Prigat facts for kids
Prigat is a well-known company in Israel that makes tasty juices and syrups. It was first called Gat. This company is owned by two groups: Gat Foods and Israel Beer Breweries. Prigat's main offices are in two special communities called kibbutzim, which are Givat Haim (Meuhad) and Givat Haim (Ichud), close to a city named Hadera. Prigat is one of the biggest juice makers in Israel. Back in 2006, about 280 people worked for the company.
Contents
The Story of Prigat
How Prigat Started
Prigat began its journey in 1940. Leaders from the Givat Chaim kibbutz decided to build a factory. This factory would make canned fruits and vegetables.
In 1941, the factory was named "Gat." It quickly started selling its first products. These included jams, tomato puree, and applesauce.
Growing Bigger
In 1943, the British Army in Palestine placed a large order. They wanted 775,000 bottles of syrup. This order was worth 55,000 Palestinian pounds, which was a lot of money back then!
By 1947, the company started using machines to get juice from citrus fruits. This made making juice much faster.
New Products and Awards
In 1957, Prigat began selling sweetcorn seeds in tin cans. A year later, in 1958, Golda Meir approved a special name. She was Israel's foreign minister at the time. The name "Jaffa Champion" was used for products sold outside Israel.
In 1959, a factory for peanuts was built. However, this peanut factory later became a separate business. It is not part of Prigat's juice company today.
In 1962, Prigat added a new department. This department made frozen juice and vegetables. By 1972, Gat won an award for being the best exporter in 1971. This meant they were great at selling their products to other countries.
Modernizing Production
In 1976, a plastic factory was built. It made small plastic boxes for frozen juice and vegetables. The "Prigat" name was first used in 1977. It referred to the company's frozen food section.
In 1982, Prigat started making juice in small bags. Then, in 1987, they began making juice in cardboard cartons.
Expanding to Other Countries
Prigat started selling its products in Romania in 1993. Two years later, in 1995, they set up a new production line. This line made freshly squeezed juice.
In 2003, Prigat officially joined with Israel Beer Breweries. Around this time, Prigat drinks were even served on El Al flights!
Prigat Around the World
Prigat mainly sells its products in Israel. But it also sends products to 15 other countries! These include Australia, Canada, France, United Kingdom, and the US.
In 2006, Prigat's sales from other countries were about US$65.5 million. This was a big part of their total income.
In 2003, Prigat was very popular in Romania. They held 37% of the market for non-fizzy soft drinks there.
Helping the Environment
Prigat has also worked with the Jewish National Fund. This is a non-profit group that helps Israel. By 2006, Prigat had spent ₪3 million NIS on planting trees. They helped plant 2 million square meters of orchards in the Negev area.
After the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, Prigat helped restore the Birya forest. Many Katyusha rockets had fallen there. Prigat sent its employees to help fix the damage.
See also
- Israeli cuisine
- Squash (drink)
- Limonana
