Smartfood facts for kids
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| Owner | Frito-Lay |
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| Introduced | 1985 |
Smartfood is a well-known American brand of pre-popped, flavored popcorn. It was started in 1984 by three people: Annie Withey, Andrew Martin, and Ken Meyers. They began their company in Marlborough, Massachusetts. A few years later, in 1989, a big snack company called Frito-Lay bought Smartfood for $15 million.
The Story of Smartfood
How Smartfood Began
Smartfood was first created in 1985. The main people behind it were Andrew Martin, who was the chairman, Ken Meyers, who handled operations, and Martin's wife, Annie Withey, who worked with customers. They started in Hampton, Connecticut. The popcorn was first sold under the Smartfood name in 1985. It was made in Marlborough, Massachusetts.
Andrew Martin explained that their popcorn was different. He said, "Unlike the cheese popcorn already on the market, ours was made with real cheese and it didn't glow in the dark." They wanted to make a high-quality snack. At that time, many people thought pre-popped popcorn in a bag wasn't very good. They felt it wasn't fresh and was too expensive compared to making it at home. Smartfood aimed to change that idea.
Joining the Frito-Lay Family
In January 1989, the Smartfood company was sold. A large snack company named Frito-Lay, based in Texas, bought it for $15 million. This sale helped Smartfood become even more widely available.
After selling Smartfood, Annie Withey and Andrew Martin started another company. They named it Annie's Homegrown. This new company makes different organic food products. These include macaroni and cheese and pasta.
See also
