Gulden's facts for kids
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| Owner | Conagra Brands |
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| Introduced | 1862 |
| Previous owners | International Home Foods |
Gulden's is a well-known American brand of mustard. It is one of the oldest mustard companies in the United States. Gulden's is famous for its spicy brown mustard. This special mustard uses a secret mix of mustard seeds and spices. Today, a large company called ConAgra Foods owns Gulden's. It is the third largest mustard maker in America.
Contents
The Story of Gulden's Mustard
How It All Began
Charles Gulden was born in New York City in 1843. When he was 15, he worked as an engraver. Later, he worked for his uncle, who owned a mustard factory. After serving in the Civil War, Charles decided to open his own mustard company.
He started his business in 1862. His shop was on Elizabeth Street in New York City. This location was close to shipping docks. It made it easy for him to get mustard seeds and spices. For a while, Gulden's even put a spoon in every jar of mustard!
Growing the Business
By 1875, Gulden's mustard was sold outside of New York. In 1881, his family created a special container. It could push out mustard using a plunger. You can still see similar designs today. Charles Gulden also received a patent for a mustard jar cap in 1893.
By 1883, Gulden's made 30 different kinds of mustard. They also sold other products. These included olives, capers, and ketchup. That year, the company moved into a bigger, six-story building.
New Leaders and Changes
Charles Gulden, Jr. took over the business in 1911. He decided to focus only on making mustard. Charles Gulden passed away in 1916. He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York. In 1949, the company noticed people liked yellow mustard. So, they introduced "Gulden’s Prepared Yellow Mustard."
Another Charles Gulden became the company's leader in 1956. After 93 years, the company sold its old building. They moved to Saddle Brook, New Jersey.
New Owners
In 1960, Gulden's was sold to American Home Foods. This company later became International Home Foods in 1996. Then, in 2000, ConAgra bought International Home Foods. They moved the mustard making to Milton, Pennsylvania. By 2002, Gulden's had a 6.6 percent share of the mustard market.
Awards and Recognition
Early Wins
Gulden's mustard first entered a competition in 1869. This was at the 38th annual Fair of the American Institute. It won a "second medal" for its quality. This medal is still shown on Gulden's mustard labels today!
The American Institute honored Gulden's again in 1883. They praised its "exceptional quality and flavor." Gulden's also won awards at other big events. These included the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago (1893) and the Exposition Universelle in Paris (1900). It also won at the Sesquicentennial International Exposition in Philadelphia (1926).
Recent Awards
More recently, Gulden's won Gold in 2005. This was for Best Deli/Brown Mustard at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival.
It is important to know that the Gulden's mustard sold today is not exactly the same as the mustard that won awards long ago. For example, in the 1960s, the ingredients listed were "Mustard seed, vinegar, spices, and salt." Today, Turmeric is also listed as an ingredient.
See also
