Hunt's facts for kids
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| Type | Preserved tomato products |
|---|---|
| Owner | Conagra Brands (Century Pacific Food in the Philippines) |
| Introduced | 1888 |
Hunt's is a well-known brand that makes canned tomato products. It is owned by a big food company called Conagra Brands.
The company started in 1888 in Sebastopol, California. It was called the Hunt Bros. Fruit Packing Co., founded by two brothers, Joseph and William Hunt. They moved their business to Santa Rosa in 1890, and then to Hayward in 1895. This small canning business grew quickly. It focused on canning fruits and vegetables from California's growing farms. By 1941, their factory shipped millions of cans each year. These included soup, fruits, vegetables, and juices.
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How Hunt's Grew
In 1943, another food company bought Hunt's. This was Val Vita Food Products, started by Norton Simon in the 1930s. Val Vita was based in Fullerton, California. The two companies joined together. They decided to keep the name Hunt's and became Hunt Food and Industries, Inc.. The new leaders chose to focus mainly on canned tomato products. They especially wanted to make prepared tomato sauce.
Changes Over the Years
Hunt's became part of even bigger companies over time. In 1960, the Wesson Oil & Snowdrift Company joined with Hunt's. They formed a new company called Hunt-Wesson Foods. Later, in 1968, Hunt-Wesson merged with other companies to create Norton Simon Inc.
Then, in the 1980s, Norton Simon Inc. was bought by different companies. Finally, in 1990, a large food business called ConAgra Foods bought Hunt-Wesson. This included all the Hunt's brands. The Hunt's office moved from Fullerton to Irvine, California in 1999. That office closed in 2006.
What Products Does Hunt's Make?
Today, the Hunt's brand makes many kinds of canned tomato sauce. They also sell tomato paste, diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, and stewed tomatoes. You can find pureed and crushed tomatoes too. Hunt's offers organic and "No Salt Added" tomato products.
They also make spaghetti sauce and ketchup. Other products include barbecue sauce, canned potatoes, and canned peaches. Hunt's also has a line called Family Favorites to help with recipes. The Hunt's name is also on Manwich brand sloppy joe products. In the past, it was on Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding and Reddi-wip whipped cream.
Hunt's Ketchup Changes
In 1988, Hunt's catsup changed its name on the label to ketchup. In May 2010, Hunt's ketchup temporarily stopped using high fructose corn syrup. The new ingredients were "tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, salt and other seasonings." However, in May 2012, the product went back to using high fructose corn syrup.
As of May 2017, a version with sugar has been available in the US. It is labeled "100% Natural Tomato Ketchup." You can find it in specific sizes like 20 oz, 28 oz, 38.5 oz, and 62 oz.
Famous Endorsements
In December 2018, NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed a deal with Hunt's. Mahomes is famous for loving ketchup. He even puts it on unusual foods like steak and macaroni and cheese!
See also
