Mrs. Smith's facts for kids
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| Industry | Frozen food |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1925 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania |
| Founders | Amanda Smith |
| Headquarters | |
| Parent | Schwan Food Company |
Mrs. Smith's Pies is a very well-known brand of frozen pies in the United States. You might have seen their delicious fruit pies in the freezer section of your local grocery store!
Contents
About Mrs. Smith's Pies
Mrs. Smith's Pies, also known as Mrs. Smith's Bakeries, is one of the biggest names in frozen pies. They make many different kinds of pies. These pies are enjoyed by families all across the country.
How It All Started
The company began with a talented homemaker named Amanda Smith. She lived in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Amanda made amazing deep-dish, fruit-filled pies. Her son, Robert P. Smith, thought they were so good. He started selling slices of her pies. He sold them door-to-door and at the local YMCA lunch counter.
Soon, Robert added a mobile route. He also opened a small store. People loved Amanda's pies so much! The demand grew very quickly. This led to the official start of the company. It was named "Mrs. Smith's Delicious Home Made Pies, Inc." in 1925.
Growing the Business
By 1930, Mrs. Smith's Pies had grown quite a bit. There were four bakeries serving the Northeast region. Two bakeries were in Pennsylvania. One was in York, Pennsylvania, and another in Philadelphia. The other two bakeries were in the Mid-Atlantic states. They were located in Silver Spring, Maryland, and Portsmouth, Virginia.
Amanda Smith passed away in 1947. Five years later, in 1952, the company started making frozen pies. This was a big step! It meant more people could enjoy their pies. Amanda's grandson, Robert C. Smith, later became president in 1972. The company also became public in May 1972. This meant people could buy shares in the company.
New Owners Over Time
Over the years, Mrs. Smith's Pies has been owned by several different companies. In 1976, the Kellogg Company bought Mrs. Smith's Pies. They paid $56 million for it. Kellogg's later sold the bakery part of the business. This happened in 1994. The J.M. Smucker Co. bought it for $84 million.
Then, in May 1996, Smucker sold the brand again. This time, Flowers Foods bought it. Finally, in 2003, the Schwan Food Company purchased the Mrs. Smith's brand. Schwan Food Company still owns Mrs. Smith's Pies today.
Where Pies Are Made Today
The original Mrs. Smith's Pies plant was in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. It was a very important place for many years. It provided many jobs for people in the area. Today, that old plant is used for something different. It now makes the metal tins for Mrs. Smith's pies.
The main pie-making part of the Pottstown plant was taken down. New homes were built there instead. After the Pottstown pie factory closed in 1998, pie production moved. Now, Mrs. Smith's pies are made in Stilwell, Oklahoma.
