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 one of the biggest frozen pie brands in the United States. It is also known as Mrs. Smith's Bakeries. This company makes many kinds of delicious frozen pies that you can bake at home.
Contents
The Story of Mrs. Smith's Pies
How Mrs. Smith's Pies Started
Mrs. Smith's Pies 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, saw how popular they were. He started selling slices of his mom's pies. He sold them door-to-door and at the local YMCA lunch counter.
Soon, the pies were in high demand. Robert added a mobile route and opened a small store. Because so many people wanted Amanda's pies, the company "Mrs. Smith's Delicious Home Made Pies, Inc." was officially started in 1925.
Growing the Business
By 1930, Mrs. Smith's Pies had grown quite a bit. There were four bakeries serving the Northeast part of the United States. Two bakeries were in Pennsylvania: one in York and another in the Logan area of Philadelphia. The other two bakeries were in the Mid-Atlantic region. They were located in Silver Spring, Maryland and Portsmouth, Virginia.
Freezing Pies and New Ownership
Amanda Smith passed away in 1947. Five years later, in 1952, the company started making frozen pies. This was a big step for the business. Amanda's grandson, Robert C. Smith, later became the president of the company in 1972. That same year, Mrs. Smith's Pies became a public company. This means its shares could be bought and sold by anyone.
Over the years, Mrs. Smith's Pies changed owners several times. In 1976, the Kellogg Company bought the company. Later, in 1994, Kellogg's sold its bakery part to The J.M. Smucker Co.. Then, in 1996, Smucker sold it to Flowers Foods. Finally, in 2003, the Schwan Food Company bought the Mrs. Smith's brand.
Where Pies Are Made Today
For many years, the Mrs. Smith's Pies plant in Pottstown, Pennsylvania was a well-known landmark. It was also a very important employer for the town. The main pie-making part of the plant was later taken down to build new homes. Today, the Pottstown plant is used to make Mrs. Smith's pie tins. The actual pies are now made in Stilwell, Oklahoma.
