849.
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About Gorton's of Gloucester
Gorton's is well-known for its frozen fish products. They make it easy for families to enjoy seafood at home. The company has a long history in the fishing town of Gloucester.
Early Beginnings
The story of Gorton's began with a fishing business called John Pew & Sons. This company was started by John Pew and his son, William Pew, in 1849. William Pew became a fisherman after serving as a soldier in the French and Indian War. He moved to Gloucester, Massachusetts, in 1755.
Later, in 1874, another important person named Slade Gorton started his own fishing business. He called it Slade Gorton & Company. Slade Gorton was the first to package and sell dried fish in small barrels. This made it easier for people to buy and store fish. In 1899, his company created the "Original Gorton Fish Cake," which became very popular.
The Gorton's Fisherman Appears
In 1905, Slade Gorton's company chose a special symbol: a fisherman steering a boat. This symbol became the company's trademark. Today, he is known as the Gorton's Fisherman. You can still see him on Gorton's packages!
Joining Forces and Freezing Fish
In 1906, Slade Gorton & Company and John Pew & Sons joined together. They also teamed up with two other fishing companies in Gloucester. This new, bigger company was called the Gorton-Pew Fisheries. They made Gorton's codfish cakes famous throughout New England.
The company started freezing fish in the early 1930s. This was a big step because it meant fish could be kept fresh for much longer. In 1949, Gorton-Pew made history. They sent the first truck full of frozen fish from Gloucester all the way to San Francisco. This trip took eight days!
In 1953, Gorton's was the first company to introduce a frozen fish stick that was ready to cook. This new product was very popular and even won an award from Parents Magazine.
New Owners and Famous Ads
In 1957, the company changed its name to Gorton's of Gloucester. Later, in 1965, it became The Gorton Corporation, and now it's simply known as Gorton's. In 1968, Gorton's joined a large company called General Mills, Inc.
Years later, in 1995, another big company called Unilever bought Gorton's. Then, in 2001, Unilever sold Gorton's to Nippon Suisan (USA), Inc. This company is part of Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd., a large Japanese seafood company.
In 2005, the Gorton's Fisherman even appeared in a Mastercard TV commercial during the Super Bowl XXXIX. The ad showed many famous cartoon mascots from food and cleaning products having dinner together.
Protecting Whales
In 2005, some groups that protect animals and the environment, like the Environmental Investigation Agency and Greenpeace, asked Gorton's for help. They wanted Gorton's to talk to its parent company, Nissui, about stopping whale hunting in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. In 2006, these groups announced that Gorton's and its partners had agreed to no longer actively support Japanese whaling.
